How To Make Friends Online In 6 Easy Yet Actionable Steps

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Are you here to learn how to make friends online? We do so much stuff online and making friends online or meeting new people online is really no big deal. Like people won’t even look at you sideways when you tell them that you are doing this. It has just become normal.

But even though it has become normal does not mean that you know HOW to do it. There are many reasons why you may want to meet new people online. You could be an introvert, have social anxiety, moved somewhere new and have no one to hang out with, your old friends could have dumped you, you could have dumped them, OR you just may want to meet some new people. Either way, I have you covered and will teach you how to make friends online (not for dating) but actual friends for nonromantic type of purposes.

Also, if you are interested in other tips on how to make friends but in person then check out my video down below.

Are you ready, let’s get into it?

How To Make Friends Online ~  #1 Facebook groups

The first way on how to make friends online is through Facebook groups. Facebook groups are really in right now and they are a really good way to meet other people. The main reason being is because a Facebook group can be targeted toward topics you are interested in and they can also be private. Meaning that if you want to discuss something private then you can do so without having to worry that anyone can just come into the group and see your conversation.

In order to make friends online through a Facebook group, you need to find your tribe. There are Facebook groups for almost anything. If you are a mom, a single woman, a single mom, or if you are breathing you can probably find a Facebook group that you can join and relate to other people.

And it is ideal especially if you are going through something or want to communicate with like-minded people that are familiar with what you are going through. For example, if you are just going through a divorce and want to talk to other people who are going through the same thing then just join a divorce Facebook group.

A lot of times people just make online friends through the group and stay really good friends but just keep it online. Other times, people make friends in Facebook groups, and then they also see each other offline and become friends as well because they live in the same location.

If you want to make friends using a Facebook group then know what your goals are.   If you want to meet people in person, join a targeted Facebook group in your area or a large Facebook group and ask if there are any people near where you are that would be interested in meeting up.

How To Make Friends Online ~ To give you an example, I am going to list some of my favorite Facebook groups and why I have found it beneficial to meet friends.

• Millionaire Single Moms ~ This group is geared toward professional single moms. Conversations are geared toward business, single mom issues, moving up as a single mom, and even relationship issues. I joined this group because I am a professional single mom myself and wanted to connect with other purpose-driven single moms.

• JetSet Babe ~ This is a private Facebook group that is geared toward classy women who want to live a luxury lifestyle. I love this group because there are so many driven and like-minded women. And because this group is so big, I have actually connected with other women in person that live in my area.

• Dave Ramsey (Single Parents group and working moms group) ~ So he actually has a lot of groups. Groups for women and pretty much every other category. I am a part of these two groups for obvious reasons. And they offer mentorship. So if you want to be a mentor or get mentored then it is another awesome way to grow connections and make friends with other people.

• Christian Single Mama ~ I think this is self-explanatory. I am a Christian single mom and it can be hard to meet other Christian single moms so I joined this group. As I said before, making friends on Facebook groups really hinges on joining one that you want to be a part of.  

How To Make Friends Online ~ #2 Online Forums

The second way on how to make friends online is through online forums. Online forums are not what they use to be. They use to be a really popular way to make friends online. BUT there are still some online forums that are thriving. The key to online forums is that you have to regularly participate in order to be a part of the group and meet people.

The forums are normally open you do not want to use your real name if you are putting something personal out there. Online forums are good to just talk to other people online. About your problems, relationships, parenting, or even divorce. As many forums have targeted topics.

You can form meaningful relationships from just being in an online forum but it is typically a lot harder to meet people offline through a forum. If this is your goal then you should go to forums that are targeted to your specific location to increase the chances that you can meet offline as well.

How To Make Friends Online ~ Here are some of the online forums I am a part of.

• Lipstick Alley: Don’t judge me, this is mostly women coming together to talk about anybody and anything.  And they have every topic imaginable from fashion, relationships, religion, gossip, I MEAN EVERYTHING. And this forum is super active. The more you participate the bigger your “clout” is on the site.

• Pinky Promise: This forum was started by Heather Lindsey and it for Christian women. She does cover many topics through her forum but it is mostly Christ based. This is an online forum BUT they have local chapters where people meet up in person. This is a good options if you want to make friends online friend and then also develop an offline friendship.

How To Make Friends Online ~ Other forums include that I am not apart of

• Reddit: I am not a part of Reddit, but some people who participate regularly through Reddit swear by it. It is a forum in which you can talk to other people BUT I am not sure how intimate it can get in regards to making actual friends.

How To Make Friends Online ~ #3 Sites Geared Toward Making Friends

The sites that are geared toward making friends are online websites BUT they are really mostly geared to you actually meeting people in the real world and not just communicating online. This is a great option for those who are new to the area or if you are just looking for a new group of friends to hang out with.

How To Make Friends Online ~ Some of the sites that I recommend include

• Meet Up This is the easiest and obvious choice at the fact that you go on the site, enter your zip code, and find a group that you are interested in.  Each group has “meet-ups” posted and you can attend them in person.  Once again there is a meet-up for everything.  Whatever interest you have, even if it is a “looking at a candle in the dark fetish,” they probably have a meet-up for that.

• Friend Match ~ This can be your hub for making friends. Enter your location and then find someone to hang out with. If you really have problems with making friends, are shy, or do not know how to connect with other people. This site also offers tips and tricks on how to make friends.

How To Make Friends Online ~ #4 Social Media

And really not just any social media, I would recommend Instagram and/or Twitter because these platforms are really designed to help you connect with other people you don’t know. With Facebook (unless it is a group), people tend to be-friend people they already know.

With Instagram and Twitter, you can tweet, like, and comment on other people’s status and or pictures giving you a chance to meet people online. The more you do it with certain people the more you can actually form an online friendship with someone. You can check out my video down below for tips on how to slide into someone’s dms.

How To Make Friends Online ~ Quick tips to making friends through Instagram: (source)

• Be interactive, follow what they do, give their photo a like and a comment.

• Make sure you know you have something in common, whether that be travel or music or work.

• Send them a private message to connect, something light and friendly.

• If you live in close proximity or in the same city, arrange or suggest a group day out or brunch or lunch and invite the people that you would like to meet that you already follow on Instagram. Group things can be less daunting or worrying.

• People’s lives are busy and some people may not be up for making actual friendships via the internet so if they decline or ignore you, don’t worry too much.

Some tips for making friends through Twitter: (source)

• Get into other people’s conversations and reply with your (rationalized) opinions and thoughts

• Prioritize people who reply, have smaller follower counts, and are followed by people you follow

• Reach out to people via direct messages

How To Make Friends Online ~ Make Friends Online ~ #5 Gaming

So as an avid Xbox live player myself NEVER underestimate the bond you can have when you start playing online with someone new. Then they request to be your friend, and now you are like friends for life.  For some people not everyone. It is really easy to make friends through online platforms such as Xbox or PlayStation because many times when you are playing games online you are playing with other people, talking trash with one another, and having a good time.

So it is easy to connect with the same people on a constant basis simply because you like playing games with them. And just so that you can see how legit this is, you can check out a few stories of people who were gaming friends for YEARS. And then met in person, click here. 

How To Make Friends Online ~#6  Don’ts

Because I care about your personal safety and I do not want you to get taken advantage of. I am going to list some things and places to stay away from.

• Craigslist.  It just comes across as a little creepy to me.  There are sex traffickers on Craigslist and let’s not forget there was a serial killer on Craigslist.  So I would not even chance it.

• Creepy people who send creepy emails claiming to be royalty AND asking you to send them money.  This may seem like common sense but some people want to make a connection so bad that they are willing to believe anything.  When they see an email of a royal princess that can give them a million dollars if they only pay $10,000…..they do it. Don’t send anyone money, do not send anyone the keys to your house, or your car. None of that.

• Catfish. A catfish is a person who pretends to be someone else. You should really watch the actual series on MTV called catfish if you want to see how many people get sucked into this each year. When people want to become your friend online, make sure that they look real, they have several pictures.

Stay away from people and all their pictures look like models, or they only have one picture up of themselves. Because it is very likely that they are catfish. Even when you are making friends online, try to connect with real people. Not people who are online pretending to be someone else.  Also, check out my video below for tips on how to stay safe online.  And click here to subscribe to my channel.

These are all my tips for how to meet new people online and I really hoped that you enjoyed it.  If you know someone who may want to read this post then go ahead and share it with them.  Also, consider getting my book specifically for single women that will teach you more about how to put yourself out there.  Just click here.