The 8 Hidden Online Networking Opportunities

By Matthew Wilson, Founder of Under30CEO

The social media game has become a mass of people looking for opportunities to take their business to the next level.  Whether you are seeking fans, evangelists, clients, friends, followers, or readers there are a lot of undiscovered places outside of your normal social networks.  The more angles and opportunities you exploit to meet people, the stronger and more diverse your network will grow. Build your list using these hidden gems.

Blog Talk Radio: Give a listen to BlogTalkRadio and follow the shows in your niche.  When an interesting topic comes up, hop in the chatroom and see whats happening.  Introduce yourself to the hosts and get to know the people who are into the topic at hand.  These people have gone above and beyond just listening, they actually took the time to interact with the show.  This means they have a vested interest in the topic and could prove to be an excellent contact for you.  Take it one step further and call in live to your favorite shows.  Give your opinion or say something interesting and people will get to know you and your brand.

Hashtag Events: Weekly twitter talk shows like #smallbizchat or coversations such as #journchat are excellent opportunities to meet targeted people.  Monitor the airwaves by using http://search.twitter.com and get involved in the conversation.  Engaging with other Twitter users is the best way to grow your following, so check out the hashtags and go back and forth just as you would in a conversation at a real networking event.  These events happen weekly so you'll likely see the same people over and over, getting to know them better and earning their trust.

Blog Comments: Networking online is so powerful because you can find interesting people to talk to before you start your conversation.  Imagine being in a room full of people and saying "I'll go talk to this guy because I already know what he's talking about is interesting."  If people are leaving relevant comments on your favorite blog, check out what they are saying and decide if you'd like to chat with them.  Reply to their comments and they'll get to know you.  If they are hooked up to the Disqus comment system you can Tweet your comment to them, where they can follow you and keep in touch.  I've witnessed amazing business relationships happen in the comments at Under30CEO.com.

Search.Twitter.com: Looking for people who are interested in what you have to offer? See who's talking about it on Twitter.  Want to prospect people who care about diapers?  The easiest way to meet them is via search.twitter.  Follow them, engage with them, RT their good thoughts and check out the websites these people link up in their Twitter profile. Score bonus points by setting up a search on Tweetdeck and you get to monitor everything that's happening surrounding your keyword.

StumbleUpon Friends: Stumble isn't all about driving traffic.  Find an article that interests you and befriend the people who have thumbed it up.  If you write similar articles, chances are they will like it and drive traffic to your site or become readers.  The StumbleUpon social feature is easily forgotten; sending messages to people you find interesting also builds your repore with other stumblers.

TweetMeme: Want to find people who loved an article in your niche? Check out who Tweeted about it by clicking the TweetMeme icon on the blog. Follow these people on Twitter, check out what they are saying, engage with them, go see if they are bloggers themselves and drop a comment there.  Remember: making these types of valuable connections is all about the hustle!

Technorati: All bloggers are looking for love.  Get on Technorati and look up your industry in the blog directory.  Email the authors of interesting blogs, @reply them on Twitter and tell them how you found their blog.  Blog directories are a great way to find new voices and emerging leaders who are also looking to network.

Ustream: Sign up for a Ustream account and get to know the other Ustreamers viewing the show.  Again, the attendees may prove to be valuable resources as they are incredibly engaged in the show.  In addition, the hosts of the show appreciate the people who are in the chat and getting value out of it.  Ustream audiences are normally fairly small so you'll stand out in the crowd.  Make sure to leave your Twitter handle in the room and figure out how to stay in touch with your new connections.

About The Author: Matt Wilson is co-founder of Under30CEO and has recently launched Under30 Rock Star Business Series a 4 week bootcamp on Personal Branding, Internet Marketing, Social Media and Blogging.