MySpace Design Features

Creating a MySpace website may seem overly complicated to those who have never done any HTML design in the past but it is really quite simple. Members who have advanced HTML knowledge can obviously incorporate more advanced features into their design but even those with no HTML knowledge may be able to create an attractive and functional MySpace website. This is possible because much of the design can be done through the use of templates. This article will focus on some of the most basic design features of MySpace to give beginners a basic understanding of the features they can incorporate into a new MySpace website and the types of changes which can be made to an existing website. This article will include information on changing the background, importing images, adding music to the website and posting quizzes for other users.

Adding or Changing the Background

The background color of a MySpace website is very important because it is one of the first things visitors notice when the website loads. If the background is garish and makes the website difficult to read, visitors may exit the page quickly. Conversely if the background is appealing it may make the entire website more appealing.

Basic HTML knowledge is required to add colors or background graphics to a MySpace profile. To add colors or background graphics go to the “Edit profile” section after logging into your account. Next enter the necessary code into the appropriate section. To get the background to appear on your profile you should include the code in the “About me” section of your account. If you are unsure of the code that is needed, there is a wealth of information available online for those who are learning HTML.

Importing Images

Many members of the MySpace community choose to post their picture on their website. Again the social aspects of the online community encourage this action because people who engage in online friendships often want to see what their new friends look like. Including pictures is the easiest way to let others know what you look like.

MySpace members are asked to upload a photo of themselves when they first sign up. This step can be skipped and done later. Photos which are uploaded to MySpace must be .gif or .jpg files. Additionally they must be smaller than 600k. The filename for photos should also not contain spaces or characters other than numbers or letters.

Adding Music to the Website

The addition of music to a MySpace website is a very common practice. This is used both by bands who want to promote their music as well as by individuals who want to let others know what type of music they like. The process of adding music to a MySpace website is incredibly easy. Members can visit the following web address to listen to music from MySpace artists: http://music.myspace.com/index.cfm?fuseaction=music. If the artist has granted permission for others to use the music, there will be a button that says “Add” next to the song. Clicking on this link, when you are logged into this account, will automatically add the music to the background of your MySpace website. You are only able to add one song at once to your profile but you can change the music as often as you like by adding a new song. If you already have one song and add another, the second song will replace the original song on your profile.

Posting Quizzes on the Website

Many MySpace members include fun personality quizzes on their website and publish their quiz results. These quizzes give visitors more information about the member. The members may also post a link to this quiz so other members can take the quiz and post their results in the comments page. Different types of personality quizzes can be found on the Internet and many of these quizzes give you the code necessary to add this quiz to your MySpace website or another websites. You can copy and paste the code into the “Interests” section of your MySpace profile.

Meeting People on MySpace

The process of meeting people on MySpace is extremely easy. MySpace is an online community which encourages individuals from all over the world to become involved and create an online profile. Members are able to create a MySpace website which they can use to provide others with information about them. Members are also encouraged to view the websites belonging to other members to learn more about other members of the community.

Those who participate in MySpace can provide as much or as little personal information as they wish and are not required to give any specific information when they design their website. Those who are willing to open up more, however, are likely to be more interesting to other members and may accumulate friends very quickly on MySpace.

Searching for Friends on MySpace

The search feature can help new MySpace members to find friends in the community. The search feature allows users to enter in a particular word and provides search results which include MySpace members’ websites which use this word. This is an interesting way to meet potential friends on MySpace because you can enter keywords which are associated to a favorite hobby, band, book or other interest to find others who share this interest.

Those on MySpace can use the search feature to find new friends but can also use the search feature to meet find friends with whom you have lost touch over the years. Members can also search through MySpace for users with a particular name although this not always effective because users are not required to post their full name on their MySpace website. However, there are many who do include their full name so trying this search feature is worthwhile if you are looking to locate someone from your past on MySpace.

Using Caution on MySpace

With any online community, caution should be used when cultivating friendships on MySpace. The vast majority of those who use MySpace are simply looking to either make new friends or find long last friends but there are a small percentage of users who may have malicious intents. MySpace created their terms of services and makes an honest attempt to enforce these terms but this can be a difficult task on the Internet

It is important to remember that the Internet allows a certain degree of anonymity that can allow some unscrupulous individuals to mask their true identity and convince other MySpace members they are someone who they are really not. Common scenarios which may occur on the Internet include individuals obtaining enough information to steal the identity of another or individuals obtaining information such as an address which enables them to do physical harm to another member of MySpace. Those who use MySpace should be careful to ensure their private information is kept private while they are online. Information which can be used to harm them may include any combination of the following:

* Full name
* Place of birth
* Names of children and information on when and where they were born
* High school and year of graduation
* Social security number
* Credit card numbers
* Bank account numbers

Some of the information above may seem harmless but it is important to remember devious criminals can use public resources such as newspapers and library books to find out more information about an individual.

When you are Being Harassed on MySpace

Harassment is a serious issue which the MySpace administrators take very seriously. However, the most effective method they recommend for getting those harassing you to stop is to ignore them. According to the FAQ page on MySpace 99.9% of harassment situations diffuse if harassing emails are completely ignored. You can also block users which prevents them from contacting you through MySpace and remove them from your friends list which will prevent them from adding comments. If another user has created a profile about you with malicious intent you can contact MySpace customer service and provide them with a link to the profile and they will investigate the profile and delete it if warranted.

Making Connections through MySpace

MySpace is an online community focused on helping individuals to make new friends or reconnect with old friends. With this type of goal in mind it is not surprising that the vast majority of MySpace members use the community to make connections with other members. This may include staying in touch with old friends and family members, reconnecting with lost friends, making business connections or even meeting romantic partners. This article will discuss how all of these opportunities are available on the MySpace community.

Keeping in Touch with Friends and Family

MySpace can be an excellent way for friends and family members to stay in touch. Encouraging friends and family members to join MySpace with you can help you to stay in better contact with these individuals. Communicating through MySpace is a lot of fun and gives users the ability to post pictures, audio files and video files in addition to personal information presented in a blog. Members can leave comments for each other or just stay in touch by reading each others websites and posting personal information on their own websites for others to read.

Reconnecting with Lost Friends

Overtime we all lose contact with some of our old friends. Whether this is a trusted friend who was with you through the trying times in high school, a companion who helped you make it through college or even an acquaintance you met in passing at a bus stop MySpace can help you to reconnect to these old friends.

One passive way to reconnect with lost friends is to simply create your own MySpace website and wait for these lost friends to contact you. This may not always happen but it is possible. MySpace is an extensive community with members all around the world and it is very possible your old friend may see you on MySpace and contact you. Also, if you create a blog entry expressing an interest in reconnecting with an individual, your blog may be seen by someone who knows your lost friend and passes along the message.

Another way to find lost friends on MySpace is to use the search feature. The simplest way to search for someone is by using their full name. However, not all members post their full name. Other methods of finding an individual include entering their nickname into the search feature or entering keywords related to their favorite hobbies, books, movies or entertainers. This method may require a great deal of research and may be quite time consuming but it can help you find your lost friend if they have a website on MySpace.

Making Business Connections

MySpace can also be used to make business connections. The search feature can be used to find others who share your business interests, dreams and goals. Once you find these individuals you can engage them in conversation by sending an email or instant message or by leaving a comment on their website. These connections may lead to potential business relationships but they may also simply be networking opportunities which allow those interested in certain business aspects to converse with others who share this interest.

Meeting Romantic Partners

Finally, a large portion of those who are using MySpace are hoping to make a romantic connection. MySpace is an online community which enables users to post photos and information about themselves for other members of the community to view. This effectively makes MySpace very similar to a dating service. There is also a space for users to enter information regarding whether or not they are single or looking for a romantic interest. Those who are looking for romance can spend time searching for others who they find physically attractive, share their interests and are also seeking romantic companionship. These MySpace members can contact each other through emails, instant messages or through comments left for each other on the websites. A courting relationship online can progress to an offline relationship or can remain online depending on the wants and intentions of the partners.