Friendships make life worth living. Conversely, life can be tedious and unsatisfying without friends to bring joy and energy to it. But creating friendships is not always easy, especially if you are introverted or live with social anxiety. Luckily, social media and the internet have made it significantly easier to meet people and develop great friendships without leaving your home. Here are a few ways to expand your social circle through online means.
The article is developed in partnership with BetterHelp.
Join A Group Online
There are numerous social media groups dedicated to specific hobbies, interests, and activities. Therefore, if you want to meet people who have the same hobbies and interests as you, you might want to sign up with a social media group. You can interact with others online to discuss your interest in the topic but also meet offline to enjoy the hobby together.
Engage In Platforms And Sites You Like
If there is a certain website that you enjoy that has a social media or engagement feature, you should utilize it to meet like-minded people. This can include anything from commenting on your favorite blogs to interacting with others on your favorite social media platform.
Furthermore, you can utilize direct messaging features to develop connections with people you admire. If you saw a cool video or photo that someone posted, write a comment or message them to show how much you enjoyed it. If you saw a tweet or post that shared a fascinating insight, respond with a thoughtful comment.
Social media was designed for strangers online to meet and share their thoughts and lives. To fully utilize these amazing platforms, you have to engage with others on them instead of just lurking.
Try A Online Multiplayer Video Game
Many people make great friendships by playing online games together. Online video games are a multimillion-dollar industry, and there are numerous options to choose from. These days there is an online game for everyone, even people who don’t traditionally enjoy playing video games. Therefore, even if you don’t play games often, you may find one you enjoy and utilize to meet other people.
The most common type of game that people utilize to meet others is online role-playing games. For years, people have connected with others on massively multiplayer online role-playing games (MMORPGs) such as World of Warcraft. However, if this isn’t something you are interested in, many modern games have online features that allow you to connect with other players worldwide.
Use A Friendship/Dating App
Everyone knows there are a plethora of dating apps to find potential partners. But did you know there are apps to help you find more friends as well? Just as with dating apps, you can use friendship apps to connect with like-minded people to make new connections and friendships. Unlike some of the other features in this list, friendship apps can help you meet people in your area that you can connect with offline as well. Some great friendship apps to check out include BumbleBFF, Friender, and FriendMatch.
Be Selective
When pining for new friendships, it can be easy to just try everything or interact with anyone. However, this can lead to more trouble. First of all, if you join groups or platforms that are popular but you don’t particularly like, then you will be unhappy, and people will pick up that you are faking interest real quick.
Instead, be selective. Only engage in platforms and groups that you trust and enjoy. Don’t just participate in something because everyone else is. You want to meet people with whom you will truly connect and be able to share similar interests and hobbies. You won’t find these connections if you pretend to like something or just participate in a popular group that you have no interest in.
Be Kind
People respond better to kindness than harassment or trolling. Some people use the internet to hurt others, but this is certainly not a good way to socialize online. If you want to make friends and positive connections, you should be kind, encouraging, and thoughtful to those you interact with.
Furthermore, set healthy boundaries to prevent bullying or harassing behavior. Don’t engage with any harmful negativity, and block or remove people from your circle if they are threatening or harassing you in any way.
Bottom Line
The internet has revolutionized how we meet and connect with people. So it’s no surprise that many people meet their friends and social circles through social media or online groups. If you are looking to expand your social circle, but have limited offline means of doing so, then try interacting with others online. If you are looking for more information on how to develop friendships online, you can find more tips and advice here.