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You've probably heard how important networking is for your professional career. That word probably makes you think of crowded conferences, awkward meetings over coffee, and "optional" work events. Thankfully, it's 2024, and we have better options now. You're a digital professional, and your networking methods should match.
What is online networking? It's building professional relationships using online platforms. In the past, networking happened by meeting people in person. The first digital platforms were email and forums. Today we have dozens of options.
Networking is important because it builds connections that help your career. The digital age makes it easier than ever to connect with people. You can build relationships with others sharing your interests anywhere in the world.
The way you communicate and share content online is your digital presence. Your personal brand is part of this. It's a full, cohesive picture of you. You want to be easily recognized across platforms.
How you build your online presence depends on your industry. Some professions lean more formal while others are more casual. The tone of your content should generally match this. You can experiment with creative ways to stand out, but if you're too far from the standard people might be turned off.
You can decide how in-depth your personal brand will be. Do you need a logo or is a professional headshot more appropriate? Do you want a color scheme to use across your platforms? Are you interested in making these things yourself, or should you hire someone?
Again, this depends on your industry. In some, it might look weird not having one. Besides that, consider if you need a singular home for all your professional content. Social media is a great tool, but it scatters your content. A website could be a one-stop shop for people interested in you. If you have a professional portfolio, a website is an easy way to share it.
There are dozens of different social media platforms. They all have unique benefits and downsides. You don't need to be on all of them; stick with the ones common to your industry and that you feel comfortable using. Here are a few of the most popular social media sites with some tips on using them.
LinkedIn was built specifically for networking online. The user profiles are set up like resumes. Users can create and share content, apply for jobs, and get recommendations for new connections. The overall tone is professional and formal.
X (formerly Twitter) is a microblogging site. Users create and share short text posts. It's a fast-paced site where you can follow events and conversations in real-time. You can see trends and follow specific topics with hashtags.
Facebook lets you connect with friends, family, and communities. For networking online, though, Groups are the most important piece. They're community pages dedicated to specific topics. Joining them lets you connect with users that share your interests. They can be great for both marketing and networking.
Instagram is a photo and video-sharing site. It's particularly suited to visual-based industries like art. It uses hashtags similar to Twitter. Posting aesthetically pleasing images is a great way to get people's attention.
It's hard to build deep relationships online. It's too easy to add someone on social media and then forget about them. However, the connections you make while networking online should be genuine. Most people can tell if you're just chatting them up because you need something, and they won't like it. Instead, you want to build meaningful relationships.
Seasoned networkers say you should develop professional relationships before you need them. Ideally, you'll connect with people early in your career, establish yourself as a useful contact, and then have a trove of people to ask for help when you need it. If you're frantically scrambling for a job or contacts and trying to introduce yourself, it won't seem authentic and you won't have much luck.
True relationships are two-way streets. Instead of collecting a list of names for future use, you should offer your peers something in return. This could be almost anything. Everyone has unique ideas and perspectives to share. It depends on your industry, skills, passions, and personality.
Networking online never ends. You'll hopefully cultivate relationships your whole career. You can never have too many connections. As you grow professionally, you'll need different types of contacts. Think of it as an ongoing process rather than a singular task at the beginning of your career.
Make sure that you're active in your current relationships. Like and comment on their posts, share content they created, and message them occasionally. You'll continue to strengthen that connection while promoting them. Hopefully, they'll do the same for you. Some sites, like LinkedIn, let you endorse or recommend people to others if you're familiar with their work.
Building professional relationships is slightly similar to building friendships. Remember, though, that some things you share with your friends aren't appropriate for your work peers. It's easy to post about your wild weekend without considering who will read it. Before you post or send something, imagine saying it at a professional conference or to your boss.
Virtual events became popular in the late 2000s. As the Internet and technology grew, virtual events gradually gained a foothold. Then 2020 happened. In-person events were suddenly not an option anymore. Companies already using virtual technology leaned into it more, and ones that had never used it tried to learn very quickly.
Holding events virtually makes them more affordable and accessible. It comes with some challenges, though. These tips will help you get the most out of them.
Networking online, like anything else, has its downsides. Some of them come from the fact that technology has developed so quickly. There are still bugs in lots of systems, and some people struggle to learn new tech. Some challenges have always been inherent in networking.
This is one of the most common struggles with networking. Whether you're introverted, shy, socially anxious, or otherwise don't deal well in social situations, it can feel like too big a hurdle to overcome. Fortunately, there are some things that can help.
It can be hard to make genuine connections without face-to-face conversations. On the other hand, it's very easy to friend someone on social media and then ignore them.
Text-based miscommunications are notorious for a reason. You can't convey tone through words on a screen, so your joke might not come across as one. Some misunderstandings are inevitable, but you can help reduce them.
Your technology will almost always go wrong at the worst possible moment. It's been an ongoing joke as long as computers have been in the workplace.
There's so much more to learn about networking in the modern age. This guide should give you a good starting place. Digital professionals can learn more here.
