Many freelance writers would like to use social networking sites to build their business, but find the concept of social networking a bit overwhelming (or even intimidating!).
As a starting point for using social networking sites for business, let’s establish what all sites are, what they offer, and how they are different:
Facebook– A free social networking site where users can create a profile, add friends, send them messages and also post their random news, opinions and thoughts on their Facebook ‘wall’ – a newsfeed that works as a kind of bulletin board shared announcement made up of wall posts, photos and even videos from connected members. With all this and more, it’s no wonder that Facebook has over 350 million active users worldwide, making it one of the most used social networking sites.
Twitter– A free social networking site and microblogging service that allows users to send and read text messages (up to a maximum of 140 characters). messages are called cheep. By posting tweets, you can let others know what you’re doing or thinking at any time, day or night. In turn, you can keep track of what other people are doing, keeping an eye on their updates or getting their updates delivered directly to your phone in the form of SMS text messages.
LinkedIn– A free business oriented social networking site with over 50 million registered members worldwide. Primarily used for professional networking, LinkedIn is, in fact, the #1 business social networking website in the world. Members post their profile, photo, and information about their qualifications, skills, and services they can provide. After ‘connecting’ with others in the business world (trusted contacts), members can exchange ideas, current information, useful knowledge and opportunities with a broader network of professionals. LinkedIn also allows members to stay in touch with colleagues and friends, find experts in a wide range of career fields, and also explore work-related opportunities they might not otherwise have known about (if they hadn’t become a LinkedIn member).
My space– For a long time, MySpace was recognized as the number one free social networking site in the world, until it was finally eclipsed by Facebook. It offers Facebook-like features (profile creation, messaging, wall posting, and photo and video sharing).
Youtube– YouTube is a video sharing website where users can upload and share videos for free. In addition to user-generated clips, YouTube also offers music videos, movie and TV clips, how-to videos, and video blogs.
haiku– Like Twitter, Jaiku is a free social networking, microblogging, and streaming service. Transmission of life? This is where registered Jaiku members connect with friends and share short messages. You can have a “stream” of messages on your Jaiku page or send them from your phone to other people as a text message (standard carrier charges apply). Although Jaiku does not enjoy the same high profile or popularity as Twitter, it is nonetheless a user-friendly micro-blogging site that offers exciting features and applications.
