Social networking blah! Your family has said if you want to see the pictures of your grandchildren you need to go onto Facebook. All of your friends are using Twitter to keep in touch during the day. And the final straw is the punk-nosed kid who works for you telling you that your business will plummet 6 feet below the ground if you do not join LinkedIn this very instant. But alas this fad must end, right? Sorry there!

I once had a boss when I was in the mortgage business who told us that we did not need computers, even though clients were emailing us their documents and what loan programs they wanted. One of the loan officers asked if we should deliver the loan packages to the clients via Fedex or carrier pigeon. Assumptions about new technology have scared off more people from using social networking than anything else.

Since you are reading this article I assume that you have probably ventured onto a social network, perhaps two, maybe three, or if you are like me have some type of presence on 50 or more social networks (I will try any social network once).

What I have found is that the reality of social networking is much different than the myths surrounding it. So, let’s examine 10 myths I have found in my crusade to schmooze on social networking sites.

Top 10 Social Networking Myths

10. Social networking is not a get rich quick scheme. You do not go on there, declare your presence on Facebook, Twitter, and Linkedin awaiting ovations and money tossed asunder at your feet from the thunderous traffic that then visits your website.

9. If you want to support the Zynga foundation please just give them money. Otherwise, stop playing Mafia Wars, Farmville, Texas Hold’em, and the rest of their games out there. You want to make money on Facebook by shooting people and getting badges for it. Seriously?

8. Twitter is not all about porn stars and robotic accounts. There are real people looking to meet other real people. In fact, some of my best referral sources come from Twitter.

7. Telling people that are on Twitter that they are Twits is like telling knock knock jokes. It is not funny, never was, and we are not 5.

6. Facebook is no longer just for college kids. Please exit cave door left.

5. Providing all of your jobs back to 1973 when you were a bell hop does not impress me on LinkedIn, and does not make me want to use your coaching/consulting/marketing/accounting/lawyering/financial services. But I will allow you to open the door for me.

4. Look, when I send you a connection it is not an invitation for you to spam me. If I wanted to listen to a constant stream of BS, I would walk three blocks down to former Governor Blagojevich’s house. Social networking is for meeting people, not selling them. By the way, check out my social networking services at the services after reading this article!

3. When I send you a friend request, please do not treat it like I did an alien probe. Respond back, so we can learn more about each other. Look, I see humans interacting!

2. No you do not need to spend your entire day on Twitter, Facebook, and LinkedIn. 30 minutes a day should work for the average user. If you a miss a day, contrary to belief the earth’s axis will not flip, and Brittney Spears will not shave her head again. However, do your best to be consistent with social networking, so you can get the most out of the sites you are using.

1. I am afraid my privacy will be invaded. So do not put something stupid, like your social, pictures of your children, address, and credit card numbers up. Put your greatest adversaries information up instead, duh! Just kidding! Be smart about your information, just like any other area of your life and you will be fine. If you have a phone number up on your website for people to call you, use that same number on social networking sites.

I hope this helps to debunk all of the social networking myths. Now, what are you doing standing around listening to me. Start social networking by retweeting this post, and connect with at least 5 people on LinkedIn!