Social Networks, What ARE they?

Social NetWHATZ??

And why would I want to use a Social Network?

Believe me I’m not totally sure. And it’s taken me several months to figure out the little I know! But I'll share with you anyway.

I kept asking? What is Twitter? (And I’m so not into Facebook or Myspace—so don’t ask about those—won’t have teenagers for a while- I’ll deal with ‘em then…)

And the answer to my Twitter question? "It’s a social network".

Oh?

Gee Thanks.

If all these outside things are social networks, what the heck is my blog? Cuz it’s pretty darn social? Isn’t it a network? Probably not. Unless my mom reading about TK’s stitches counts?

I tried it.

I registered on Twitter.com. –Or tried to. Everything I came up with related to Good&Crazy was taken. That sucked. So I resorted to my old handle, my email username “rogbark”—don’t ask. It goes way back. I didn’t do much with my account at first. It will check your email addresses and find your ‘friends’, if they are registered Twitters. (Which is kind of creepy if you think about it—having it reach into your computer that way?) But it found a few people I ‘knew’ and there I was ‘following’ them.

At this point I didn’t contribute anything. I just pulled up my ‘home’ twitter page and could see the running commentary of my fellow twitters. (You can only type in 140 characters—and this small snippet is called a ‘tweet’). I finally got brave enough and tried a couple of my own tweets—it asks: “What are you doing right now?”

Okay? What does that mean?

My first tweet... [Foot surgery Recovery...Fun stuff... And Ice Cream. http://tinyurl.com/5s8dge]. And later...

[ Oh my heck, heck heck, ThreeUnder I know you. Like I sort of know you. And like, I think twitter just worked for like the first time evah!] (later I figured out how to use the little return arrow after someone's tweet to actually 'talk' directly to them). Also later I realized that if someone isn't 'following' you, and you 'talk' to them via the little arrow, they don't see your tweet. And you are talking to yourself (again).

So now what? Who cares?
Well, a handful of those I ‘followed’ chose to ‘follow’ me back. So they now could see my tweets—but no one else could? How weird is that? You’re tweeting off into the nether worlds of the internet… Slowly a few more folks decided to ‘follow’ me and I began following their fellow twitter pals, and then more…are you with me so far?

I 'talk' sort of...with

Scribbit, Velveteen Mind, Mommypie, Alladither, threeundertwo...and I think I might have convinced MooshinIndy to follow me...but there are 67 other followers too. And I love them all just the same.

Now the question is why? Why do I want more twitter followers? Well (finally) here’s where the networking comes in. Do you want the world to see your Etsy shop? How ‘bout a few extra bloggy readers and pals? Did you just post the coolest shots of a fabulous chair you refinished yourself? TWEET about it! Did you accidentally find a great mommy blog and want to share your new find? Tweet away. Now all your fellow Twitter followers will know about your shop/blog/new find!

Off you go. Click rogbark and then hit the follow button and register yourself on Twitter. Who knows, you might like it. Socially and Network..um..ally.

PS. Last night? I twittered with Fussypants, Wearethatfamily, DomesticChicky and Janeycat. All pretty cool cats.

{PostNote}
Some good tips I just found...