A Guest Post written by the talented and genius Cari Stewart. Cari has a degree in Advertising with a music minor, of course. She’s had stints in media buying, buzz marketing, online PR, and hardcore drumming. Cari can be found doing all of those things on her blog, Twitter, and various other locations on the Interwebsites.

For those of you who fancy themselves as web-savvy individuals, here are some surefire ways to determine your legitimacy. Top 5 reasons you need to rethink your online practices:

1. You’re email ends in @hotmail.com, @comcast.net, @yahoo.com, or any other domain that isn’t gmail.com or your personal domain.

Sure, everyone has a rogue hotmail account from 1998 but it’s 2010; it’s time to start taking ourselves seriously. Believe me, nobody will be taking you seriously if you’re rocking sexybeast666@hotmail.com. It’s science.

What Your Email Address Says About Your Computer Skills

2. You’ve recently said “Twitter will never work. I don’t get it.”

Look, I can forgive late adopters who may have been skeptical at the beginning, but your grace period has passed. Twitter is taking over the world. If you were on twitter, you’d know that. Seriously, though, while Twitter has a lot of crap from people like Kim Kardashian and Justin Bieber, it also provides real time, useful information. For the first time ever, we have access to news before you ever see it on CNN. And let’s be serious, any forum that allows you to speak directly with @BillGates or get minutely updates from @ebertchicago is alright in my book.

From a corporate standpoint, companies who are still not on Twitter are doing themselves a great disservice. It used to be that you could have good customer service by just having some information your website, but those times are over. Every company needs to be on Twitter, starting and joining conversations with their customers.

Why You Should be On Twitter

3. You don’t have a Facebook account.

Why? Who wants to stay in touch with friends and family who you would otherwise lose contact with? Apparently over 400 million people. I think some people still have the stigma associated with Myspace bleeding into their opinion of Facebook. Just because Myspace is creepy, it doesn’t mean all other social networks make you feel like you are going to get raped. Although, I have to say that as a 20-something-woman, I have met some great 50-year-old men with the help of Myspace. Thanks Myspace!

The nice thing about Facebook is that it is accessible to everyone. You can have the young college students who just want to see what their besties are up to. Or you have the companies and networkers who are using Facebook to build profitable relationships and improve their bottom line.

Why You Should Be On Facebook

4. Your blog ends in blogspot.com

Remember, this is going out to the self-proclaimed web-savvy. Blogspots are totally allowed for family and personal blogs that are mostly used for friends and family. However, as soon as you actively start using your blog as a self-branding tool, you have to get away from Blogspot. I’d like to introduce you to WordPress. As an avid ChaseSagum.com reader, you should be well acquainted. It’s all about having your own domain free from the shackles of cookie-cutter blogging.

Why You Should Use WordPress

Why Businesses Shouldn’t Be On Blogspot

5. You forward YouTube videos from no less than two years ago.

Don’t you dare send me a link to “Charlie Bit Me.” Sure it’s funny, but get with the now. I don’t want to feel obligated to act like it’s the first time I’ve seen it as you look over my shoulder at my computer screen and wait for the uproarious laughter that is sure to ensue. I’m just not that good of an actor.

My suggestions:

1. Get on Twitter and get some fresh videos.
2. When you find a YouTube video that is new to you, ask a possible recipient, “Have you seen such-and-such video?” If no, share away. If yes, giggle together.