Networking online is all about building connections, and there are so many ways to do it. From the traditional approach of meeting people in person, to the more modern methods of online networking, it’s a great way to grow your network and meet new people who can help you in your career.
But what if networking makes you feel physically dirty? Is it worth it? Here’s why we think YES!
In a study done by UCLA researchers, they found that when people engage in face-to-face contact, they experience a physical reaction that makes them feel disgust or revulsion. Luckily, we don’t have to worry about that happening anymore because we live in an age of digital networking! Here are some tips for making sure that your digital networking experience is as successful as possible:
If you’re looking to develop your network online, there are plenty of ways to do it. Here are 10 tips and tricks that will help you build a strong online presence so that you can connect with other people in your industry and grow your business:
1. Take full advantage of social media platforms.
Use social media to increase your visibility. Social media can help you build relationships, too. Use Facebook, LinkedIn, and Meetup to find like-minded people in your area. You might be surprised how many local groups there are for developers, entrepreneurs, and more.
Use social media for networking with business contacts outside of the area or at work events. It’s a great way to get to know someone before meeting them face-to-face (and it works both ways). If someone has a business connection or job opportunity that would be interesting to you—connect directly with them through social media rather than going through the formal process of sending an email or making an appointment first!
Build relationships on multiple platforms:
Twitter is great for quick updates about my life but I also use Instagram and Discord more often than Twitter these days because they’re less formal than other platforms.”
LinkedIn is great for finding professionals in my desired network groups really easily. It’s also great for connecting with people who have the same interests as me and communicating with them on a professional level.
Social virtual reality platforms like AltspaceVR are also great but for other reasons. I get to have really fun experiences playing games, attending events, and socializing at the same time with a bunch of business owners from all around the world.
I think that’s what makes this platform so special: you can connect with people from all around the world without even leaving your home! It’s amazing how much we can learn from each other just by chatting in real-time while playing games or watching Netflix together.
These are the best online networking platforms for business growth:
- Discord
- AltspaceVR
2. Join Slack channels, Discord groups, and Facebook groups on a topic you’re passionate about.
There are a lot of people out there who are passionate about the same things you are. Join Slack channels, Discord groups, and Facebook groups on a topic you’re passionate about for easy and fast online networking access that works.
You can make valuable connections with people who share your interests, stay informed about the latest developments in that area of expertise, and find talent (or hire someone) for projects.
If you want to learn how to do marketing better, or if you want to learn how to code for mobile apps, there’s probably a group out there for it—and those groups are full of people who are just as interested in learning and sharing information as you are!
3. Actively engage with the people in your online network.
It’s easy to browse through LinkedIn and think that you have a great network, but just like the other aspects of your professional life, it takes time and effort to build relationships with people.
A good first step in building relationships is to simply be a good LinkedIn citizen: follow people in your network, comment on their updates, etc… This speaks volumes about you. Showing that you are paying attention to your network members’ content and successes will likely get other folks interested in following you as well.
Here are some tips for better online networking:
- Respond to messages, emails and calls within 24 hours. If you don’t have time right away, let them know when they can expect a response from you.
- Keep in touch with connections every now and then—a quick email or phone call is enough to keep things moving along smoothly between you two.
- Ask for advice from connections who are more experienced in their fields than you are; this will help both of your businesses grow!
4. Ask for an introduction.
When we think of online networking, we often imagine having to schmooze with a Zoom full of strangers. That’s not always the case.
Introductions are one of the fastest and most effective ways to connect with someone new, but getting someone else to make an introduction for you can feel awkward. So how do you go about getting an introduction? In order to start asking for introductions more confidently, first let me ask you a question: Have you asked anyone for an introduction?
The importance of asking for introductions:
It’s a great way to build trust and credibility. You can also continue to grow your network in this way by expanding it outwards, instead of just being limited by the people you know.
Focus on what your intended outcome should be when requesting a new connection! If you need help with something specific, such as writing an article or funding your business, make sure that’s at the forefront of your mind when approaching someone who might be able to assist you in reaching that goal.
5. Attend online networking events.
When it comes to building relationships in any community, attending events is a great way to connect with like-minded people and build lasting relationships with them. There are also a lot of opportunities for industry experts to network at these events. These can be online events such as webinars or seminars on Zoom, LinkedIn, and virtual reality (AltspaceVR).
You can start by searching for local meetups or conferences using Google or Eventbrite. Many communities have regular events where you can get involved and learn more about your industry. If you’re not sure where to start, try checking out groups on LinkedIn that are relevant to what you work on.
In the past, I’ve been to a range of events including seminars and webinars. I’ve also been through training courses on topics such as marketing and management. Being able to do these has helped me get to where I am today, and continue to grow my skills.
I’ve found that online networking events in virtual reality lead to a better social experience that leads to more short and long-term business.
I’ve been going to online networking events for a few years now (we even run our own), and I’ve noticed that the people who go to these types of events are typically the ones who want to make a difference in their community or industry. They want to find out what is new and how they can get ahead of the curve with their business.
Virtual meetings in the Metaverse are becoming more popular every day, as they allow us to connect with others in more engaging ways. They’re also great for those who want a close and personal experience but don’t live in large cities, don’t have access to transportation, or can’t leave their homes due to illness or disability.
6. Host your own online networking event.
Virtual events are a cheap and easy way to network online with other professionals, share your expertise and build up your authority. You can even sell tickets or charge for access to an online event. It’s a great way to bring in new business if you’re looking for something more than just connecting with other people.
Here are some tips on how to host an effective virtual online networking event:
- Plan your event well in advance.
- Choose a good date that works for most people.
- Be clear about what the event is about, who it’s for, and why people should attend.
- Check out the competition.
- Create a schedule with relevant content.
- Allow participants to engage during the event through polls or Q&As.
Make sure it has an agenda and theme so that participants know what they’re going to get out of it before they buy tickets or register their names on the signup form.
For example, if you want people who will be interested in marketing data analytics gear for small businesses then focus on this topic during the event itself rather than trying everything under the sun—even though those other topics may be interesting too! It’s important not only from a logistics perspective but also from keeping people engaged so that they don’t feel like they’ve wasted their time (and money)!
7. Write content on your area of expertise.
In order to get noticed online, you need to be where people are looking for information. Try writing a blog post or guest posting on someone else’s blog.
Guest blogging is a great way to reach out to prospective clients and get your name out there. It’s also an opportunity for you to build relationships with other bloggers in your niche—which can lead to collaboration opportunities down the road!
Share something you’ve written with your network once a week. Each week, choose one or two articles that can help you connect with someone new. You’ll also find that people will share your work and might refer clients to you as well. Try writing in-depth how-to guides too, since these are always popular and tend to get shared (Yes, just like this one).
You can also create YouTube videos and make them public so others can find them.
This is an excellent way to promote your business, especially if you’re in a niche market. If you’re a realtor, for example, you could create tutorials on how to choose the right house or how to get a mortgage. If you’re an artist, you could make videos about painting techniques or how to use different types of paintbrushes.
If you have experience in other areas that might be useful for people who are interested in your type of products or services, consider creating content about those topics as well. You might also want to create videos that explain how your product works or show people how it’s used.
This is a great way to expand your network and build up your business online.
8. Run a free webinar on an important topic for your audience.
Running your own webinar is another great way to grow your network online and enhance your outreach. The best way to keep people engaged is to make sure you’re giving them something of value in return for their time.
Offer something that will help them immediately. For example, if you’re speaking about how to get more sales from lead generation campaigns, give away a free template for creating a lead generation campaign that has worked for you in the past.
If you offer something that’s too difficult or complicated for people to implement on their own, they’ll lose interest quickly and move on to something else.
You can use the platform to host a free webinar on an important topic for your audience or you can charge people to attend the webinar. You can also do a live Q&A session by using the platform.
The best part of running online webinars is that you can reach out to people who cannot attend in person because of their location or other reasons. So, if you want more people to join your business, then this is one of the best ways to do so!
The best webinar platforms for networking growth are:
- Instagram Live
- Zoom
- AltspaceVR
- Discord
9. Collaborate with other topic leaders through the webinar.
Collaborating with other topic leaders is a great way to build your network, build your credibility and get valuable information from the people you meet. It can be done in multiple ways, but we recommend starting with people who are already in your network.
If you’re just starting out on the webinar platform, it’s likely that you don’t have many contacts yet. That’s okay! We’ve got some tips for you to help you grow your network quickly.
- Find people you respect in your network
- Have an idea for a webinar ready to pitch
- Research other webinars in the same field
- Plan an outline
- Create your content
- Have a clear idea of the goal of your webinar
- Do you want to sell a product or service?
- Do you want to find partners?
- Do you want to grow your network community?
- Schedule your event at least 3 weeks ahead of your webinar to give yourself enough time to grow your attendees’ list.
This will help you get started and give you an idea of how it works before working with someone who isn’t familiar with your business or industry.
10. Speak at a virtual conference.
If you’re like me, then you probably want to talk about your favorite topic in front of an audience.
But maybe you’re not sure how to do it. Maybe you don’t have the right equipment or connections. Or maybe you don’t feel like you’re qualified enough to speak publicly.
Well, I’ve got good news for you: You don’t have to be an expert to speak at a virtual conference! All you need is a topic that people will find interesting and a little bit of confidence in yourself.
Sure, I’m not an expert either—I just started speaking at conferences recently. But now that I know how easy it is, I can’t stop! And neither should you!
How do you find virtual events?
There are tons of websites that list all sorts of different types of conferences, including meetups for people who want to learn more about cryptocurrency and blockchain technology, and Metaverse; panels that explore issues affecting society today like diversity and inclusion; hackathons where programmers can collaborate on software projects; even “unconferences” where attendees come together without any preconceived agenda other than coming together over their shared interests.
If this sounds interesting but overwhelming, don’t worry! All it takes is some research into what types of events might be right for you—and then simply submitting proposals when appropriate ones come up online (or asking if there’s another way).
For example: If someone needs speakers for his/her event next week then he/she might look through the list provided by Eventbrite which includes topics such as Women in Tech Innovation Panel Discussion.
Keep in mind that not everyone wants to go networking online. If you’re passionate about your topic, you might want to start by being part of a Discord channel or Facebook group. You can also get involved with local groups and attend conferences where you may meet potential connections in person.
Having said that, there is no way to grow your network faster than by participating online and in virtual events. If you are a small business owner, there is no way to get more exposure for your business than by participating in networking events. The reason why this is such a great idea is that you will be able to meet new people, share your ideas and learn from others who are doing the same thing as you.
We hope to see you at our virtual reality networking events! To attend an event on AltspaceVR check out the instructions by subscribing to our newsletter here. To get a full breakdown of our upcoming VR Networking events, check out our events calendar here.
