by Daniel J. Gansle

Created on: January 11, 2009

If you're looking to make new friends online, today's focus on Social Web 2.0 makes it fun and easy. But exactly what is Social Web 2.0, and how can you meet new people in cyberspace? In this article, you'll learn the ins and outs of social networking and how you can make it work to make friends using your computer and an internet connection.

What Is Social Web 2.0 and Social Networking?

In the halcyon days of the tech revolution in the mid-to-late 1990s, your internet experience was mainly comprised of reaching out and grabbing links, then bookmarking them in your web browser. In other words, it was an individual endeavor. As the years progressed, the internet grew and rich media including videos, pictures, and animated graphics became more popular. Consequently, new websites arose to allow web surfers to share information on the internet, and Social Web 2.0 was born.

The very first social networking website geared toward making friends online was, coincidentally, Friendster. Launched in March 2002, Friendster's purpose was to facilitate the sharing of information and media including articles, blogs, pictures, videos, links, and much more. So rather than reaching out to the internet to extract information, that information is now shared amongst networks of friends. This is Social Web 2.0 in a nutshell.

How Do I Meet New Friends Using Social Networking Sites?
Generally speaking, you can search for and send a friend request to people you feel you have common interests with. For example, you're an avid photographer, and you search for others who are likewise into photography. You might even consider signing up for a photo-sharing social networking site such as Flickr.

However, some social networking sites operate a bit differently. For example, Facebook is set up such that you generally have to know the person first (e.g., a real-life friend, coworker, family member, or classmate). However, you can also make friends commenting on these sites and participating in discussions.

What Types of Social Networking Websites Can I Sign Up For?
Today's social networking options are numerous. While you may think of MySpace and Facebook right off the bat, there are many other types of social networking websites where you can meet new friends. Here are a few to consider:

1) General Social Networking Websites. The aforementioned Friendster, MySpace, and Facebook are undoubtedly the most widely recognized, but others include Bebo, Orkut, and hi5.

2) Social Bookmarking Websites. Share all of your favorite bookmarked websites with the online community. Sites include Delicious, Furl, Yahoo! Bookmarks, Blinklist, and Magnolia.

3) News Rating Websites. Submit news stories and articles that get rated up by the online community. Sites include Newsvine, Digg, Technorati, Reddit, Yahoo! Buzz, Propeller, and Mixx.

4) Microblogging Websites. The most popular in this category is Twitter, which allows you to write a 140-character or less micro-blog. People can follow you, and you can follow them.

Which ever social networking website you choose, making friends online is fun, interesting, and can lead to lifelong friendships.

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