Thanks to the development of the internet and social media, the way we meet and network with people and companies has dramatically changed. While face-to-face meetings are still important, most people are able to find out who you are by a simple Google search, Facebook perusal, or LinkedIn profile check. Networking online is drastically different from what networking used to be. Today, meeting someone doesn’t matter as much as your representation of yourself on the internet. That’s why it’s important to follow these five ways to help you network properly in the modern era.
- Have a determined goal. Setting a networking goal allows you to have a determined number of steps in order to attain that goal. Whether your goal is to meet people at specific companies or within specific industries, you must understand how to connect with your audience in order to market yourself. This will help you establish and differentiate yourself.
- Build your online profile. To network properly, you need to get yourself noticed. To be noticed, you must have a strong online profile! You’ll want to make sure your web page is up to date, and that you are constantly updating and using Facebook, Tumblr, Twitter, and other online social media in order to extend your reach. Networking is about spreading the message of who you are and what you do. If you are wanting to build an online business profile, you should use LinkedIn to do so. If your story or networking goal is visual, use Instagram and Pinterest to share images, photos and pins.
- Get to blogging now. You should be blogging to build your network and your profile. In your blog, make sure that you are retaining the attention of your readers. You’ll want to keep your content short and concise. Make sure people can share your blog posts through social media, which will increase the chances of your blog becoming well-known. You want your blog to be noticed.
- Use keywords and links constantly. Once you’ve started generating content, you need to understand that keywords are extremely powerful in getting your site visited. This is the prime objective of SEO. Additionally, you’ll want to be utilizing the power of links. Make sure you do your keyword research and know what words you need to incorporate but don’t let your content overflow with SEO. As far as links are concerned, make sure you are linking to past submissions as well as links within your site.
- Share and connect through media and content. Building relationships online is a major part of networking. You will need to share, communicate, and connect with anyone or any company that you want to network with. This will nurture your relationship with them. Actions as simple as a retweet (RT) or mention in a #Follow Friday (#FF) list on Twitter, a “like” on Facebook or an endorsement on LinkedIn can signal your interest in connecting. You’ll want to make sure you’re using shareable content as well, so that you can promote yourself!
