Networking is dead; Long live Digital Networking

Networking has been on the so-called chopping block for years. Why go to a speed-dating style networking event where you talk to 20 people in an hour and come away with a handful of business cards you may never look at again when you can find like-minded people in your industry through sites like LinkedIn? Despite the rise of social media and digital marketing, networking remains a mainstay in the professional and business worlds. But that doesn’t mean it’s the same as when even 10 years ago. 

With the growth of networking moving online to sites like LinkedIn, we’d like to think that traditional networking isn’t dead but has evolved into “digital networking.” Replace the coffee shops and happy hour mixers with in-app messages and email chains.

Here are the top benefits of digital networking: 

1. Keep up to date with old coworkers and mentors: If you’ve already worked with someone, you have a better idea of what kinds of projects they would make sense to work with in the future. It’s a lot easier to stay in touch professionally with previous coworkers through LinkedIn so you can follow them along their career paths as well. It makes it a lot easier than running through a Rolodex and having a phone conversation with everyone. 
2. Find new connections: Online data technology has expanded to networking as well. Social networking sites have made it easy to find people in similar industries, with similar interests, or even at the same company in other locations. With a few clicks, you can find people with jobs you’re interested in or reach out to recruiters in other industries. 
3. Extend your network: Following keywords like “digital marketing” and “female entrepreneurs,” I’ve connected with lots of interesting people that I would never have met without using LinkedIn. There are people here in Tampa Bay that are reaching out to other digital marketers and meeting in person after connecting online! People in all industries are doing this all over the world, using digital networking tools to connect in real life. If you aren’t one of them, time to join in on the abounding opportunities. 
4. Making moves: If you have a job that requires frequent travel or if you’re a digital nomad, it would be incredibly difficult to stay up-to-date with your network or follow up with people you met at an event from your last location without technology like social networks. Luckily, many professionals are on sites like LinkedIn and that makes it easy to follow up with a thank you email or to continue making plans to connect in the future. 

Whether you find more success in traditional networking or digital networking, the end goal of both is to find like-minded people with whom you can exchange information, services, or friendship. Sometimes it's simply a benefit to know someone else in your industry or to pick the brain of someone in the type of business you'd like to join yourself one day. If you're on LinkedIn or another networking site and haven't taken advantage of their tools to help you network, try it today! You might find a new mentor, colleague, or business lead that you weren't expecting.