Online social media sites such as Facebook, MySpace, Bebo and Twitter are among the most popular social web networks for modern day socialites. Social media memberships continue to grow in popularity in all demographics, especially among teens and young adults. Whether you are one of the millions of users that use a social media site to keep in touch with friends and relatives, or a professional looking for work, there are numerous advantages of becoming a member of a social media outlet.

Facebook and Bebo rank first and third, respectively, among teenagers 13 years old and up. MySpace, ranking second, requires members to be 14 and older to become a member. Perhaps these social media sites are so popular among teens because it’s free fun and entertainment! With access to a computer and Internet access, members are just a mouse click away from connecting with friends, sharing favorite pictures and web links, playing games, and of course, engaging in exciting online conversations. Teens can also display their artistic skills by creating a unique personal profile to express personalities and add favorite photos to profile albums.

Although parents should be aware of their child's online activity, social media sites provide a safe and secure environment for teens. The three networking sites mentioned above are considered to be among the safest. Facebook and MySpace also offer help and support features for newbies just learning to navigate the world of online social media outlets.

Parents also take advantage of free social media sites to stay connected with family members. Whether you have a child away at college or your siblings live in a different state, it’s easy to stay in touch by leaving a quick message on your loved one’s profile. Social media websites also allow you to conduct searches for family members that you may have lost contact with, or even a long-lost high school friend or old flame by simply searching by name, school or zip code. For those enjoying a retirement hobby and looking for someone to share particular interests, members have access to thousands of discussion groups to discuss a wide variety of topics.

Although many active members are under the age of 18, unemployed professionals and other career-minded individuals looking for advancement, utilize social networking sites to seek help. With unemployment rates approaching double digits in many states, posting resumes, digital portfolios or videos on Facebook is a practical and proven effective method to land a job! Most social media sites allow members to upload documents, video clips, personalized Website addresses, blogs, journals, forums, and classifieds to individual profiles. The popularity of online blogs and journals among professionals, politicians, and advocates continues to soar as the blogosphere caters to millions of online readers.

Others use networking sites for exactly what the name implies: networking. Social media users are notified of new friend requests, and the request may be accepted or rejected. Features such as a personalized friend’s list and events calendar helps to organize contact information and keep track of scheduled business meetings and other important dates.

Business owners also use social media sites for promotional and marketing purposes. Many non-profits also use sites such to provide "friends" and "fans" to keep up-to-date on announcements and current happenings. Social media sites serve as a free public relations tool for businesses and non-profits to reach target markets and population segments. Another great marketing feature of Facebook for example, allows users to create and publish advertisements. Customized ads attract thousands of potential customers for stagnate businesses or generous donors for non-profits.

Finally, Twitter is another very popular social media site. The simple and basic features of Twitter attract million of users. Unlike sites such as MySpace and Facebook, Twitter is a social network site that allows members to answer the question: "What are you doing?" Text answers are required to be fewer than 140 characters. Texts may be sent by logging into your Twitter account, accessible by the Internet, instant messages or mobile texting. Perhaps Twitter is best known for comments posted by celebrities in reaction to news-worthy, as well as popular entertaining current events.

There are numerous online social media websites in addition to Facebook, Bebo, MySpace, and Twitter. It depends upon what you expect from online networking when deciding which social media outlet is best for you. Whether you're a celebrity or not, you can join the millions of other online socialites sharing everyday life with the world without leaving home!