Make Friends Online: Connect & Build Relationships

Several of my online friends are fellow introverts, so they absolutely understand where I’m coming from. I’ve never gotten any pushback, and my friends regularly say they appreciate my checking in to let them know what’s happening with me. Inside, you’ll find conversation starters and fun activities to try with friends or even on your own. You can take it at your own pace – there’s no rush to do everything all at once. In other words, keep it casual for as long as the other person needs it to be.

Look for activities or organizations that align with your interests, such as book clubs, sports teams, or hobby groups. Shared interests provide a natural starting point for conversations and connections, making it easier to bond with others. Opportunities to make friends are everywhere, but you have to be open to recognizing and seizing them. Whether it’s a casual chat with a coworker, a friendly exchange at a coffee shop, or joining a community group, being open increases your chances of meeting like-minded people. The willingness to step out of your comfort zone can lead to unexpected and rewarding connections. The ultimate lesson to learn when you’re making friends online is that they don’t always last forever.

This article will give you insights to help you sharpen your skills for making online friendships. The Favorites by Layne Fargo (out January 14)Fans of Taylor Jenkins Reid will love this dramatic, sexy sports drama with a modern-day nod to Wuthering Heights. (It even has Jodi Picoult’s stamp of approval!) Ice skater Katarina Shaw always knew she was destined for the Olympics, even without the financial or familial support to do so. Before you say, “I’d never fall for someone trying to steal my financial information,” think again. Professional scammers are skilled and know every trick in the book.

These interactions can expand your worldview and help you develop friendships that are dynamic and full of growth. Reaching out might feel intimidating at first, but most people appreciate the effort. Even if the other person can’t join, they’ll likely remember your kindness and may reciprocate in the future. For example, you might invite a coworker to lunch or ask a neighbor to join you for a walk.

Day 2: Share Happiness

Multiplayer online video games are perfect for shoving random people together and seeing if you mesh. Get a headset so you can chat and see where the conversation takes you. One often overlooked way to make friends online is just by being more active on social media. If you follow a chef, for example, because you like cooking, comment on their posts, ask questions or even just tell them how awesome you think their recipes are! People respond very well to positive feedback, and you can end up forming bonds with others who see your comments or even with the original poster themselves. If you want to try this, stick to smaller accounts with high engagement on their posts.

The meetup pitch may work in this case as both parties have dogs, but play it by ear each time, as each scenario is different. Chances are, you may need to nurture your budding relationship for significantly longer before proposing an IRL meet. When you send the first message to start a conversation with someone, explain what made you choose to connect. You can combine that with a nice compliment and a quick sentence about yourself to make for a connection request that’s quite hard to ignore. I often get messages from people wanting to start a conversation with me on LinkedIn, due to the fact that my profile is linked from many of my past writing work.

When problems come up in online friendships, deal with them well. Being open and solving problems together makes your bond stronger. Making real online friends takes time, effort, and a true wish to connect with others who like the same things as you.

Nearly 25% of Americans have moved cities in the last five years, often for education, work, or a simple change of scenery. Because we’re constantly moving, we’re often forced to leave our social circles behind. If a person is aware of your location and full name, one simple Google search can put you at risk. Having your full name and location may enable someone to locate your address and your workplace, which can lead to a host of IRL issues. A good way to keep a conversation going is to ask questions. Most people who want to engage in conversation will ask questions back if they are interested.

After that, you can start reading other people’s profiles to see if you have something in common. For example, if you’ve joined a forum, get involved in the discussions. If you use or plan to use multiple sites or meaningtalks apps, it can be a good idea to keep the same username across different networks.

Although most people have their phones on them, they don’t always have time to respond to messages. Try to avoid messaging multiple times in a row if you are not receiving a response. If you seem too eager and demanding for responses or ask to meet too quickly, they may end up pulling back. Go with the natural flow of the conversation and be patient. When you attend a traditional on-campus school, you will make friends in class, study halls, and at on-campus events.

By doing this, you’ll encourage compatible people to reach out to you. A reciprocal social media network promotes mutual friendship instead of allowing one person to have access to, or “follow,” the other person without requiring the other person to “follow” back. Some people might find this tactic a little soulless and formal, the same way that some couples deride the idea of scheduling sex. In a world where many of our connections are mediated through screens, it’s helpful to understand how some forms of technology can make you feel more socially fulfilled compared to others. Just as quality conversation connects people, so too does small talk or casual chit chat, like office banter with your coworkers.

A commonality could be anything from growing up in the same city to sharing the same passion for role-playing games. If you want to improve your social skills, self-confidence, and ability to connect with someone, you can take our 1-minute quiz. In a Facebook group, the main activity is usually to share pictures or content with the group. Make sure to engage regularly on those pieces of content, and leave a like and a comment or question.

This will give you a sign to know if there’s something worth growing with them. Then you can offer to meet for study groups or join already existing study groups. Use that information to make your conversations more interesting. Not everyone will say yes, but some people would love to meet up with someone like-minded.

Goodwall is an amazing platform built especially for high school students, college students, young professionals, and entrepreneurs. With a footprint in over 150 countries all over the world, we’ve recently passed the 1.5 million-member mark, meaning you can easily find friends online with similar interests and passions. Any more and we can guarantee you won’t be giving off the earnest vibes you think you’re sending.

Going to virtual events or meetups is a good way to meet people in person. By going to these events, you can safely meet your online friends in real life and maybe make deeper connections. You can also have discussions with people you meet within those groups and directly message them. Sometimes, when you have an internet crush on someone, you may feel pressure to project certain personality traits or interests on social media as a way to get their attention. It’s easy to make it look like you’re someone you’re not on social media, but this is especially not helpful if you’re trying to make friendships that last. Being your authentic self online will actually help you attract more people who are like you.

• Maybe it was something to do with you, but there’s just as high of a chance it wasn’t.
• Pay careful attention when building your profile to increase your chances of connecting with like-minded people.
• Remember to be true to yourself, positive, open-minded, and above all, embrace social media.

How To Make Friends Online

Twitter and Instagram are two examples of non-reciprocal social media networks. Both platforms allow a user to follow a person, but the person being followed may not necessarily follow back. This is great for allowing people to keep up with celebrities and political figures, but they might not be so useful for someone who is looking to develop meaningful friendships. The best friendships don’t rely on a specific tool, call length, or frequency—they come from showing up in ways that feel natural and meaningful for both people. The “best” communication method is the mix that lets you be consistent enough to build and maintain trust and emotional closeness. Occasionally, I’ve first met friends online before eventually connecting in person.

Learning how to make friends online can help you have long-lasting and emotionally secure friendships. Therefore, if you’re looking to form lasting friendships, it is advisable that you remain true to yourself. Being authentic is highly important because you will be able to attract people with similar interests, opinions and qualities.

When you’re trying to make friends online, it’s normal to ask if people want to meet up pretty quickly. But if you get a “no” or a “maybe,” take a step back and forget about meeting up for a while. At first, you can talk mostly about the game you’re playing. But after a while, once you’ve got to know your online gaming friends a bit better, you can start to ask more personal questions.