Social "Networking" Online and Off

Social Networking it is what you do every day, it is what you do offline and online. Social Networking is not a new thing but it is a new buzz word around the net. So what should we think about it? I am mentally preparing to teach a class on networking via the internet and what sites you should be active on and what sites you should just have a profile page on, kind of a placeholder that just feeds your other sites.

How is Social Networking on the web any different than in person? Other than the obvious face-to-face communication not much. You still join groups and organizations, you talk to people you tell them a little bit about yourself and what you do and then you hold meaningful conversations with them at either random or planned intervals. Online you join groups or organizations, you put up a profile page, you introduce yourself, you post BLOG entries and comments, you post on message boards, you meet at certain times for online webinars. Barring the face-to-face networking online can be just as effective as networking offline. It requires the same demands but less driving and gas money.

Another advantage for the more seasoned agents is that it shows you are with the times, you are hip to the scene, you can e-mail, you know what a blog is you have a MySpace page and you have watched videos on YouTube. I was reading an article last night that discussed in great detail how Generation Y would rather do business through e-mail and websites than get in their car and drive down the street, they would rather order groceries from Amazon and have them delivered to their house rather than pop into the local mega-mart. I have been working with a client recently that has been actively looking for a house for 9 months and they have never left the house, I spent time showing them three houses last week and had a contract by the end of the day, and that is not to my credit but the credit of my social networking sites which is how they found me, my website which is where they did their home searches, and my e-mail since I only spoke with them on the phone once before meeting them in person. It most definitely is a fascinating time we live in, I can't wait to see what the next fews years will hold.

Since this began with thoughts about the upcoming tech/social networking class I am planning I will finish it that way by listing all of the Social Networking sites I use to get my connection points out there. Please if you have any others that I don't have listed and found that they work for you add comments so everyone can use the information,

Active Rain
Plaxo
FaceBook
MySpace
LinkedIn
Blogger
Google

I know you may be thinking; Why Google? Google allows me to create widgets and rss feeds that people can use on their iGoogle page or their Yahoo! page etc. This allows me to deliver my content, profile, thoughts of the day, featured listings, etc in a manner that is updated all the time and always available to them without having to always be at their personal computer. Plus I use just about every other tool Google offers to track metrics on all of my social networking sites, except Active Rain since it doesn't work some reason.

I really would like any input you can provide that will make my Social Networking component of my web tech class the best it can be, so please don't hesitate to comment because all information it good information. Thanks!!!

-cem

Chris Mitchell
http://www.CallNashvilleHome.com