What is…

What is Social Networking?

According to Wikipedia, a Social Networking Service is “an online service, platform, or site that focuses on building and reflecting of social networks or social relations among people, who, for example, share interests and/or activities and people with similar or somewhat similar interests, backgrounds and/or activities make their own communities.”

What is Social Media?

According to Wikipedia (yes, I’m lazy), Social Media “includes web-based and mobile technologies used to turn communication into interactive dialogue.”

Other site links where experts try to define and help:

• CompuKol Connection “Social Media vs. Social Networking“
• Social Networking explained by Cendrine Marrouat
• Mashable’s How-to Social Media section
• Mashable’s Which Social Network Should You Use — and When? [INFOGRAPHIC]
• more to come… suggestions welcome

Social Networking Services:

This Wikipedia page provides a list of social networking web sites.  That’s a lot, eh?

For the sake of simplicity and our sanity, we will focus on the following:

• Facebook
• Google+
• LinkedIn
• Twitter

If OIW members wish to suggest another, submit a comment using the format below or email TJ.

Facebook

• URL:  http://www.facebook.com
• What is it about?  “Facebook’s mission is to give people the power to share and make the world more open and connected.”
• Read the terms of use and privacy statement before committing.
• Read the help pages.
• Best used for:  sharing photos, links, notes with family and friends; creating  Fb groups (public or private) to share interests, carry on discussions; creating a Fb page for your book and gathering followers aka “Likes”.
• Can be used for:  connecting with others of same interests, following celebrities, authors, organizations.

Google+

• URL:  http://www.google.com/+/learnmore/
• What is it about? “Google+ makes connecting on the web more like connecting in the real world. Share your thoughts, links and photos with the right circles. Use easy, spontaneous video chat to strike up conversations with as many as nine people at once. Get everyone on the same page with fast, simple group chat.”
• Read the terms of use and privacy statement before committing.
• Read the help pages.
• Best used for:  sharing thoughts, links, photos with family and friends (circles of people)
• Can be used for:  connecting with others of same interests, following celebrities, authors, organizations.

LinkedIn

• URL:  http://www.linkedin.com/static?key=what_is_linkedin&trk=hb_what
• What is it about? Helps you reconnect with past and present colleagues and classmates.  Helps you discover inside connections when you’re looking for a job or new business opportunity.
• Read the terms of use and privacy statement before committing.
• Read the help pages.
• Best used for:  Professional connections and opportunity reaches.  It’s an online resume!  You can follow organizations and individuals.  Join interest groups to follow discussions, ask questions and … offer your own expertise.   There are many writing, editing and related groups on LinkedIn.

Twitter

• URL:  https://twitter.com/
• What is it about? “Twitter is a real-time information network that connects you to the latest stories, ideas, opinions and news about what you find interesting. Simply find the accounts you find most compelling and follow the conversations.”  Read more here:  https://twitter.com/about
• Read the terms of use and privacy statement before committing.
• Read the help pages.
• Best used for:  Following news stories (in 140 characters or less) and subsequent links, following people with similar interests.  Use it to tweet about your activities, publishing progress or to share words of wisdom.

Next:  Where to start?

Updated:  July 2, 2012 by T. Jobateh