Do you “tweet” (only when you’re squeezed, right?)

Do you have a presence on Myspace? Is your Face on Facebook? Are you Linked in? What does all this mean?? Come with me oh curious one and lets try and unravel the mysteries of “Social Networking”.

Firstly what is a Social Networking site?
I’m glad you asked. A social networking site, put simply is a ‘place’ for people to interact ‘online’ (i.e on the Internet). Think of it it like a 21st century virtual market square, you have some people trying to sell their wears, shouting out loudly whilst others simply want to have a natter and swap stories and news.
So what’s the difference between Facebook, Twitter and Myspace

Facebook
Facebook was created by a young Harvard student, Mark Zuckerberg who wanted to find a way of communicating with friends scattered across the college, it now has over 500 million active users making it by far and away the most popular social networking site on the internet.
How does it work?

By signing up (its free by the way) to Facebook you are able to ‘interact’ with potentially anyone else in the world that has signed up to Facebook. You can search for friends, family, pop stars, writers, ex girlfriends/boyfriends, wives/husbands and lovers (actually maybe I shouldn’t put these things into people’s heads). When you have found the person you were looking for you send a ‘friend request’, if that person is happy for you to be in contact with them they will add you as a friend you then and only then have access to their photo’s, updates etc etc. No one can see any private content unless you have invited them as a friend (are you still with me?) Gradually over time your ‘social network’ builds up and your home page displays all of the people in your network.

Why would you do that you ask?
Mmmm, well good question. This is where another one of my terrible metaphor’s comes into play, you now have the online market square scenario, where all of your ‘friends’ (your network) can chat, update you with their news, post pictures, send you happy faces, games, buy you a virtual drink, well it goes on and on.

Myspace
Myspace works in a very similar way to Facebook, traditionally (there it is I used that word again) used as a way for creative types to show off their songs etc to anyone that was interested, but now much more of a general social site. Again you create an account, for free, set up your ‘shop window’ (add pictures, songs etc) and then wait to see if anyone comes a knocking. Like Facebook you can ask people to be ‘friends’ with you and then you gain access to their profile (i’m losing the will to live here) Moving on swiftly..

Finally

Twitter
You create an account....yadda yadda yadda, blah blah blah.
No, Twitter is slightly different in the fact that you ‘subscribe’ to someone else’s ‘tweets.’

What’s a Tweet?
A Tweet is a short message (up to 140 characters) sent by a member of Twitter. If you’re are interested in what that person has to say you subscribe to their ‘Tweets’ and you will then receive those 140 character messages to your computer/phone/Ipad (other tablets are available) whenever that person ‘tweets.'

Why would you do that you ask?
Mmmm, its rather like having a three year old girl (other children are available) constantly talking all day to you, other than in the case of Twitter you can ‘Log out.'

Rich’s Tip
Like with all websites please be careful with what information you put ‘online’. Don’t put any information and photo’s etc that you wouldn’t want the world and his cousin to see.

Employers use Facebook and Myspace sometimes to see what kind of person you are, so if you don’t want the world to know you have a hangover on a Monday morning, don’t type it on a social network site!

Happy Tweeting

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