Collier - Facebook and Twitter For Seniors For Dummies

Marsha Collier spends a good deal of time online. As a blogger, the author of the best-selling Dummies books on eBay, and a radio host, she shares her love of the online world with millions.

Marsha is one of the foremost eBay experts and educators in the world and the top-selling eBay author. In 1999 Marsha created the first edition of eBay For Dummies, the bestselling book for eBay beginners. She followed up the success of her first book with Starting an eBay Business For Dummies, a book targeting individuals interested in making e-commerce their full-time profession, These books are updated regularly to keep up with site and market changes.

Marshas books have sold over one million copies (including the special editions in foreign countries two in Australia, two in Canada, and two in the United Kingdom as well as translations in Spanish, French, Italian, Chinese and German).

Along with her writing, Marsha is an experienced e-commerce and customer service educator speaking at conferences all over the world. Embracing social media has earned Marsha awards as an influencer and author:

• Forbes: Must Follow Marketing Minds on Twitter
• Forbes: Top 10 Women Social Media Influencers
• 2012 Small Business Book Award Winner: Starting an eBay Business For Dummies
• Forbes: Top 50 Social Media Power Influencers
• The 100 Most Powerful Women on Twitter
• PeerIndex #1 Customer Experience Online Influencers
• MindTouch #1 Most Influential in Customer Service

She is a Top Rated Seller on eBay, hosts Computer & Technology Radio on iTunes. Marsha currently resides in Los Angeles, CA and can be reached via her website, at www.marshacollier.com .

To all the future online citizens who have purchased this book to get a taste of how much fun joining the social media party can be. I look forward to seeing you on Twitter and Facebook and hearing your stories and hearing stories about how youve connected online.

I dedicate this book also to my husband, Curt Buthman, who puts up with my late nights on social media (all for research - wink), and my daughter, Susan Dickman, whos always been there to help me get cool.

Also to my dear friends on Twitter and Facebook who have embraced me as part of their community. I want to thank all of you for your help and support; you make the online world a fun place to visit for millions of people. Keep on doing what youre doing.

This book couldnt have been written without the input from the thousands of wonderful people that Ive met online from all over the world. You inspire me to work harder and do my best to help as many people as possible.

This book is filled with screen shots of the many friends Ive made along social media journey: if it wasnt for them, this book wouldnt be here. Also, thanks to my Twitter buddies who respond and have a brilliant response when I ask them a question or send them a tweet.

My editor, Brian Walls rocks. He gets authors and understands the process. I hope to work with him again in the future.

Publishers Acknowledgments

Executive Editor: Steven Hayes

Project Editor: Brian H. Walls

Copy Editor: Barry Childs-Helton

Technical Editor: TJ McCue

Editorial Assistant: Claire Johnson

Sr. Editorial Assistant: Cherie Case

Project Coordinator: Patrick Redmond

Cover Image: iStock.com/STEEX

Chapter 1

Get ready to

Select Hardware to Match Your Use

Know What Options to Look For

Shop for Your Device of Choice

Browse for a Browser

Dont worry, Im not going to tell you that you need really fancy equipment to get started online, but you must have a computer or at the least a tablet. These days, there are more choices than you can imagine for joining the online social scene. If youre in the market for some technology to get you there, youve got a few choices, which I tell you about in this chapter.