Recently, I asked my friends, colleagues and peers the same question: Why is Facebook so much cooler than Myspace? These are some of the answers I have received..."Like any great fad you just have to ween yourself off... R.I.P flare jeans" or "Facebook is myspace for grownups-- it should be added to the 21-up list" or "agreed. i haven't checked my myspace in like months! oops..." or " Myspace is sooo 2006."
Basically, Myspace has become more of a hub for bands, youth and people promoting their businesses. You also get a lot of random people trying to become your friend even if they don't know you. Artists, musicians, socialites ask you for friend requests without even sending you a message first introducing themselves. Facebook is more personal and is a much "cleaner" site. By this I mean, you get less spam and the people who friend request you are actually doing so more for personal reasons.
That being said, I still have a lot of my photography and art on display on Myspace. It has really cool slide shows and other special features available for artists and musicians to display their work. I have been a member for the last 3 years. Actually, Myspace just celebrated it's 5 year anniversary and is still going strong. It can still be a useful tool for certain individuals. So, if Facebook is the new kid on the block, what's the next new social networking trend gonna be...hmmm?
Well, now Twitter is it's taking off at a very fast pace. If you haven't checked it out, you should. Once you discover the power of Twitter the possibilities are endless...I just signed up a few months ago and can't put it down. You can follow people and groups that you are interested in and you can post links to photos and other sites for people to see. It is immediate and ever evolving. You also are one DM, "direct message", away from celebrities, professional athletes, so-called social networking gurus and anyone else that Twitters. Even if they never respond to your DM, at least you know they got it and possibly read it. That's pretty cool. The only downside is some people Twitter way too much. They constantly update their tweets with useless info, so sometimes you have to stop following specific people who clog up your page or use a tool called, Tweetdeck, to help oganize your followers by groups. The cool thing is you can follow people with similar interests as you.
These sites are mostly fun and games, but there is also proper etiquette that should be followed, so don't be fooled. For instance, don't be too into yourself...people like to have a conversation. If you constantly tell everyone about your fabulous life without ever asking questions they may become unsatisfied with your online "friendship". It is also a big deal if you "unfriend" someone on Facebook. You better make sure you really don't like the person and don't value their friendship, b/c this is like an online slap in the face. However, on Twitter, it's perfectly okay to "unfollow" someone you may not be interested in.
Remember, you are supposed to be social, so don't just sit back and watch everyone else talk, join in the discussions and be a valuable participant in the community. All social networks have a limited lifespan...it's better to jump on the newest ones early before the crowd leaves you behind! Twitter + Facebook + Myspace + Blog + Website = lots of time spent online! For me, I know I have spent too much time online when my art begins to suffer. I have to remember the reason I am on these social networks is to stay in contact with people I care about. It is also a smart way to grow my business as a photographer.
Below I have posted some photos from my different accounts just in case you were interested in seeing what they look like.
