Today I want to share my 5 Top Social Networking sites with you.

With so many choices in social networking sites it’s hard to figure out which are the best and why you should use them.  Social networking is the future of marketing, but if you’re not careful you’ll spend more time spinning your wheels than getting results.

The following is a list of my top social networking sites and why I use them.

Facebook:  There are so many reasons that I use facebook, so where do I begin?  The most obvious reason to use it is because it’s the largest social network on the planet with over 200 million users.

Facebook is a place to have conversations and you are rewarded when other people join the conversation because it populates their feeds.  The more relevant your conversation, the more people will join in.  Conversation is the basis for viral marketing.

Linked In:  For me, this is the best professional social networking site around.  Linked In allows me to stay connected with vendors, colleagues, and business associates.  I use linked in as my professional rolodex.  No matter where I am in the world, all I have to do is log in to Linked In to be connected.

Twitter:  This social networking site is all the buzz right now.  I find twitter useful for tuning in to real time conversation as it happens.  One of the most powerful tools on twitter is the advanced search feature.  Using the advanced search you can really tune in to conversation by keyword, location, and time.  Check out this video to get some more ideas on how this can work for you.

You Tube:  People love to watch videos, that’s why You Tube is one of the top social networking sites on the web.  As a matter of fact, You Tube is the 2nd most searched engine on the web (second only to Google.)  You Tube is great for sharing videos of your listing, sending invites to your open houses, and general face recognition.  Another great benefit to You Tube is that it ranks well in SEO.

Google Friend Connect:  I bet most of you are saying, “What is Google Friend Connect?”  It’s Google’s take on social networking.  See, Google believes that social networks should revolve around the content and I agree.  In a nutshell GFC makes your website or blog a social network.  Friends can join your site and get in on the conversation.  If you haven’t noticed, look on the right side column of Real-TechGuy.com and you’ll see my Google Friend connect Network.

By turning your website into a social network you can grow a community around your content.  I like this approach much better than Facebook’s “walled garden.”  Using GFC is a great way to niche yourself and have a community of people who are very interested in the information your provide.

What are your Top Social Networking Sites?

I’m sure I’ve missed a few of the top social networking sites.  The reason I chose these sites is becuase they are mainstream.  I like to go fishing in the pond with the most fish.  I’m kinda crazy that way.  Did I miss one of your favorites?  If I did, leave a comment here and tell me what I missed and why I should be using it.

Building facebook fan pages that STICK and lot’s more on this week’s Real-TechGuy Radio show.

In this week’s show we cover

• The latest news on facebook screen names. How will Real Estate Agents use them?
• Jonathan Rivera teaches you how to make your facebook page sticky so fans stay when they visit.
• The Real Estate Referral Group, more than meets the eye.  Learn how to get referrals and much, much more.