Social Media vs. Traditional Networking: Which Is More Effective? Over the years that the Internet has revolutionized the way people connect with each other, there have been some discussions over the social media as replacing traditional networking in building connections for business and other purposes. Others frown on social media as waste of time, while others consider traditional inperson networking as obsolete. Still others swear to have enjoyed the benefits that each of these two networking types has to offer. Let’s try to discuss the advantages and disadvantages of each networking type here. First let’s consider the cost factor. Social media, like Facebook and Twitter, are basically free, other than the need to have a computer and an Internet connection. There are social media services that require fees for additional features, but these are optional and you can still attain your objectives without them. Traditional in-person networking gatherings may also be free or require an entrance fee. But you have to spend in getting to the event venue, like budget for gas, toll fees, parking fees, etc. Other in-person also asks for a little contribution for food and drinks. The second factor is reach. The reach of social media is global. With just a computer and an Internet connection, you are able to communicate with people from virtually anywhere in the world. This offers a huge amount of exposure to your products. But in-person networking offers a very important aspect in networking that the Internet cannot offer. It’s meeting people in person, face-to-face. It can be difficult sometimes to trust people whom you only met via the Internet, especially in business where financial transactions are involved. Fraudsters and scam artists also abound online. We are all familiar with various online crimes that have victimized countless number of people. Scam artists are also found in in-person networking, but you will meet the person in the flesh and be able to remember his face.
While there are people who prefer one networking over the other, there are individuals who get the most out of both types. They only need to pick the advantages of each type of networking and dismiss those that don’t help their businesses. In fact, some networking organizations are exactly doing this, taking advantage of traditional in-person networking and social media. One of these groups is the National Association of Professional Women, known by their initials NAPW. If you are a professional businessperson or a career woman, you can enjoy the benefits of being in groups like NAPW.