Social Networking: A Quick Review of the Top Sites

Social networking is like forums on steroids. These types of sites offer more than just forum posting. You can do just about anything from posting and watching videos, to joining and posting in groups or forums. You can even listen to music and connect with new friends, business associates, and even your favorite authors, actors, or bands. In fact, with general social networking sites, you can connect with people who have just about any interest you can imagine.

However, with the popular social networking sites, each has different ways you can interact with others. Below is a short list of the top social networking sites and some of the things you can do on each of these sites. These are some of the highest trafficked sites on the internet. Not only can these sites contribute to you finding others to network with, but you can use it as part of your overall search engine strategy.

My Space is, of course, the most popular social networking site on the planet. This site offers a wide variety of things you can do, but you should be careful in overtly promoting your business.

Here you can create a fully customizable profile, blog, join groups and forums, as well as submit videos and free classifieds. You can also network with people interested in just any topic, and you can connect with your favorite authors, actors, and bands.

Yahoo 360 is Yahoo's version of social networking. Yahoo is the most popular site on the internet and has been for years. Unlike the MSN and Google versions of social networking, Yahoo 360 is part of the Yahoo site, a subdomain.

Here you can create a profile, blog, make announcements, and use the bulletin feature similar to the one on My Space. It's also easier to find friends because you can import your Yahoo address book, as well as your Yahoo Messenger friends. If you choose to show them, you can also display your groups on your page to let others know what you're involved in, as well as display your friends. Want to write a review about something? You can log in and write reviews on just about anything, and it will be added to your Yahoo 360 page.

Live Spaces is part of the Windows Live network, and it's MSN's version of social networking. With Live Spaces, you get to tell others about who you are, what your interests are and make friends. You can blog all about your interests, as well as display all kinds of things on your profile, like your favorite RSS feeds. You can also share files, as well as your favorite photos.

This site gives you a little more control over your information, as well as your ability to organize it, and you can also earn money from Amazon ads that are displayed on your page.

Orkut is Google's version of social networking. Unlike My Space, Yahoo, and Live Spaces, in order to view others' profiles, you have to become a member. Orkut does allow you to do a lot of things on its site, including creating a full profile, as well as connecting with others through communities and messaging. You can also add your favorite RSS feeds and lists.

Although to me Live Spaces has the best page structure, Facebook has the most things you can do. With thousands different widgets you can add to your profile, this site makes building a profile a breeze. Whether you want to display your blog, or your websites, this site has a widge for you. Many of the elements you can include are also visual, like displaying pictures of your sites, favorites, etc. Like Orkut, you have to join to connect, as well as view profiles.

Other high traffic general social networking sites also include Hi5 and Friendster. Each allows you to create profiles, and you can connect with others.

Regardless of whether you want to network for fun or business, at least one of these sites has something for you.