Choosing the Right Social Networking Site

With increasing demands on time, more and more
people are finding it difficult to stay in contact with
their friends by meeting regularly . However , the
need to communicate and share information,
opinions , feelings and whatever else with others
having similar interested, thinking is pushing
people to access and use social networking sites as
a tool for connecting and expressing themselves.
Painting a rosy and attractive picture with the help
of clever marketing campaigns , these websites
promise susceptible people an array of services as
well as more . Today , social networking sites have
become the chosen tool to stay abreast of trends,
remain connected , and gain popularity and
recognition in an increasingly isolated existence.
Highly popular and reputed to be a ‘hip ’ way to
break away from traditional barriers, these social
networking services have a steadily growing young
breed of people as supporters . If the ever -growing
roster of these websites is any indication of their
acceptance in the virtual world, the related issues
are also equally, if not more , significant. However ,
when it comes to choosing the right social
networking site , how do you decide?
In order to make the right choice , you also need to
understand the types of social networking sites.
Broadly, there are 3 categories:
Generalist Social Networking Sites – These are large
(having a larger number of users ) networking sites
and attract a wider and more general audience .
Examples include MySpace , Facebook. These
websites target different demographic and include
sub-groups that allow people to network with
other users who have similar interests . Today ,
MySpace and Facebook are the two most popular
and active social networking websites on the
Internet. Facebook even has privacy options that
empower you to decide who can see your
personal information and who can ’t. Visit these
two websites to know more about them .
Niche Audience Social Networking Sites – Created
especially to attract niche audience , whether a
particular age group or interest/hobby , these
niche audience Social Networking Sites are rapidly
gaining popularity and populating the virtual space
fast . Examples include Sobercircle (a networking
site that is for people who are trying to kick their
addictions ), MyArtInfo ( a niche social networking
site for artists) . The biggest advantage of a niche
audience social networking site is that it offers you
a good chance to grow as an individual and learn
more about your field of work besides make
friends with those who share similar interests as
yours. However, such a social networking platform
may not present itself as a viable option in the long
run .
Business Networking Sites – These sites help you
create your meet people who belong to the same
industry as you. Increasingly, business networking
sites are being considered as a good way to
networking with professionals located in different
parts of the world and offer your expertise and
experience for their businesses if the demand
presents itself. Examples include LinkedIn,
Ryze. com. The biggest advantage of these
networks is that they help you connect with those
who can offer you a better work opportunity or
even a business opportunity based on your profile
and skill sets.
So, the bottom line is that you must choose wisely.
Making the right choice is possible if you do your
homework and background check prudently.
Always study and compare the various benefits ,
privacy , copyright, and security measures taken by
these websites before you sit down to fill the
membership form and click ‘Submit ’. Start slow,
and keep in mind that it ’s better to be deeply
involved and active on one social networking site
rather than have multiple profiles and fall an easy
prey to the virtual predators that are creating
mayhem in the virtual space.
Source : http :/ /www .ArticlePros .com/
author .php? Peter MH Claridge