| If you think your business, music band, or simply, | | | | Soooo.... How does one get some that MySpace |
| your personality could benefit from participating in | | | | thing? |
| one of the most heavily trafficked sites on the | | | | Well, it's actually quite simple. All you need to bring to |
| internet then you need to know what MySpace is | | | | the party is a name and an email address. Simply go |
| and how to get involved with it. | | | | to MySpace.com, click on the Signup button, fill in a |
| First of all, what is MySpace? | | | | brief form and, presto, you've got yourself a free |
| Well, in a nutshell, MySpace is a gargantuan (and | | | | MySpace page. |
| controversial) network of user-submitted webpages | | | | Here are a few quick tips on what to do after signing |
| hosted at This collection of webpages allows | | | | up: |
| MySpace members to interact with one another by | | | | -- Choose your MySpace URL (web address) |
| making friends, posting comments, publishing bulletins, | | | | carefully. There is no opportunity to modify it after |
| writing blogs, sending emails and more. | | | | it's been set. You'll probably want it to somehow |
| is the undisputed leader of social networking sites | | | | reflect your business, band name or personality |
| and continues to dwarf other would-be contenders | | | | (essentially the reason why you decided to signup for |
| like FaceBook, Xanga and Bebo. It currently has over | | | | a MySpace account). Your MySpace URL will be the |
| 138 million user accounts which --even after taking | | | | web address that people can use to find your |
| into consideration individuals with multiple accounts-- | | | | MySpace page, e.g., |
| could easily amount to over 50 million unique | | | | -- You can customize your MySpace page by simply |
| members. The majority of MySpace members are | | | | copy-and-pasting a MySpace layout code into the |
| (contrary to popular belief) over 25 years of age. | | | | 'About Me' text box on your 'Edit Profile' screen (or |
| Controversy over corporate history, horribly designed | | | | the 'Band Bio' box for music profiles). MySpace layout |
| pages, copyright violations and the safety of | | | | codes are abundant on the net (albeit many are |
| underage users has over the years given MySpace a | | | | substandard). Simply do a search in Google for |
| 'bad-boy' image which has only served to heighten its | | | | 'myspace layouts' or to get better results, do a |
| appeal and popularity. | | | | search for 'professional myspace layouts' or 'classy |
| One of the most alluring features of MySpace (and | | | | myspace layouts'. |
| also one of the most maligned) is the ability to fully | | | | -- Don't be timid about getting into whole 'adding |
| customize a MySpace page by embedding a CSS | | | | friends' thing. There is no protocol really. Simply go to |
| stylesheet. Many external sites now specialize in the | | | | your MySpace account home page, click on Browse |
| creation and distribution of premade CSS stylesheets | | | | and then start visiting other MySpace member pages. |
| specifically designed to customize MySpace pages. | | | | When you see somebody you'd like to add to your |
| These premade stylesheets --which typically link to | | | | friends list, click on the 'Add to Friends' button in their |
| background images hosted on external servers-- are | | | | Contacting [user name] box and an email will be sent |
| known as 'MySpace layouts'. | | | | to them about your friend request. If they approve |
| Ultimately, MySpace is now an immense marketing | | | | your request then they will appear in your friends list |
| opportunity which entices celebrities, rock bands and | | | | and you in theirs. Not everyone will approve your |
| even major motion picture producers to sign up for a | | | | friend requests naturally but don't take it personally. |
| MySpace account in order to enjoy free exposure to | | | | Just move on and keep at it. It is customary to |
| a thrill-seeking demographic numbering in the tens of | | | | thank those that approve your friend requests by |
| millions. Talk is beginning to circulate that MySpace's | | | | posting a comment to their page saying, "Thanks for |
| popularity is waning but traffic statistics over the last | | | | the add!" |
| year don't support this (and actually speak to the | | | | So don't miss the boat on this baby. MySpace is all |
| contrary). Moreover, Google has recently signed a 3 | | | | the rage right now and if you handle your MySpace |
| year deal spanning into the second quarter of 2010 | | | | account well, it can turn into one of your most |
| which will culminate in MySpace coffers being filled to | | | | valuable web assets. |
| the tune of $900 million. | | | | |