Social networking sites can be a lot of fun while at the same time beneficial to whatever it is you’re trying to accomplish. One of my favorite social media sites is Twitter. It’s great for promoting your sites and also for finding out what’s going on with other bloggers. Ever since I started using Twitter, I’ve lessened the time reading my feeds because most of the blogs I follow tweet their posts before the feed even reaches my reader!

You’ve probably heard of all the twitter talks going around lately and wondered what’s the big deal. Most people who haven’t tried it don’t get the deal either, so don’t worry about it. You’re not alone.

Twitter is sort of like the shortcut and combination of a blog and Facebook. It asks the question, “What are you doing?” and you can then update your ‘followers’ (those that follow your tweets) what you are doing at the moment by typing in a ‘tweet’ or message that is no longer than 140 characters. You learn to be succinct and get to the point, but that’s the beauty of Twitter. If you’re looking for prose, stick to the blogs. But if you are just looking for quick updates on what’s going on with your favorite tweeters, then this is the right media for you. Most bloggers will tweet their latest post so you know as soon as they’ve posted on their blogs. They also tweet contests and giveaways if you’re into that kind of thing. There have been times when I heard of breaking news on twitter. I’ve also gotten blogging ideas from sites shared on twitter.

Whatever it is that you are hoping to accomplish by networking with other bloggers of the same interest, you can accomplish with Twitter. Some people have gotten very cool opportunities by tweeting. But for some, tweeting a little too candidly may have caused them to lose their opportunities. Jump in, see if twittering is right for you, then decide for yourself.

The Today Show has been having a series of articles about the internet and what’s new on the online world lately. They featured digital moms the other day and today it was all about twitter. Watch the Twitter mania on Today Show video to find out more about the deal with twitter.

If you’re already on Twitter, follow ME! My twitter handle is JMom. If you’re not yet a tweeter, sign up and follow me! What are you waiting for?

I haven’t had time to read all the tips and resources mentioned on the post, but I thought what a great service it is for the ProBlogger to compile this list of Tips, Tutorials and Resources for New Bloggers that I’d better book mark it here as a post so that I can go back and read more at leisure. I’m not exactly a ‘new blogger’ anymore, but I learn something new everyday. Especially since I didn’t really take blogging seriously until a year ago, I could use all the tips on the technical side and marketing side of blogging.

The post covers topics such as:

1. Posts on Starting a Blog - read posts on how to choose the right blogging platform, choosing a domain name, how to choose a topic or niche for your blog, and tips on how to start blogging successfully.
2. Writing Blog Content - its been said over and over again, ‘content is king’ in blogging. Read articles on how to craft a blog content, how to come up with ideas to blog about, where to get them, and more.
3. Blog Promotion/Finding Readers - when I first started blogging, I never even thought of promoting my blog. I was still operating on the Field of Dreams idea that ‘if you build it, they will come’. Well, blogging is not the field of dreams. Better go read the ProBlogger’s tips on how to find an audience.
4. Making Money from Blogs - once you have an audience and decent traffic coming to your blog, you can start making money from it. Yes, it’s possible. I would never have thought that I could make money from blogging but yes, you can. I am, and I am by no means an expert.
5. Further Reading and Resources on Starting a New Blog - when you’ve read all the basic tips, go on and keep reading. It will keep you on your toes and keep you sharp. It will also keep you blogging

Thanks for the memories, BlogRush, it was good while it lasted.

I just received an email that BlogRush, creator of the blog link widget that you’ve probably seen in some blogs, mine included, have decided to shut down their service. They request that if you have their widget on any of your blogs, to remove it. I think their server have already disconnected anyway as I noticed that on the two blogs that I had it on, they are no longer showing up. I went ahead and removed the code anyway.

BlogRush was a free service and it was a neat way to find other blog posts that are related to your topic. I had discovered quite a few blogs from their widget and I had also gotten some traffic from their widgets. But I suppose that happens in business. Try it out if it works and if it doesn’t work for you, know when to pull out.

Good luck to the BlogRush team in their future endeavors. As one who availed of the free service, thank you.

Speaking of promoting your blogs, I blogged about promoting your blog on Forum Finder previously and told you about how you can win $25 in addition to gaining readership for your site.

Well, since I joined forum finder, I have increased the readership of this blog and other blogs I run, made new friends, discovered new sites to visit, and now, I also have some hard cold cash! How awesome is that?

Why don’t you come and join the fun. Visit Forum Finder and learn how to start attracting people to your blog. That’s guaranteed. On top of that, you’ll also gain much more.