Social Networking Primer

AARP.org Online Community

Of course, if you would like to quickly and easily connect with AARP members at age 50+, like you, why not join the AARP.org Online Community?

The AARP.org Online Community, launched in February 2008, offers users an exciting environment in which to cultivate an online identity, seek advice, connect with other users, and express themselves through various media. With more than 585,000 registered users already participating, and nearly 2,400 groups on topics ranging from pet ownership to caregiving to career networking, the AARP.org Online Community is proving its worth as a unique and powerful vehicle for engaging a mature audience in an online space of its own making.

Users can get started in a few easy steps: Registration is free, and AARP membership is not required. To sign up, begin at the "Register" button on the AARP.org home page, and complete the required fields. Build your new personal profile by adding "About Me" information, such as where you live and your hobbies and interests. Now, add photos, videos, and journals you'd like to share, and enjoy feedback from other members. Finally, invite friends and family via e-mail to join you on AARP.org. It's that easy!

After you're registered, you can connect with members like you to discuss subjects as varied as training your dog, résumé tips, or your favorite recipes. Upload videos of your grandkids playing in the pool, post photos from your recent trip to the Grand Canyon, or engage in a lively discussion about health-care reform.

You can also become involved by commenting on AARP.org articles, and other members’ journals, photos, and videos. Learn about AARP’s advocacy work, the latest news on your favorite celebrities, and AARP’s wide-ranging member discounts and benefits by subscribing to free AARP e-newsletters. Join groups to discuss topics with other users. And don’t let your efforts in the AARP.org Games Channel go to waste—save your scores and challenge your friends via your community profile.

It’s all here for you in the AARP.org Online Community!

Whatever social-networking site you prefer to use—or all four of the ones we previewed—you're about to enter a previously unimaginable world of friendship and communication. In just a few steps, you can create a network of friends, family, and colleagues as small or as large, as personal or as public, as you prefer.