Social Networking: Frequently Asked Questions
So…social networking. Yesterday I posted the benefits of social networking, but I didn’t explain what exactly it is, and how one goes about doing it. I keep forgetting you’re not all inside my head reading my mind. Really, it would make my job easier if you’d all learn to do that.
Until you can read my mind, I’ll offer up a few FAQ’s.
What is social networking?
Social networking is communicating online. It’s what we do here in the comments, or by participating in forums. It’s using instant messaging and chat rooms to speak with others, and blogs such as Live Journal or MySpace to make friends. Social networking is making friends and business contacts via the Internet.
What are social media sites?
Social media sites are sites allowing you to post news items so that others may vote and comment. Digg and Redditt are two popular social media sites.
What are social bookmarking sites?
Social bookmarking sites are similar to social media sites in that others can vote or comment. They also allow members to save their favorites. del.icio.us and Stumble Upon are two popular examples of social media sites.
What’s the best way to socially network?
I’m often asked to recommend methods of social networking. I’m reluctant to do so because it’s up to the individual, really. The methods that worked best to me have been visiting discussion forums and other blogs and leaving a link to my blog in the signature line. I look for discussions relating to my blogs and offer my own opinions. I also use social media and bookmarking sites such as Digg and Stumble Upon. I registered with Linked In but haven’t really done anything with it, and haven’t really explored Facebook or Twitter yet. (I’m afraid if I do I’ll waste even more time!) I do use Skype quite often for one on one chats with my peers. I don’t have a MySpace or Live Journal account, but I know others who have found success with these.
Isn’t social networking dangerous?
I don’t believe social networking is dangerous, not if you take the necessary precautions. I wouldn’t let my son do it and I won’t let him talk to people online without my approval first, but I tend to err on the side of caution. I don’t mention my husband or son’s names, my maiden name, the name of my son’s school, where I live or any other details that might help someone identify me. I did have a stalking incident here last year, but it was strictly keyboard courage. Use good common sense and judgement when communicating with others online, and don’t ever release information you wouldn’t want shouted to the world.
I hope I answered some of your questions, if there are more do post them here. Social networking is a useful and important tool, especially for bloggers. There’s really no way other people will know about your blogs without it. Unfortunately, while it’s one of the most important parts of my job, it’s also one of the most time consuming. The good news is that it’s also the most enjoyable.
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Saturday, October 27th, 2007 at 1:32 am under
Actually, I’m rather pleased to see you raised the issue of social networking. The only one I’ve ever joined and followed up with is LinkedIn, because my aims are fairly specific. I mean, although I have made a few friends online, my close friends are really part of flesh-and-blood, in-each-other’s-physical-presence relationships.
But I am interested in social networking to meet people that I can help professionally and who can help me. So far, what that means to me is that I’d like to meet people on LinkedIn who are involved in publishing, or work for publishing, who can either be an “in” or provide advice for getting in the door to secure freelance book design and layout work.
I now have over 300 LinkedIn “connections.” I’m sure they’re all fine, well-meaning, hard-working, and respectable people. But 95% of them are “open networkers,” mostly “professional networkers,” it seems, and human resource types there just to fill up their rolodexes.
Any thoughts, suggestions? I’ve come to a point where I accept all invitations from people who say they’re involved in publishing. or anyone from the U.S. or Canada period. But I don’t usually accept from non-U.S. people who are not in publishing by their own admissions. Basically, though, I believe it is a waste of time.
October 27th, 2007 at 8:23 amSteve,
I’ve yet to get any business from LinkedIn, but it took a few seconds to set up, so it isn’t a “big” waste of time. Some of my clients are on it, and asked me to join. Heck, I figure it’s at least as worthwhile as spending time on Craigslist — Jodee does a great job, but sometimes there are items that may be a fit for me there, but not most others on this forum.
October 27th, 2007 at 5:39 pm[…] at Freelance Writing Jobs offers up a good series on social networking. Her Frequently Asked Questions about Social Networking piece is particularly […]
October 27th, 2007 at 5:39 pmHave you checked online information directories to see if you’re listed? You don’t have an extremely common name, and frankly, a LOT of people are listed even if they never put their names out on the internet themselves, since those directories draw on paper sources of information. My full name, address, and phone number was listed when I was a teenager, years before I put my name on the internet professionally.
It’s not really something I worry about a lot personally–most people are in the phone book, after all, and that rarely leads to disaster–but most of us aren’t as private as we like to think.
October 28th, 2007 at 5:22 amThe linking through other blogs is something that works well for me. Otherwise I meet people through here
October 29th, 2007 at 6:23 pmI do, as a matter of fact, check different directories on occasion and when I come upon them. Are there any in particular that you’d recommend, Melissa?
Micah, I thoroughly agree with that. I’ve linked to this one, as a matter of fact and, Deb, would ask that you reciprocate.
October 29th, 2007 at 10:28 pmI’m signed up on LinkedIn but haven’t seen any business come from that way. I am pretty active on MySpace and I’ve gotten a fair amount of traffic and interest through that venue. Plus I blog on MySpace, which is a great way to feel out a readership or topic and get tons of comments. Thanks for bringing up this subject.
October 30th, 2007 at 1:34 pmMelissa, blogging on MySpace brings more of a response than on your own blog? On-topic response about a professional topic?
So far, in my experience, it’s commenting on other blogs and participating on forums that cover the topics I’m interested in—freelancing, publishing, book design, typography—have enabled me to interact with more people on those subjects in an intelligent and meaningful way.
MySpace seems like a place to hangout, kind of a virtual bar—which I really don’t get; I mean, if I want that atmosphere, than I want to be with my friends and really having a drink.
As for LinkedIn, the only really responsive people are these “open networkers”. And while they are responsive, as well as big seekers of networking opportunities, they are never into any of the areas that are of interest to me. They’re professional networkers. So, while LinkedIn is not exactly a waste of much time, it’s pretty useless nonsense in my experience. Of course, YMMV.
October 30th, 2007 at 5:24 pmHi, Stephen–actually, my comment was with reference to Deb, although it really applies to most people (my name isn’t that uncommon, so I imagine I’d be slightly harder to track down unless someone knows my age or approximately where I live, but still!)
I don’t regularly check online directories–my mom is very into genealogy, though, so she’s used that sort of thing to track down distant family members and such. I really don’t see them as being a lot more dangerous than phone books, and it’s nice to be able to find those distant family members and long-lost friends. I just think assuming more anonymity than we actually have is a bad idea.
November 6th, 2007 at 8:21 pm[…] off some of my social networking contracts – Now don’t get me wrong, you know I’m big on social networking. I did cut out some things though, including some forums where the participants and I aren’t […]
December 12th, 2007 at 3:19 am