People have been networking for, well, ever. When you want to get a new job and you ask your friends if they know of anyone who is hiring, you are networking. When you need a new dress for a special occasion and you ask people if they know of a good place to get what you want, you are networking.

In real life you have your own groups of social networks all around you. At work, your school or your kids school, on the playground, whatever. These are all social networks.

The difference between those social networks and the ones online are many though. For one, you don't have to go anywhere to meet people online. Just sit at your computer and click. Also, you get a personal profile where you can post pictures, blogs and information about yourself, information that your real like friends probably don't know about you.

What makes Online Social Networking so special is that you can make connections with people all over the world that have the same interests that you have. You both know what each other likes and dislikes before you even make a connection with each other. When that connection is made you have made a new friend instantly.

Now you can have conversations with your new friends, send each other pictures, share music and videos and more. You can get lost in this virtual online world. Remember, you have real life, face to face friends to. Don't block them out.