Dos and Don'ts for Creating Your Myspace Account Profile

I am sure we have all heard of Myspace. And for those that use the internet a lot, I am sure a lot of you have an account. Here are some Dos and Donts to your account, depending on what you are looking for with having the account.

Dos

Private vs Public

If you are looking to make friends on Myspace, make sure that your account is not set to Private. Many times people have their Myspace account set to private and don't even realize it. If you do, no one can view your page.

If you don't want people to see your page besides people you know, make sure that you set your account to Private. Also, there are settings to put on your Myspace so that no one can request to be your friend or send you messages unless you can put in their e-mail and last name. There is also an option to block any bands from trying to be your friend. On top of that, there is also an option for viewing all your comments before it is posted on your page.

Depending on what you are using your account for, these are all important options to consider.

Create a Color Scheme or Layout

You can make your own layout and add colors to your Myspace account by simple html. If you are not good at this, there are some websites that have code set up for you. Watch out for certain sites because their code can be messy with advertising from their own website. A simple google search of, "myspace layouts" should do the trick to finding some set up layouts.

Pictures

Post pictures of yourself. You all know about the "Myspace angles and bathroom mirror shots". Put up the best picture you have of yourself as your main picture. Even if your profile is set to "Private" people will still be able to see your main picture.

Also, there are other ways to post photos on your main front page by using sites like photobucket.com. These even let you create slide shows.

Associated Content RSS Feed

If you are an active Content Producer on this site, why not add that to your feed on your page? It may help you get a view more views and also help others get to know more about you by seeing what you write about.

Write About Yourself

It is always good to have a little write up of yourself. Try not to have something too long because people tend to not read everything. On your interests tab, make sure you fill out your interests as simply as possible with commas to separate them. This is so people can find each other with similar interests easier. If you fill in one big sentence, no one will be able to find you with that interest.

Example: cat, ebay, writing

Do Not Type: While I sit and write up stories, I like to look up ebay and play with my 8 cats.

This is okay to do in your "About Me" section. In your interest section, having everything written simply, seperated by commas is how to get others to find you with similar interests. If you don't care about that and have a private profile, then perhaps the second example is okay.

Videos and Music

Go to youtube.com to post some videos of interest on your Myspace. There is code on the site for every video. Also, to help you adjust the size of the video, when pasting the code on your page, simply adjust the numbers in the code.

Music is also a fun way to spice up your page and also show others what kind of music you like. You can look up Bands on Myspace itself and link the bands music to your page.

Don'ts

Revealing Photos

There is that slight chance out there your employer may see your Myspace profile. The last thing you want is to have them see you half nude or wasted on top of other co-workers. This really can hurt you. I have heard of some people not getting hired because of it. I don't know how legal it all is, but it can happen.

Loud Music

Posting music on your Myspace is great, especially if you are a band trying to promote yourself. However, some people may be casually browsing the internet in silence, and certain songs are really bad on a Myspace. Visit your own profile randomly throughout the day and see how your feel about the sudden blast of sound. Some people hate it, some people don't mind.

There are options you can put it to make it so that the music does not auto-start and users can select Play.

Personal Information

Please do not put any personal information on there. While putting your jobs and school up is one thing, you should never post your phone number or address. No matter how desperate you are to find a mate or a friend, this is not something you should do. There are so many sick people out there. In the very least, just post an e-mail address. If you do post an e-mail address, make sure that the address does not link them to another profile with your phone number or address.

Use it to Cheat

Sorry, I had to put this there. I have found people use the internet way too much to help them cheat on their significant other. Don't make Myspace a dirty place by using it for this. This could perhaps be the sole reason why sometimes I wish there wasno such a thing as Myspace or Personal websites, because people don't always use them to make new friends or to find a special person.

Re-sign In Without Checking the Address

Sometimes when you view people's profiles it makes it look like you got signed out and you have to sign back in. Please make sure to look at the top address to make sure it is Myspace authentic. There are a lot of phishing schemes out there to try to steal your Myspace password. If someone takes over your account, they could use it to post spam bulletins and comments to all your friends. If you are unsure if it is an authentic Myspace address, then just simply re-type it in yourself.

People use them to go behind people's back because it's easy and can be discrete if you set up your profile just right. Yeah, I don't mean to preach to a choir, but I had to add this.

Myspace can be a fun way to meet up with old friends, and make some new. I have seen a lot of couples use it to send comments to each other throughout the day, especially those in long distance relationships. It can be a great tool, so learning how to use it correctly based on your own functional purpose is important.