Networking online when colleagues cannot meet in person
Online networks give remotely working writers ways to connect with colleagues, participate in professional discussions and find clients.
Connections while working alone or travelling
For writers working fully remotely outside a company, online networking may sometimes be the only way to connect with people, work on projects and find clients. Announcing travel plans on social media can help arrange meetings: one travelling freelance writer's Facebook announcement of a two-week UK visit led to numerous meetings, including a prospective client one week and colleagues the next. She considered her professional social media presence essential to that travelling lifestyle.
A freelance writer who enjoyed solitary work nevertheless missed exchanging ideas with colleagues and invested more time in networking, finding both professional contacts and social interaction that often developed into friendships. She used LinkedIn to contact other professionals and keep up with the field. During the COVID-19 pandemic, social media groups, online meetings and online social events offered networking opportunities that could particularly benefit people with little time to socialise outside work.
Scheduled group discussions
In 2017, a Twitter chat was a group discussion held at a predetermined time on a specific topic, with participants finding each other through a designated hashtag. Chats typically had a host or moderator who encouraged interaction, usually lasted about an hour, and allowed participants to join or leave at any time. They offered learning and networking opportunities and could build advocacy, loyalty and community, potentially increasing social media exposure, brand awareness and business opportunities.
Weekly health-related chats in 2017 included:
- Healthcare Communications and Social Media (@HealthSocMed), using #hcsm.
- Diversity in Medicine and HealthCare (@DIMAH), using #DIMAH.
The FDA (@US_FDA), CDC (@CDCgov) and NIH (@NIH) also hosted chats during the year; following those organisations brought forthcoming chats into the follower's news feed.
Participants were advised to:
- Be polite and positive.
- Use Twitter handles when addressing a particular participant.
- Avoid selling products during the chat.
- Always use the chat hashtag.
- Follow up with people met in the chat.