You’ve heard of “Maslow’s Hierarchy of Needs”, the theory by Abraham Maslow that belonging is third only to physiological and safety needs. You need look no further than the organization of the web to understand that concept. If you want to “belong” on the web and learn about social networks, pick a topic that interests you (for me that’s food, wine, traveling, college prep for my teenage son) do some research about your favorite topic and you’ll find tons of information by people just like you sharing what they know about the topic.
User generated content has been around for awhile, but it has never been more powerful than it is today. MySpace was one of the pioneers of social media this is a great place to start learning about social networking and social media. The great part is that, though the internet gets bigger every day, it’s becoming easier to become a part of social networks. Don’t confuse social networking with advertising. Never use a social network as a way to shamelessly plug your product or service, rather utilize it as a way to educate and be educated. It’s true that social media is a great way to raise awareness about your business, but it should only be done with the best of intention. Try social networking for a personal interest or cause first, then think about how you can raise awareness about your business using this great Web 2.0 tool. Here’s a great starting point, create a profile on LinkedIn today.