- 1). Enter the preferred name of your social network (e.g., Lampwork Glass) and a web address (e.g, lampworkglass) in the text fields provided on the Ning site (see Resources). Click the "Create" button when finished. The full URL address contains the chosen name with ".ning.com" at the end. For example: lampworkglass.ning.com
- 2). Type in the requested information, such as name and birth date, to create your Ning account. Click the "Sign Up" button when done. Check your inbox for an email from Ning, and verify your email address.
- 3). Add the required data to describe your social network. Set the privacy setting to determine who can see and join your site. Enter a "tagline" (e.g., A Place for Lampworkers) to have it show up in the header of your page. Continue by adding a site description and typing in relevant keywords. Finally, select your language, country and ZIP code. Click the "Next" button to continue.
- 4). Drag and drop the social network features that you want your website to contain. The left side of the page displays the features offered including forums, music and videos. You may also click the "View all Features" link to get a complete listing of the offerings. Choose features by clicking and holding the functionality you desire, then drag your mouse to the page layout on the right side and release the mouse button over the preferred section of the page. This action designates the area where the feature appears. Click the "Next" button when finished.
- 5). Customize the look of your site by choosing a theme. Do this by clicking the button next to the preferred layout. Formatting additional options, such as colors and text, using the text fields and drop-down menus provided. Click the "Launch!" button when done. This step completes and publishes your social website.
- 6). Invite members, continue customizing the appearance of your layout and add content by clicking the provided buttons, if preferred. You can perform additional edits by clicking the "Settings" link on the right-hand side of your page.
- 7). Control the elements on your website, such as the discussion forum and network privacy, by clicking the "Manage" tab in the toolbar.
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