How to Build Genuine Friendships on Social Media in a Digital-First World

Social media has revolutionized how we connect, but real friendships still need intention and effort. Here’s how to find authentic relationships online without losing your authenticity.

The internet has truly transformed the way people connect with each other. Nowadays, social media is the primary platform where people go to socialise and interact. While social media platforms have a lot to keep us more connected than ever, many people still feel isolated because of a lack of real friendships. To bridge this gap and make genuine friendships on social media, you need to make real efforts and be intentional with your engagement. Let us explore how we can make genuine friends on social platforms.

Choose the Right Social Platform

Being on the right social platform is the most important step before you start interacting with anyone on the internet. Different platforms foster different types of relationships, and you should be familiar with that.

• Facebook is great for casual socialising, hobbies, interest-based communities, and location-based bonding.
• Reddit allows you to have interest-based, in-depth discussions anonymously.
• Discord is often used by gamers and hustlers and offers real-time text and voice chat.
• X (formerly Twitter) focuses mostly on sharing ideas and thoughts and is considered a good platform for introverts who want to enjoy conversations over time.
• The Omegle app is a great platform to anonymously meet random strangers from around the world and have discussions.
• Instagram and TikTok are more visual, but they allow interaction through comments, DMs, and mutual interests.

You should choose at least two platforms that match your communication style and interests so that you can meet and make friends with other like-minded people on them.

Be Intentional with Your Engagement

Whenever you are interacting or engaging with others on social media, you should always be intentional with your engagement. Many people make the mistake of engaging without any context, and it often leads to nowhere. If you want genuine friendships, being intentional with your interactions is necessary, such as referencing something specific in a post, asking questions, and sharing relevant experiences. Being intentional with your engagement invites empathy and connections, and lays the foundation for potential long-lasting friendships.

Join Interest-Based Communities

Many times, true friendships grow and foster over shared interests. Joining interest-based communities, communities that align with your passions, can help you connect with like-minded people who hold the same interests as you and build friendships with them. You have different options to join interest-based communities, such as Facebook Groups, Subreddits, Discord servers, and hashtags on X, Instagram, and TikTok. Joining these communities will make it easier for you to have more natural conversations and deeper bonds.

Show Up Consistently

Friendships, whether they are online or offline, take time and require effort. You need to be visible and consistent to build lasting connections. For this, you need to interact and engage with others regularly, post updates that reflect your personality and invite engagement, and react to stories or comments with emojis and quick replies to stay on their radar. Over time, people will start to recognise you, feel comfortable with your presence, and start conversations themselves.

Start Private Conversations Naturally

After interacting in public spaces, it is okay to initiate private messages, but don’t make the mistake of rushing private messages or coming off as pushy. To start private conversations naturally, reference a shared conversation, offer some sort of value, and keep it casual and friendly. If they are interested, the conversation will flow in a natural way on its own.

Be Helpful and Supportive

Friendship grows and nourishes when both sides feel seen, heard, and supported. So be that person and help others, offer feedback on their work, celebrate their wins, and cheer them on. Being nice, showing empathy, and understanding others can create mutual trust and appreciation, which are the cornerstones of true friendships.

Respect Boundaries

Respecting the boundaries of others and not pushing limits is important because not everyone wants deep friendships online. Some people are there to relax, learn, scroll, and unwind. You should respect the boundaries of others, and if someone isn’t responsive, don’t double message or take anything personally; just move on because healthy online friendships cannot be forced.