One of the many reasons why Yahoo! 360 and MySpace have increased in popularity is due to the fact that they cover a wide variety of different topics, issues, and interests. MySpace and Yahoo! 360 do not focus on one particular group of individuals or one particular hobby. Instead, they invite all internet users to join. While this may be good, it gives you a wide selection of online friends to choose from, it can also be considered bad. On many of these websites a competition has brewed. That competition has been to see who can get the most friends. This may result in you not really getting an online friend, when you are supposed to be.

If you are looking to join a social networking website that is more focused on creating friendships or partnerships between internet users that have the same interests, you will want to focus on social networking websites that have a particular focus. Many times, these websites are known as specialty social networking websites. Online, you should be able to find a number of these specialty social networking websites. Many have focuses on important issues, topics, and hobbies, such as pet owners, religion, travel, and much more.

When it comes to many specialty social networking sites, many individuals want to know what sets them apart from the rest. Honestly, it is the community. As previously mentioned, specialty social networking sites tend to focus on a particular topic, issue, or hobby. This means that if you are a devoted Christian and you would like to speak to other Christians, you will want to join a Christian networking site and so on. The difference between specialty social networking sites and traditional ones is that you will automatically be paired with hundreds, if not thousands, of other internet users who share the same interests, views, or beliefs as you.

Another one of the many benefits to joining a specialty social networking website is that you are, in a way, safer than those who are members of other networks. Not all, but a large number of specialty networking sites require activation before joining the site. Before activation can occur, many internet users are required to state their reasons for wanting to the join the network or they may be required to fill out a small questionnaire, often pertaining to the social network in question. In many cases, this will help to determine whether or not an internet user really has an interest in the topic focused on by the network in question.

As previously mentioned, specialty social networking websites allow you to automatically be paired with a group of individuals who share the same beliefs, views, and interests as you do. This mean that you don’t have to spend hours researching a person or speaking to them, just to learn what they are or are not interested in. Essentially, this enables you to jump right in and start making friends, almost as soon as you are granted access to the site that you have chosen.

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As previously mentioned, your social networking profile is important when it comes to meeting other internet users. This is because, in most cases, internet users are looking to chat with someone who has the same goals, views, beliefs, and interests as they do. Without a personal profile, it would be difficult or impossible to tell what your interests are. That is why social networking profiles are not only important, but they are needed.

When it comes to social networking profiles, a lot of focus has been placed on what you should include in your profile or display on your profile page. It has been said that pictures produce the best responses, as well as detailed personal information. Although a picture and detailed personal information may help to increase your page views, you may be getting views that you do not necessarily want. Despite what you may believe, most social networking websites do not have restrictions on who can view your personal profile. In fact, internet users, even those that do not belong to your online community, can easily see profile.

Since anyone, literally anyone, can see your social networking profile, on most social networking websites, you are advised to be cautious. Essentially, this means that instead of focusing on what you should put in your online profile, you should be focusing on what not to put. This is one the best ways to protect your safety, both on and offline.

As previously mentioned, pictures are often recommended with social networking websites. If you are interested in positing a personal picture of yourself in your online profile you can do so, but you are advised to carefully choose that picture. While you will want to look your best, you are advised against posting a picture that is too revealing or seductive in nature. Most internet users can look at these types of pictures without feeling a thing, but for others these types of pictures spell danger.

If you make the decision to post a picture of yourself in your social networking website profile, you need to be careful about the rest of the information that you post. Although you may not necessarily think about it, a picture is just a picture, but combined with your name and address, it could be a deadly combination. You are advised to only post your first name in your profile. This will make it more difficult for anyone to try and contact you off of the internet.

It is also advised that you carefully choose your location. A large number of online social networking sites require that you select a city, as well as a state. If it is allowed, you may only wish to list your state and not the city. If you are required to list the city and the state that you live in, you may want to think about using a nearby city or town, especially if you live in a small town. If an internet predator wanted to contact you and you lived in a small town, it could be fairly easy for them to find you. That is why it is advised that you carefully select the answer to the location question.

In addition to the above precautionary measures, it is advised that you do not post detailed information on your children, the location of your home, your income, or when you will be leaving for vacation. By keeping these and the above mentioned points in mind, you should be able to enjoy online social networking without having to always look behind your back.

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Everything about you becomes part of the public domain. With that in mind, many people choose to either completely segregate the majority of their social lives from the internet.

Others create specific online identities, complete with an alias, to “run” their business so they can enjoy a bit of relative anonymity in their private social networking.

And still others just decide to throw caution to the wind and invite the world into their private affairs.

Before you embark on that last option, beware:

It takes a lot of dedication to pull it off. You have to have the natural personality, drive, self-control, and discipline to avoid controversy (or at least the sort of controversy that will lose your business)while maintaining interest. It’s a very hard balance to strike.

Whatever you decide to do, though, it’s absolutely essential that you have an online personality. This personality may directly reflect who you really are, or it may be something you create as a marketing tool.

What matters specially on ‘Twitter is:

· Tweople like to deal on a personal level. They want to feel some sort of connection to you, not just like they’re completing a mechanical transaction with a machine.

· Tweople will respond to humor, personality, and creativity. They don’t want to deal with a straight laced businessman from Wisconsin.

· Tweople respond to Tweople they perceive to be like them. The more interests and attitudes you can share with your prospective clients, the more likely they are to become clients.

More over develop your online “character” carefully. Think about how you respond to criticism, how you deal with problems, what you think is funny.

The most important thing to remember is to build a personal connection. If you can establish yourself as a real person, likeable but with a somewhat unusual or creative edge, someone who knows a LOT about whatever you do, then you’re going to pull in a lot of business – plain and simple.

The very best to both you and your families, Enjoy your day!

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Many businesses have caught on to this nifty network marketing tool.

Since then Twitter has exploded as an easy to use, online platform that can be expanded to help develop branding, promote products, and keep clients in sync with what is happening on the forefront of your business.

There are a few different rules businesses must follow when networking on Twitter, but for the most part, things work the same as they do for an individual user.

Here are a few things to think about when using Twitter as a business tool.

• Update your profile – Keep your profile updated and current with any new developments or projects currently in the works. This helps your customers understand where you are going as a business and it also makes them aware of any changes you have planned.

• Stay professional – While it may be fun to get into a heated debate over who will win the Kentucky Derby, keep your tweeting business oriented. It is not a bad thing to express your opinion every once in a while, but do make sure that it falls directly in line with the mission statement and operating procedures of the company under whose name you are tweeting. If you are a sole proprietor, obviously you have the decision making power here, but if you are in business with others, develop a policy for how individuals will tweet.

• Be personal – People like to know they are talking with actual people. In this age where digital voices prompting our actions are standard, people find great delight in the ability to communicate with intelligent human people who can actually listen and respond rather than deal with canned impersonal messages that don’t meet their individual needs and desires.

• Give to get – Do not, I repeat, do not, just spam your followers with announcements of new products or websites for them to look at. Converse with them, answer their questions and ask them exactly what they are looking for. Once again, be human and socialize with them. It is ok to interact with your customer online the same way you interact in a face to face meeting, just keep it professional.

• Use tracking devices – Implement the use of hashtags and other tracking devices as searchable references for your customers. This makes it easy for them to follow you and your business developments. The easier it is to follow you and what you are doing, the better chance you have they will actually do it. Let your customers know when you have initiated a new search term and what those terms mean to them. Your business is about helping the customer get to your product as easy as possible. Hashtags are a great tool to help this happen.

• Make their life easy – While conversing with your prospects, make sure to ask if there is anything they believe your business can do to improve – and then listen. Customer feedback is one of the most valuable tools to a business. What better way to get feedback than online when you are already in conversation with them? You can develop customer loyalty simply through listening to and responding to their opinions.

The biggest difference between a business account and a personal account on Twitter is the language and posture you present while socializing. Don’t be a machine, check your replies and messages, respond to questions and be human. Follow these simple rules and your business will develop a new social networking tool that can be used to reach thousands more clients in no time.

Your Thoughts and Comments are Welcome – Have a great Day!

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Boston’s FOX television news asked me to participate in a segment explaining how end-users can lower risks associated with social networking. Enjoy

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Here are a few ways (sites) you can leverage their success into your own.

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Develop a Popular Facebook Application

Indian brothers Jayant and Rajat Agarwalla developed the wildly popular Facebook application Scrabulous, which in October, 2007 was bringing in $18,000 a month from advertising, according to the Wall Street Journal, and at its peak was rumored to be bringing in $25,000 a month in ad revenues. While the brothers ended up having some legal difficulties because of copyright issues with the Scrabble board game that resulted in the game being shut down in July 2008, monetizing Facebook applications remains a viable opportunity. Just look at recent success of gaming company Zynga. It’s social network applications like Mafia Wars, FarmVille, Texas Hold’em and YoVille had over 60 million active monthly users as of July, 2009. Besides selling advertising, social network applications have raised millions in venture capital and charged users real-world money to purchase virtual goods that enhance the gaming experience.

Use Facebook Marketplace

The application “lets you sell, give away, buy, ask or search for anything you want,” according to Facebook. You can also search the marketplace’s job listings or advertise your own services as a job seeker. If you’re a 501(c)(3) nonprofit, you can list your organization in the Causes section of Marketplace and raise money for your group by selling items or by collecting donations from users who choose to donate the proceeds of their sales to your group. Network for Good, the company that runs the donation program, even sends users receipts for their donations that they can keep with their income tax records. It’s free to post a listing on Marketplace, as long as you’re a Facebook user.

Tweet With Your Customers

Twitter recommends that its business users think of Twitter as a way to build relationships with customers rather than as a way to simply broadcast advertisements about your company. And it’s true — Twitter is an ideal venue for staying on top of what people are saying about your business. It’s easier and faster for someone to tweet about your company than it is for them to track down your contact information and get in touch with you directly, so Twitter can give you feedback you’d never hear otherwise. If you pay attention, you can create goodwill for your company by responding to users’ tweets, whether it’s to resolve a customer complaint or to thank someone for publicly praising your products. You can also offer unique deals via Twitter by providing special coupon codes. If you need more inspiration, Twitter’s web site has ten case studies of how businesses have used the program to promote themselves.

Build Your Fan Base

If you are your own brand, as is the case for basketball legend Shaquille O’Neal, social networking tools can put you in closer contact with your fans and make you more of a real person to them. Though Shaq was already famous before increasing his online presence through Twitter, over 1.8 million followers know they can get uncensored and amusing insights into what it’s like to be Shaq that they might not get otherwise. Some lucky followers even get the chance to interact with him. If you decide to use social networking to promote yourself, make sure to create a separate professional profile to keep your personal life separate from your work life, and keep an eye out for impostors.

Get a Job in Social Networking

If you’ve got something special, perhaps you can gain a coveted position working for a social networking company. If the prestige isn’t enough, consider the perks: Facebook pays 100% of premiums for medical, dental, vision, life insurance and disability, 50% of premiums for dependents, and 50% of monthly gym fees for its full-time employees. It also offers four weeks of paid parental leave, $4,000 in “baby cash,” $3,000 a year in daycare assistance, 21 days of paid vacation, unlimited sick days, 11 paid company holidays, free snacks, and a 401(k) plan.

These are just a few examples of how tools like Facebook and Twitter can help you make money. “By thinking outside the box and being savvy about the latest technology, you can take advantage of trends in social networking to maximize your profitability.”

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