Howdy all! Sorry if that sounds cheesy but I am from TEXAS and Hey~~~ that is how we say Hi!
I am new to your forums and being 59 I do not understand this social networking explosion.
#1 I am very leary of posting too much personal information online in this day and age of id theft. Do people really contact and make friends using these types of venue? I always considered them kinda voyeristic and that is just my ignorance showing as I do not have a social network page. I tried the blogging thing and I really do not have that much to say to post daily journal entries to keep one interesting.
I LOVE to read and find all the information posted on the web by bloggers fasinating.
I would like to hear why people do these social networking sites? My husband and I once had a web page called WeLuvRnR where we posted stories about old rock and roll legends. The most interest we had on that site was generated by the Mamas and Papas page. People from all over the world!!! wrote and visited that site. It was amazing that we connected and struck a common thread with so many people just by posting that web page.
We have discussed doing something similar again but we are MAJOR procrastinators and can always find an excuse to put it off...especially the older we get.
Well I have run off at the mouth long enough and need to get my rear moving out the door this morning. I have a job fair I need to go to and set up a booth and recruit. It is going to be nice weather so getting out today will not be a problem.
Will be back to see what everyone is talking about later!
Good day and God Bless!

Hi Linda I would suggest that networking via social media is fast becoming the norm - although good old fashioned networking in person is still (and likely always will be) an important aspect to doing business and developing new client relationships. It's a great way to connect with potential clients as well as colleagues.

There is lots of information here on the boards to help you get started with social networking. If I was going to point a complete newbie in a good direction for getting started I would probably suggest starting an account at Twitter (you'll find a lot of helpful information here about how to do that and make the most of it - just use the search feature at the top of the site to run a keyword search for 'Twitter' and read the resulting threads).

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Hi Linda! I am also new at this. I am 53 and don't understand social networking either. I have starter with twitter, but don't post much. I have made some contacts, though, by following people that I have talked to on this forum. Also a few who I read their blog and found them very interesting. It is a slow process, but I do feel it will be worth it. There are a few people that I follow that seem to have a lot of very interesting information to share. I am a bit nervous about what I might be able to come up with for a blog, as they have already said anything I can think of. So I am just going to take it slow and start out from the heart. And, of course, as Tess said, also market my business the old fashioned way, as well. We will all get there. And if you have any questions, just ask on the forum. People are very friendly and supportive.

Pam
Admin Etcetera
(website will be in the forum for review very soon.)

My husband & I are not big socializer's, in real life or virtually. I am the least networked person I know. There are a couple of online communities I visit regularly, but I don't blog. I'm pretty sure that networking will be my least favorite part of this business.

OK Pam and Linda - and probably everyone else who replied...I'm even older than you!!
I started with Twitter a couple of months ago, and I love it. I have "met" all kinds of people on Twitter that I would never meet in person. And I have learned so much from reading the blogs of some of those people. I don't blog because I don't think I have enough to say to put together a blog every day, or even every week either. I love to read them, gain knowledge from the informative ones, giggle at some of the silly ones, but can't imagine why anyone would want to listen to me natter on about anything.
Twittering is much more fun for me than networking in person!

Gladys

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EMERALD VA SERVICES
www.emeraldva.ca

Hi ladies, I'm right in there with you age-wise (55) - but I have some differing viewpoints.
Here goes:
1. The reason people do social networking is it's how we're now enabled to be friends pretty much the way we are in a networking group, with anyone in the whole world. It's a HUGE boon to small businesses. Through the internet, we can magnetize large-enough small tribes - i.e., circles of support around us - that become loyal clients.

2. You might or might not choose to blog as part of your social media presence, but creating content of some kind will boost your website traffic and overall success much more quickly than just commenting or participating in forums (although those are also very valuable activities!) You can podcast, make videos, HubPages, Squidoo lenses, and a do a bunch of other things to contribute content.
That being said, blogging can be a really direct way to become more and more professional, more connected to your field and interests, more connected to yourself. It's more a matter of getting in the habit of writing and the habit of expressing than it is about being original or entertaining.

3. Finally, I have to suggest that Twitter might not be the best place to start out, unless you do it as part of a number of activities. Twitter is way different from anything else, and you would not want to expect all social media to be like it. If you're brand new, explore LinkedIn and Facebook first, IMHO, and read all you can about social media.

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Mary H. Ruth/Virtual Writing & Communications
http://www.writingVA.com