I asked a question on my Instagram about what people are most curious about when it comes to social media and one of the responses I got was “how to connect with people.” Now that I have a blog, I’d like to share my thoughts in long-form.

Working from and being at home all the time can feel very isolating. So today, I’d like to outline some ways that you can use social media for connection as opposed to living the stereotype that social media drives us apart.

1. Ask your friends to virtually hang out

The first time I did this I was scared. I thought I was being weird or that people wouldn’t want to hang out with me but when I finally got the confidence to ask my friend if we could have a virtual study session the response was “Yes! Of course!”

Even when the world is closed, there is still a world of opportunity to connect with the people that we already know and love. A lot of people are feeling incredibly isolated and would love an opportunity to connect. So just ask!

2. Intentional Scrolling

It’s so incredibly easy to just mindlessly scroll on Instagram or Facebook or any other social media for hours on end. Instead of that, take time with each post that catches your eye. Enjoy the photo for a moment and leave a comment about what you like about it or respond to the person’s caption. It might even make their day!

Curate your feed so that only what inspires you shows up while you scroll (more info on how to do this another day), instead of being bogged down by content that makes you feel down or pessimistic about the things going on around you. 

3. Be active on Instagram Stories

Instagram stories have a plethora of features from the question box, the poll, quiz, and slider.

Ask for people’s opinions on something you’ve been thinking about. It's how I got the idea for this blog post, after all!

Put out a conversation starter. You might find that you have a rich conversation waiting to happen in your Direct Messages.

4. Use Hashtags to Your Advantage

Like many things in this world, hashtags exist for a reason. They allow you to find people interested in the same things as you are. On Instagram, you can even “follow” hashtags to find new people who are interested in the same things as you!

Some hashtags I follow:

#plantmagic

#poetry

#solopreneur

5. Mastermind & Facebook Groups

If you’re working on a business and sometimes feel like the people you know “don’t really get it,” there is plenty of opportunities to connect with people in your industry through mastermind and Facebook groups. Or, if you just have a passion and want to connect with others with a similar passion, there are tons of Facebook groups on virtually every topic out there. 

Look up your industry, for example: “solopreneurs,” or “[your country here] writers”

Look up your passions, for example: “Crafting” 

You’ll find tons of groups with like-minded people. After you’ve joined, go ahead and comment on posts and connect with others in the group!

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Hopefully these tips help you out when you're feeling a little isolated! If you ever want to chat, my DM's are open: @arkwriting

Alexis Kelly is a content writer and editor who helps creative businesses establish and maintain their online presence and build community through blogging, email newsletters, and social media.