Because of the internet, we live in a linked world. People may submit a message and receive an immediate response. As a result, conventional networking appears to have fallen out of favour. Nothing could be farther from the truth, though.
Social Media
Many individuals have long been wary of social media’s ability to influence their lives. 
They believe it is a source of diversion from real life and has a detrimental influence on how people communicate in person. Using social media, on the other hand, has a number of advantages. For starters, it facilitates the introduction of persons who may not otherwise meet.
People may exchange ideas and make new connections through social media. Platforms like Facebook . Twitter and LinkedIn, in addition to the potential time savings of networking, provide an extra benefit: keeping in touch with old pals.
Many people use social media to network with their peers and form connections. They communicate with others in a more casual fashion. However, building interactions on these platforms may be beneficial for people seeking for job, partnerships, or simply making new acquaintances.
Social Media for Business
Networking has changed dramatically as a result of the emergence of social media. For one thing, relying on business cards and meeting people at work is no longer essential. Instead, you may connect with professionals who share your interests or experiences using social networking sites like LinkedIn and Facebook. You can even meet individuals you wouldn’t have met otherwise by publishing updates about your career or hobbies.
Only 24% of internet users have ever used Facebook for business purposes, according to Pew Research. On the other hand, 47% of LinkedIn users say they use it for work.
It’s simple to understand why social networking has become ingrained in our daily lives—there are so many advantages!
However, it will never have the same impact as a face-to-face meeting. When two individuals can see each other, communication is at its best. People learn more about people in a few seconds of face-to-face contact than they could possibly learn through an entirely online interaction. Notice I said face-to-face, and not in person.
Challenges of Internet Networking
Another thing to keep in mind is that persons on the internet may not be who they claim to be. 
Consider how simple it is to develop an online presence. On the internet, anyone can be whomever they choose. That implies the relationships you create could be fake, which won’t help you when it comes to asking for aid. Networking entails interacting with people and a certain amount of give-and-take.
There is a space for online friendships. They can be an excellent place to start when it comes to the networking ladder of events. They may be a fantastic method to meet individuals you would never meet through traditional channels. However, as said, you must take the conversation further and attempt to organise a face-to-face encounter. Individuals may verify that the people you linked with are real by making contact with them. It’s for this reason that the statement “it’s great to put a face with the name” is frequently used.
Face-to-Face vs Virtual
If you don’t think in-person encounters are vital, consider how many friends you’ve made through internet relationships. It’ll very certainly be a modest amount, if not none at all. While you won’t make friends with everyone you meet in person, the number of people you’ll meet in person will almost certainly be more than the number of people you’ll meet online.
It’s unrealistic to expect to meet up with every person you meet online. Some folks live a long way away from you. People should not, however, see the internet as the only means of communicating with others. Zoom and Google Meets are wonderful ways to use the internet for networking. You can meet others who share your interests and go to meetups with them. If a meeting group does not yet exist on the website, you can establish one yourself.
Summary
The importance of networking in the corporate world cannot be overstated. Networking is essential whether you are just starting out in your career, seeking for job, or trying to get your business off the ground. Formal and informal networking are the two primary types of networking. Joining professional groups and attending events where you don’t know anybody are examples of formal networking. Informal networking entails forging connections with people outside of your company or sector that might lead to new career possibilities in the future.
Although certain approaches may perform better than others, there is no secret recipe for networking. Using in-person and face-to-face contacts are methods that should outperform a solely cyber one.