In the case of thought management and nice alternatives, professionals are lacking out in the event that they’re not on LinkedIn. It’s the world’s largest skilled community with over 1.2 billion members in 200 nations and areas worldwide.
LinkedIn’s reputation rose following a major flip away from X (previously Twitter), and customers seemed for continuation with their established viewers and exiting community, however information feeds are actually filled with AI-generated posts and really noisy with self-promotional shouting.
Additionally, there have been adjustments to the platform’s algorithm that prioritize advert income and sponsored content material, and it may be unattainable to seek out posts from the individuals you do wish to attain and work together with.
Fortunately, LinkedIn isn’t the one platform the place you possibly can community and proceed to work together with individuals in your group and community in your {industry}.
Listed below are eight skilled networking options to LinkedIn that will help you hook up with alternatives:
Occasion & In-Individual Networking
1. Meetup
With over 52 million members, Meetup is a social media platform that connects you to like-minded fans in your individual area people, wherever it’s possible you’ll be situated. It’s a platform that encourages face-to-face conferences to type lasting, high-quality connections.
Whether or not you enroll as an organizer or a member, the platform supplies instruments that aid you create and talk scheduled Meetup occasions.
From internet hosting digital occasions about AI instruments as an organization to assembly fellow entrepreneurs and training public talking abilities, you possibly can get pleasure from a variety of social actions.
For those who don’t discover one which pursuits you or one which works together with your schedule, you possibly can set one up, and Meetup will notify anybody who has recognized your subject as one thing of curiosity to them.
2. Eventbrite Communities
Screenshot from Eventbrite, October 2025Much like Meetup, Eventbrite is a big networking platform, internet hosting 4.7 million complete occasions in 180 nations in 2024, targeted on larger-scale skilled gatherings and festivals alike.
You possibly can attend and luxuriate in immersive or digital stay experiences. It’s a seamless registration and sign-up course of, and very like attending a live performance, you purchase tickets to an occasion so you possibly can meet fellow friends, discuss store, and broaden your skilled circle.
Neighborhood & Group-Primarily based Networking
3. Discord
Screenshot from Discord, October 2025Whereas most individuals suppose Discord is proscribed to being a screen-sharing gaming communication platform (about 90% of customers play video games), it’s also an excellent networking possibility.
It’s common to think about using Discord as a substitute for LinkedIn. In any case, it’s a free voice, video, and textual content communication platform with over 200 million month-to-month lively customers (MAU).
Screenshot from Discord, October 2025Though it appears extra profitable for builders and gaming-related professionals to community on the platform, what units Discord aside is the real-time connections you may make, because of devoted areas, particularly Discord servers.
The platform makes collaboration a no brainer. Members can be part of a number of channels, voice rooms, and stay co-working periods which might be centered on their area of interest, which is way extra personable than a plain DM.
The informal setting additionally helps professionals loosen up and work together higher than on formal job websites. Non-curated, genuine posts inside tight-knit communities on Discord can increase your skilled networking higher than polished LinkedIn posts that get little to no consideration.
4. Slack Communities
Screenshot from Slack, October 2025Whereas Slack is greatest generally known as an organization’s inside messaging software, it has been adopted as a networking platform that may be thought-about as a LinkedIn various. There are nice communities for no matter your area of interest could also be, from startup founders to UX designers. For instance, knowledge specialists can be part of Measure, a digital analytics group Slack group, or LocallyOptimistic, one other knowledge group that shares their challenges working with knowledge.
Learn the principles fastidiously, as some Slack Chapters don’t permit mentions of your individual model/product, nor do they allow contacting for job alternatives.
The caveat is that you simply’re probably already utilizing Slack for work, so notifications in your cell phone and work gadget may be distracting. If you end up simply distracted by immediate messaging (IM) and cell/desktop notifications, Slack won’t be the most suitable choice (although you possibly can all the time modify notifications in your settings).
To seek out your related Slack group, merely seek for “[Your Topic] + Slack Neighborhood” in Google; this often turns up a number of choices. If it doesn’t exist but, you possibly can create your individual Slack workspace and invite individuals to hitch without cost.
5. Fb Teams
Screenshot from Fb, October 2025There are 3 billion month-to-month lively customers on Fb, which signifies that whereas it’s typically considered as a private social media platform, you’re greater than more likely to discover your skilled community on it.
Fb can function an excellent, much less formal various to LinkedIn, notably Fb teams, which stay common for skilled networking. You possibly can plug in associated key phrases in your curiosity or {industry} inside Fb, then click on on Teams and filter the outcomes in keeping with your location.
There are a number of teams that share skilled recommendation, maintain conferences, or function a community for hiring freelancers. These teams cater to numerous points of digital advertising and marketing, from tactical data to operating a digital company.
Open & Social Networking Platforms
6. Reddit
![Search for [digital marketing] on Reddit](https://www.searchenginejournal.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/10/screenshot-2025-10-08-at-8.36.15-pm-225.png)
Screenshot from Reddit, October 2025Reddit is gaining popularity and can be utilized for networking. With over 100,000 lively communities, Reddit boasts lots of of helpful advertising and marketing subreddits, together with r/PPC for paid search and r/search engine optimization. These communities are fully free to hitch and open to the general public.
You possibly can reply to these looking for skilled opinion and construct up your karma and profile to earn curiosity in your model/providers.
Every of those has its personal function, with a algorithm and mods in place to implement them, making certain they’re not scams. So, for those who’re job searching, it’s greatest to seek for categorized boards reminiscent of r/RemoteJobs and r/forhire. You possibly can reply to present posts or create your individual; merely join a free Reddit account to take part within the dialog.
7. X (previously Twitter) Threads
Screenshot from X (previously Twitter), October 2025Like Reddit, X (previously Twitter) isn’t a direct LinkedIn various, nevertheless it’s public, free, lively, and remains to be going robust with over 586 million estimated MAU. You possibly can join with a broad viewers on it to alternate work-related concepts and ask for suggestions. It’s ideally suited for digital entrepreneurs as a result of it’s a prime social media platform that simply attracts individuals throughout the tech {industry}.
The communities on the platform are public, free, lively, and may be actually supportive. You too can ask Grok, the free AI assistant constructed into the platform, to investigate real-time knowledge and present traits, to summarize conversations or uncover related knowledge.
SEOs and digital entrepreneurs can discover hashtag-driven communities, reminiscent of @SEOChat, #PPCchat, #FBadsChat, #SEOchat, #SEOtalk, #socialROI, and #contentwritingchat. Merely displaying up for related conversations can result in convention invites, podcast appearances, or doubtlessly job alternatives.
Startup & Profession Centered Platform
8. AngelList
Screenshot from AngelList, October 2025For a extra startup-focused networking expertise, AngelList is a robust various to LinkedIn. With over 13,000 lively startups on the platform, it was initially created for startup founders to lift funding, however has developed right into a networking platform helpful to tech, advertising and marketing, and entrepreneurial professionals.
Members can create specialised profiles to spotlight their abilities, apply for job listings, comply with firms, take part in discussions with professionals of their subject, and join with founders to share data and experience.
AngelList is like LinkedIn, however custom-fit to startup fans and founders, so it’s extra probably that will help you achieve startup-stage connections and alternatives quicker than for those who have been to browse on LinkedIn.
Wrapping Up
Whereas LinkedIn remains to be the most important skilled networking web site on the planet, it’s not the one one you want. There are such a lot of options to construct significant connections.
Many of those options listed could also be extra useful than LinkedIn as a result of they deal with creating extra skilled connections primarily based on group or area of interest pursuits, or supply location-based networking in a way more relaxed setting.
Professionals are branching out to different channels like Slack, the place they will foster real connections and or discover profession alternatives by means of a number of job boards on Reddit. The secret is to fulfill your friends the place they’re, pitch your greatest work, and join round a shared objective.
Whether or not you favor an off-the-cuff forum-style job posting or a high-energy stay occasion, these LinkedIn options might help you develop your community and take the following step in your profession.
Extra Assets:
Featured Picture: Master1305/Shutterstock
FAQ
Is on-line networking on social platforms like X (Twitter) as efficient as formal networking websites?
Social platforms like X (Twitter) may be remarkably efficient for skilled networking as a result of these communities are sometimes extra informal and approachable in nature. Listed below are a number of the advantages:
- They’re public and free, permitting unfettered entry to {industry} discussions.
- Communities reminiscent of X (Twitter) present supportive environments the place new members are welcomed and inspired to contribute.
- Professionals can use hashtags to interact in industry-specific conversations, share experience, or search recommendation.
- Many professionals have leveraged X (Twitter) for profession alternatives, together with talking occasions or shopper referrals.
X (Twitter) and comparable platforms supply a dynamic and interactive avenue for constructing skilled relationships and staying present with {industry} traits.
What are some issues when selecting knowledgeable networking platform?
Selecting a networking platform appropriate in your skilled wants includes evaluating a number of elements:
- Objective: Decide for those who want a platform for job looking out, {industry} networking, shopper outreach, or skilled improvement.
- Geographical Focus: Some platforms are higher for native networking (like Meetup), whereas others have a broader, typically international attain.
- Trade Relevance: Search for platforms internet hosting communities or boards that cater to your particular {industry} or area of interest.
- Format and Options: Contemplate for those who desire informal social media interactions, structured networking websites, or {industry} boards for data alternate.
- Person Base: The dimensions and exercise stage of the group can tremendously affect networking alternatives and useful resource availability.
- Price: There could be membership charges concerned, so assess if the potential advantages justify the bills.
Analyzing these points might help pinpoint one of the best networking platforms for attaining your skilled targets.
