Scotch Plains and Fanwood's Virtual Community

At Terrill Middle School's end-of-year instrumental concert, music teacher Van Benschoten announced he might create a Terrill Music Twitter profile so that parents and students could more easily find out information about the program.

“Do you Tweet?” he asked the audience.

The answer seems to be yes. Scotch Plains-Fanwoodians are indeed using some form of social networking for personal and professional reasons, and many are utilizing more than one platform.

While local coffee shops such as Fanwood Bagels, Dunkin’ Donuts, and the Highlander might still be old-school and off-line, both the Scotch Plains and Fanwood libraries offer public wi-fi access, along with computer stations and free internet usage so local patrons of all ages can check their Facebook, MySpace, and LinkedIn profiles. And check them, they do.

“I sign onto Facebook every day and check it often from my Blackberry,” said Tom Ryan, Jr., of Fanwood. “I like to post about events in my life, stuff about my kids, song lyrics that strike me as interesting, and comments on sports or issues. When I post something on my status, it’s as interesting to see who responds as it is to read the content of the posting. I also scroll around and comment on what my friends post. It is most fun when a number of disparate people get into the swing of a posting and we get insights into ourselves.”

Ryan’s online experience is similar to thousands of others in Scotch Plains, Fanwood, and around the world who are using social networking mediums. The phenomenon has been a regular part of the digital landscape for awhile now, but with increased usage, more and more local individuals and groups are finding unique ways to become virtually acquainted.

Do a quick search for “Scotch Plains” on Twitter, and one will find hundreds of posts from locals who are providing up-to-the-minute updates on their lives. Some are from realtors getting the word out about the latest home deals, while others are individuals documenting weekend cookouts with family and friends. A few updates were even sent directly from people attending a recent Scotch Plains Municipal Court session.

“People can use social networking tools in a meaningful way,” said Chuck Beardsley, an Internet marketer and founder of the Scotch Plains-based Soal Marketing. “For me, LinkedIn is for business, Facebook is for personal, and Twitter is for both. The way I see it, LinkedIn and Facebook are mostly about networking and creating relationships.”

For many, especially Scotch Plains-Fanwood teens and preteens, social networks also act as a vehicle for showcasing their personalities and identities. In addition to making regular updates to their personal profiles, these users also spend time creating groups on Facebook that are labeled “just for fun.”

“Scotch Plains is better than Westfield” is just one example of the dozens of groups like this that exist. Created by Scotch Plains-Fanwood High School students, the group currently has 279 members.

“I log on often,” said Amanda Schroder, 14, of Scotch Plains. “I post things about me, my photos, and notes that people comment on. I use it because it’s fun and there is nothing else to do on the internet. The best part about Facebook is talking to friends who live in another town or state. It is easy to talk to them. My parents don’t mind. They check my pictures to see if they are appropriate.”

Aside from the social aspect of social networking, online platforms can also be a huge boon for business, Beardsley said.

“Twitter can be a branding tool,” he said. “You can use it as a blog to post information on why you’re an expert in a field and you can include a URL that links back to your site. You can link to people in your geographic area and do searches for people who could be related to your business and bring referrals to you. There are also discussion groups on Twitter that can help you find people who are like-minded, in the same business, or looking for your services.”

Lots of local groups are utilizing sites like Facebook to connect with those who may be interested in their work. Do a search for “Scotch Plains” on the site, and you’ll get 136 results, including groups for the Scotch Plains Rescue Squad and the Scotch Plains-Fanwood Newcomers Club.

“For small businesses, there is a giant opportunity to market online,” Beardsley said. “I know a business owner who knows every single day what are the search terms that people use to find his site, which of those terms people will actually fill out his online form for, and which of those terms will result in a customer. I think every single, solitary small business owner can be that savvy of a web marketer.”

But as free-spirited as social networking may seem, posters should be aware that even the virtual world has its own rules and etiquette.

“Being personal is better,” advised Beardsley. “It’s very important to be authentic online. You should also never write anything or post photos online that could come back to haunt you later on. You can look up people online, and it’s important to know that employers can do this, too. Having an online, authentic presence is a good thing. Don’t Twitter anything you don’t want to come up in a search. It’s all about using good judgment.”

With regard to Internet safety, Beardsley doesn’t feel social networking (for adults) is a cause for concern. Rather, it’s the actions people take in the real world off-line that can be dangerous.

“Social networking is breaking down the ‘what do I have to hide’ attitude,” Beardsley said. “Some people might be afraid of posting their picture or other people getting your email address. But remember: I have the mechanism to shut down if I want to. On Facebook, I can limit what people see on my wall using customized access lists. Or, I can unsubscribe or change my email address. It’s not that dangerous; it’s just annoying. What do I have to hide? Anybody can find out my address. You just have to Google me. It wouldn’t be that hard to get that information. There are ways to manage your level of online interaction. There are ways to use these tools to engage at a distance.”

At the end of the day, if you want to catch up with family or friends in the real world, in real time, there’s always the face-to-face or that new-fangled contraption the kids are all talking about: the telephone. Sometimes it’s easy to forget that Facebook, MySpace, Twitter, and LinkedIn are virtual mediums. They’re just the first or intermediary steps toward creating real relationships with people.

“Sometimes I am trying to reach out to specific people, but usually it is to my friends in general,” Ryan said. “I have connected to most of my immediate family and college friends. Interestingly I have reconnected with people I haven't seen in 25 years.”