What is a Social Networking Site?
The Internet began hosting social networking sites in 2003. All in all, there are over 200 online communities that can be found throughout the Internet, some of which are more heavily populated and accessible than others.
Social networking sites such as Friendster and MySpace host high volumes of traffic and require the constant uploading and downloading of data. Because of this, it is recommended that online community members use broadband Internet connections capable of transmitting data at high speeds. This will prevent any lag while logged on to a given social networking site.
How Do Social Networking Sites Work?
Although varying from one online community to the next, social networking sites tend to have a somewhat typical formula through which they are generated and displayed. It starts with a single user or member who creates a profile of him or herself.
The profile provides a little bit of general information about you, such as:
- Name
- Age
- Sex
- Location
- A picture/pictures of you
The profile then also has a more detailed section including such things as:
- Favorites: books, movies, TV shows, music, Web sites, etc.
- Occupation
- Hobbies and interests
- A blurb about you in general
- A blurb about what you’re looking for from the online community
- A list of friends within your network
Social networking sites serve a variety of purposes; connecting people looking to further their friendships, singles looking for Mr. or Mrs. Right, business people looking to establish a work-related network, etc. All-in-all, social networking sites establish an online community through which people can find others who share similar interests, desires and goals.
Social Networking Site Examples
As noted above, there are over 200 online communities to choose from. The following two examples are provided to further your introduction to online communities as a whole.
Friendster: Friendster was established in 2002 and backed by numerous investors. With over 16 million members, it is one of the largest online communities and arguably the best known. Signing up for Friendster is free and requires creation of a profile/account. In addition to the common profile features, Friendster members can post photo albums, links to other Web sites of their choosing, testimonials, blogs and much, much more. www.Friendster.com
Hi5: Hi5 is one of the newer online communities to surface, providing a meeting place for people looking to meet new people, connect with old friends, share ideas, etc. Hi5 membership is completely free beacuse Hi5 is currently looking to establish a large network of users. New members can create a profile page where they discuss themselves and what they’re looking to get out of their Hi5 membership. www.Hi5.com
