In today's technology driven world it is becoming a necessity for organizations to have an active presence on at least one social networking site. Although online social networking may seem intimidating to people accustomed to traditional methods of promoting themselves and their companies, it can be beneficial to get with the times. Social networking sites like LinkedIn, Twitter and Facebook are everywhere. These sites are not just geared toward teenagers tweeting about what they ate for dinner last night or for your Aunt Betty to showcase her recent cruise in Europe. When used appropriately, social media networking sites can be a valuable tool for marketing and professional development.

LinkedIn is perhaps the most popular site for professionals to exchange information, ideas and opportunities. According to its website, over 100 million individuals have created personal profiles that allow them to build a network, join industry or alumni groups, search and apply for jobs, etc... LinkedIn is the new Rolodex.

Twitter is another social networking site that is gaining traction in the not-for-profit world. Twitter allows its users to send and read messages called tweets, which are text-based posts of up to 140 characters. A tweet can be thought of as the traditional 30-second TV commercial with the added benefits that it's free and gives everyone a voice. Similar to LinkedIn, people develop a network of "followers" (who in turn have their own network) who can read their posts and have the ability to "retweet" to a broader audience. In an organizational context, this has huge potential.

LinkedIn, Twitter and other social networking sites each offer unique opportunities to connect with professionals in other industries. However, unification between these social networking sites is where the real value may lie from an organizational perspective. For example, a Twitter handle (i.e. username) can be added to a LinkedIn business card (and for that matter, a traditional paper-based business card) and "tweets" can be automatically posted to other social networking profiles (e.g. Facebook).

There is no denying that our fast paced world is now driven by online technology, accessible every second of the day thanks to smart phones and touch pads.   These devices allow people to constantly update and post information to their social networking site of choice. To a new user these sites can seem somewhat daunting but it opens up so many new avenues for professional networking and gives organizations a faster, cheaper and larger audience to advertise to. Online social networking is the way of the future and we urge everyone to sign-up (if you haven't already) to at least one social networking site.