How to Make a Virtual Profile Website Like MySpace
Social networking sites are some of the most visited and most popular websites on the Internet. Making your own, for fun or for commercial interests, is a difficult process and requires some cash investment, user protection and strict rules. On this type of website, virtual profiles need to be protected from anonymous users at all times. Failure to do so can result in a complicated and threatening legal backlash.
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Instructions
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Invest in a domain name and a web hosting company. A domain name is the identity and title of your website that users type into their Internet explorer bars. Alternatively, a web hosting company is a business that sells you the Internet space in which your pages and articles utilize. Ensure that your web address is relevant to your site. For example, a virtual profile site might be called MyProfile.com or JustMe.com.
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Ensure that your website has a secure and easy-to-use login system. This is the most important aspect of any virtual profile website because users will expect their information to be safe, secure and available only to them.
Content Management Systems (CMS) are excellent ways of controlling and storing user login information. For example, Wordpress is a CMS that not only helps you find the correct software for setting up a login / logout system, but also stores user information safely and securely. See the References section for a link to Wordpress.
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Ensure that your website gives users the opportunity to customize and decorate their virtual profile pages. MySpace is a particularly successful site because it allows its users to express themselves through artistic and creative design. For example, provide color choices for text and box lines or allow users to post images as their profile background.
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Allow website users to post pictures, videos and music on their profile pages. Virtual profiles are meant to represent what the user's hobbies, likes and interests are. Inserting their favorite music and videos onto their pages will help others understand the personality of the users.
Make your website easier to use by inserting buttons to help users insert videos and images onto their pages with just one click.
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Ensure that your Website users are protected from other anonymous users. With the rise of identity theft, many virtual profile Websites such as Facebook and MySpace offer users with security options for hiding certain pieces of information from those who are not their online friends. For example, you may offer users the option to hide their name, email address, home address and phone number from those who they have not confirmed as secure online friends.
If you can protect your users and give them the freedom to share their personal information safely and securely, they will always come back to your website.
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Tips & Warnings
Some web hosts offer extra services for their fee (e.g. technical support, antivirus software or email accounts). Some even include a reduced-cost domain name in their overall price. Shop around until you find the right deal for your website and your budget.
References
Resources
- Photo Credit teenage girl using hand held computer image by pixelcarpenter from Fotolia.com
