Facebook, Twittering, Blogging intro for the rest of US!

I just started this site few months ago. It is a worldwide network of constant chatter.
Like a phone line open to all. You set up your account and start what they call following
others. They in return, if they find you interesting, will follow you back. When you follow
someone you will see all their comments for whatever 5 minute period you are logged in
or you can see all their comments by going to there profile page. They will NOT see
your comments unless they follow you.

You are given a small box with limited spaces
to leave comments. Now realize, all the world can see these comments. It will go out
on the "all" page for a few seconds. It stays in your profile page. You can direct
message someone and that is private. This is a open forum. Not a private email type
way of communicating to the world. Esp to those who follow you.

Right now I am up to about 300 followers. I am meeting some great contacts.
One lady, On Twitter, is where I learned to check out squidoo.
Some on my follow list, bought some of my art already! There are some social rules to abide by.

Kinda just common sense politeness.

1. Follow those who follow you unless they are someone that spams all the time, or if
they are just some company that is not at all interesting to you. I don't follow some
who I find questionable. Like some who have 20000 people they follow but only 3
follow them? I wonder what that is all about.

2. Don't be always trying to get people to buy your stuff. They can go to your link to see
your art, your business or whatever. However, It is my passion, my art, so I will
occasionally be really excited about something and mention it there. I also, will post if
I have updated a blog or Utube video that I think they may find interesting.

3. Share your tips and helpful insights, do not get into arguments over small things. The
goal is to connect with others of all walks of life and learn from each other.
This is my fav. networking site. But you don't stop there.

August 2011 Update:
Facebook is evolving. I not only have my regular "friend' page but added a business page. This is under the heading of "pages". On this site I keep all my new creation updates, sales, and business information. I am gathering a nice group of followers who like my art. This is where I offer secret discounts to those followers. I also have teams some private some public in facebook. I find facebook a great internet link to your blogs , store front and a great place to meet new friends and keep in touch with old friends.
Remember! Security is a must on the internet. Do not leave messages about when you are home or not, or give out private information you do not want the world to know! use it wisely, never say things you do not want printed to everyone or used against you later. Keep it uplifting, useful and productive.
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Another new thing I am learning. I just started on there, as I had tried myspace and
that was not working for me. My husband still has an account on myspace as it allows
musicians to have a clip of their work.
Facebook, is a room where you can again, register and have links to all your blogs ,
sites etc. But it is even better now as it has "pages" to actually link to the Etsy site or
your .com web address with photos of your products.

Facebook, quickly finds people you may already know too. I found some people I went
to school with!! WHO KNEW!!

They have fun things to waste time on, like adopting a animated pet, or you can help in
a good thig by joining causes, groups.

But for me it is for two reasons.
1.to network in that site so they can find my store
2.to keep in contact with family and friends

I have been Blogging now for three years.
I have at least four blogs. Why blog?
Depends on what you like. I blogged at first to
share my thoughts on art, faith, John's music and a blog on tips for saving money.
All to inform, and help others. Now I have definite goals for each blog.
One to showcase hand crafted products from around the world who sell on Etsy, My art blog.
One to help people get by in hard times. A do it yourself blog with tips, how too's etc , called "adapting in todays economy"
One blog is for my musician husband to showcase his resume, his videos, and bands he plays with. Johnny Salzano Blog
One blog is my walking in faith blog, a christian journey of what I learn as a follower of the ways of Jesus Christ.

Each blog has been a work in process. I have found I can add music, videos, links to
other sites, share favorite books I read, or movies I have seen.
I found free, yes FREE gorgeous back grounds available to put on my blogs and now they are
all dressed up gorgeous! I have again met new friends and we share links to
each others blogs.

Now, are you starting to see why all this important??

For every site you maintain, and upkeep you are driving traffic to to let others know you
better and thus traffic to your store, where you want to sell your products. I drew up a
rough draft of what my networking looks like visually. I have hand written out where I am so far. The arrows in black point to areas that are linked, the blank arrows or white ones point in areas that I need to link back too. Since I am a visual person, this helps me in my planning and future efforts of networking.
(photo above)

there are lots more reasons to use these tools and many many more tools coming on
board every week.

This site is for uploading, for free, tons of your photos. In return these pics can be
automatically linked to your web sites, blogs! I have already had one of my photos
chosen to represent Portland Oregon's Japanese Garden area! I was so excited.

I am told that major publishers and advertising companies now look on flicker to choose
photos they may need. With your permission and/ or pay of course!

You can use the site for photos of "how to do this or that" or it can be private for family
members, whatever you need.
Its the interlinking aspect that I love. This is the goal, to interlink for more traffic to my
works of art. For I would truly love to make my living on line. I love creating unique and
special things for people to buy. I love that something I made , in return make someone else
happy.
Update August 2011
Join lots of "groups". For my hand crafted sculpted buttons, I joined some ceramic groups, for my jewelry I join hand made jewelry groups with large following. This is helping my views and possible buyers as well. I upgraded to premium and pay 35.00 yr for unlimited photos. this keeps a nice vault of my fav photos, and a look of my artistic endeavors.

Update May, 2010.
increase traffic
and meet some great people! Many are more than ready to help out with advice and share ideas.
Our Etsy team has a site on Flicker too, and we attached it to our street team information on Etsy. More of those "arrows" for my
circle of networking!!

I have gotten one publisher from Portland Oregon that used one of my photos in their yearly tourist map!
That was a no pay but my name and link was in all those brochures!! More networking!

It may be small be we can all find some nook or cranny of our homes to work out of . Be creative, build up for storage. Keep it neat as you can. Which for most of us is a challenge.

Cafe Press is a site where you can register for free. They have all types of products available for you to put your designs on. It is all done by them, you just upload your designs and they produce the items and ship them out. You even set your percentage or markup. You can design a simple word set on t-shirts. Or upload a great photo and have it put on cups, computer mouse pads or calenders. If you get really into it, they have upgrade accounts for small monthly fees. They even have the tools to put your own music CD's on there. Your own produced Cds.

Now, Image kind is new to me. They are a site from Cafe Press. They offer the customized wall art. I am still learning about this site. Again it works like Cafe press in that you upload your art/photography and buyers can order their own frames, sizes etc.

Photo here is a sample of a cup with my design at Cafe Press