The first that many people – over 30 and familiar with internet trends – heard of social networking (then known as Web 2.0) was that it had something to do with sexual predators, cyber bullying and kids in bands.

A lot has changed since Bebo and MySpace first hit the headlines a few years ago; social networking sites are no longer just for kids. Formerly concerned parents and grandparents now religiously update their friends with what they’re doing via Facebook; experienced businesspeople catch up with business associates through LinkedIn; and the braver of the more mature online enthusiasts are having conversations on Twitter or setting up their own social networking groups for clubs and groups on Ning.

If you’re still lost as to what’s what in the ever-changing world of social networking, here’s a quick guide to help you decide which is the best for you.

Bebo
Leave this to the kids – in the same way you wouldn’t dare step over the threshold of the school disco. To a mature audience, its only interest is if you’re in business and want to market directly to the Bebo age group by setting up a profile for your business and running a campaign.

LinkedIn
If you’re an active business person or even a retired executive, LinkedIn is the place to interact with former colleagues, business leads, competitors, potential employees and professionals in your sector. Users add details about themselves such as education and career – it’s a bit like an online CV. If you’re retired or have moved on from a workplace, it’s possible to search for others who you worked with at a certain company and get back in touch. You can also put a link to your website or blog and upload your photo. You can also join groups and have discussions with other professionals. You can post questions about a business problem,, update your status on what you’re working on and even tell people what you’re reading.

MySpace
MySpace is a great network for people interested in music and the arts, but has the reputation of appealing in particular to younger people. If you’re an artist, musician or writer, it doesn’t matter if you’re 18 or 80, this is a good starting point for sharing your wares with like-minded individuals. As well as sharing information about yourself through your profile, you can upload your own music for other people to listen to. Apart from connecting with friends there’s the opportunity to get in touch with like-minded individuals across the globe.

Facebook
Facebook is the place for meeting friends and family online. Users set up a profile and can add details as varied as their favourite films to their religious beliefs. People can communicate with each other through sending each other messages to their inbox or posting messages to each other’s profiles (which everybody can see). You can also upload photos, ‘tag’ friends in them. Information such as interesting website links can be posted to share with your friends.

It’s best to keep your Facebook profile as private as possible, so make sure to visit the privacy setting early on – it’s best in this day and age that just your friends and not everybody, or your networks (e.g. Ireland network), can browse your private information and photos at will. If you’re in business, a community group, or trying to promote a cause or fundraiser you can also set up a separate page which you can invite people to join.

Friends Reunited
Friends Reunited follows the same concept as Bebo and Facebook – it’s about friends getting together and hanging out online. It doesn’t seem to be particularly popular in Ireland, but is a good starting point for searching for friends from days gone by – especially if you lived or worked in the UK, where the site is far more popular.

Ning
Ning gives people the opportunity to set up their very own social networks – for free. Information, photos and videos can be shared through either open or private networks. It’s ideal for a club, group, or extended family to share information and organise events through the one website.

Twitter
A lot of people don’t ‘get’ Twitter. In essence it’s a series of status updates, and a place where users regularly share information such as what they’re doing, or post a link to something interesting they’ve read. It’s more open than other networks in that it’s ok to ‘follow’ strangers. Conversations can flow between people – but everything must be short and sweet – ‘tweets’ are limited to 140 characters – less than a standard text message.

All of the above advice must come with a general warning: social networking can become addictive, according to recent research by Irish social media agency Simply Zesty, two-thirds of those surveyed spend more than an hour a day on social networking. How long will you devote to your online presence?