Social Networking. Its what’s hot on the web right now. For those of you wanting to get your feet wet with web 2.0, but don’t have the time it takes to set up lenses on Squidoo, profiles and bulletins on MySpace, or other extensive content on social networks, Twitter may be just what you’re looking for.

The question posed by Twitter, “What are you doing?” has become almost as popular as AOL’s “You’ve got mail.” So much so that it has even caught the eye of offline news mediums such as USA Today, CNN, and ABC. This helps to make the application popular all on its own. Those who think Twitter is just a place for computer or Internet geeks can rest assured it’s nothing of the sort.

For many, Twitter is a way to interact with like-minded individuals. Whether you are a stay at home mom who craves adult conversation, an at home worker who misses the breaktime chats from past jobs, or the business owner who wants to reach more of their target market, this form of social media fills a need. It makes it easier to connect with and put your business in front of others in a way you might not have previously been able to.

The fact Twitter is easily accessible and even simpler to navigate makes it a favorite as well. You can create a twitter account of your own with nothing more than a user name and a password. Once that’s done, it’s easy to customize your profile and begin following other tweeps, as those who use Twitter affectionately call one another. To follow what another person is doing, just visit their page and click the follow button. You’ve now been added as a follower and when you login to your account you will see their messages on your screen. You can follow me at http://twitter.com/scrapventure

You can stay in touch with friends, customers, potential customers with 140 characters or less. While 140 characters doesn’t seem like much, it is enough to make a quick comment and get your point across. And with the many plugins available for Twitter, you can easily create tweets from your blog as well.

If you haven’t joined Twitter yet because you are worried you don’t have the time to learn something new or to socialize all day, don’t worry. While these are reasonable concerns, it is relatively easy to join and begin right away. Now the second reason, will just take some moderation and control on your part. However, the benefits of meeting potential clients and a well deserved break in your day is a great exchange-don’t you think? See you on Twitter!