Socially Connected

Just about everyone has heard of Facebook, MySpace, and Twitter and recognize them to be names for social networking sites on the Internet. They are currently the largest social networking sites but there are many more. When I researched social networking sites I was amazed at the number of them. Computers may not replace the human touch, but they can help you get connected.

Social networking is not a new concept, but over the years it has changed considerably. The modern computer age and the introduction of the Internet have led to the advent of social networking sites. These sites allow users to interact almost instantly with friends, family, and coworkers over great distances. Users can create profile pages, upload photos and videos and share all that information with other users. These sites have exploded with popularity.

Some of the extremely useful features of these networking sites are the search and keyword features. Users are able to search for other members by name, schools, employers, or even common interests and hobbies. This can help some people reconnect with people that they may have lost contact with years before. Similarly, users may connect with other members with similar interests, group affiliations, professional organizations or hobbies.

Social networking sites have added more applications to their sites as popularity has grown. Some of these apps are nothing more than games to occupy users’ time, but some are worthwhile. Businesses have also taken notice of the growing popularity of these sites and began to focus more of their advertising resources toward the users of these sites.

Social networking has definitely gone through tremendous changes over time. Thanks to the Internet and social networking sites, making connections has become easier. Are you connected?