by Kathryn Lively

Created on: January 12, 2007   Last Updated: April 13, 2007

"Social networking" is the new buzzword in search engine optimization. Oftentimes, it doesn't even apply to standard websites, but rather to the large social portals that have fast become the popular sites to visit and join. MySpace is a prime example of such a social network. Perhaps you have listened to a radio show featuring a local band, inviting you to visit them on MySpace for their concert schedule. Television shows and movies, too, have launched official MySpace pages for their fans to leave messages. Not just for teenagers, MySpace gets noticed and helps people get noticed.

Here people can enlist and create weblogs and photo galleries, make unique designs to the MySpace template for a more personal look to their individual pages, and above all connect with other people. For the creative, the musicians, authors, and web designers, MySpace can serve as an effective promotional tool.

Using MySpace in conjunction with your existing website can serve to aid in your promotional efforts, whether you are selling your latest book or music CD, advertising web design services, or offering consulting on a variety of topics. There are quite a few advantages to using MySpace:

It's free! Despite what those oft-forwarded e-mails tell you, it costs nothing to join MySpace and set up a page. All you need is a bit of spare time and a valid e-mail address. Once you have signed up, you can start networking almost immediately!

It reinforces branding! MySpace allows you create a personalized URL. Say you have a book called "See Florida on a Dime". You can create a special MySpace for the book devoted to Florida and places in the book. You can also reserve the URL, www.myspace.com/floridaonadime (this is not a real profile at this writing), to let people know this is a page devoted to your book. This way, too, nobody else can claim the name, and you have reinforced your brand.

It broadens your reach! You will find, as you explore MySpace, that there are users who spend a large amount of their online time there, jumping from page to page to "meet" new people. It can be said that many people who frequent MySpace may not happen upon your regular website, yet the added insurance of having a MySpace allows those visitors to know that you're out there. Place visible links to your website and to any third-party retailer selling your items in your profile, and let visitors know you have something that might appeal to them.

Once you have figured out your MySpace identity, now comes the

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