People now lead two separate lives: offline and online. Numerous options are available when you are both physically and online visible to your social network. A single person, even one you hardly know, has the power to alter the course of your life or career.
Building a solid personal and professional network takes effort and dedication, which is challenging given how entire our lives are with jobs, family, and friends (and maybe even time for ourselves!). However, a little does help. Consistency and excellence are crucial.
Many people still don’t fully understand how online networking functions. They lack knowledge regarding what to accomplish or how to benefit from it. In truth, networking online isn’t all that different from networking outside, which you do as part of your regular activities:
An illustration of offline networking
Imagine you frequently encounter the same person walking the aisles at the grocery store. You run into each other at your favorite restaurants. You initially nod, grin, and continue on your merry way.
You quickly recognize the person’s face, body type, style, and gate. It gets harder to ignore the notion that, despite never having spoken, you almost know each other as they approach you and start to get ready for the engagement. You inevitably begin chit-chatting and exchanging opinions about food, recipes, or local events.
The path to a deeper connection is now open! That door is present whether or not you want to enter through it.
An illustration of online networking
Imagine that whenever you visit one of your favorite social media sites, the same user frequently posts links to fascinating articles, leaves thoughtful comments, and participates in online debates. You often run into one another online since you have similar interests in news and topics. You don’t pay much attention at first.
You soon begin to recognize the person’s name and appearance. From a distance, it’s simple to learn about them because of their internet presence, shares, and comments. It becomes apparent that you share a network, hobbies, and philosophical views. You start to feel you know them even though you’ve never spoken to them one-on-one before.
The path to a deeper connection is now open! Even if you never pursue the relationship, you still have them on your mind. They’ll be the first people you call or recommend if you or someone you know ever needs the kinds of goods, services, or abilities that person represents.
4 Pointers to Improve Your Online Networking
It should go without saying that you must engage in social interaction if you wish to expand your online network. Here are four suggestions to improve your online value and visibility:
- Understand your network: You should know the people you want to be in it. For instance, you should establish relationships with local ladies if you sell makeup locally. Or you should make contact with HR professionals if you sell HR technologies.
- Share and comment on pertinent articles: As you browse the Internet, keep an eye out for content that might interest your network. Share and comment on anything worthwhile you come across. This is how to accomplish that on LinkedIn. Across all social networks, the sharing and commenting procedures are essentially the same.
- Publish your articles: If you want to stand out and advance as a thought leader in your field, write your essays. Here are eight suggestions for creating quality blog posts.
- Produce and distribute additional forms of content: Blog posts are only the beginning of the road to thought leadership. More in-depth, informative content can genuinely make you stand out. Consider the following examples of content categories.
