How has Business Networking Changed in 2022?

Market shifts, supply shortages, enhanced restrictions, and the technological advancements that have accompanied them have made the last two years unlike anything else that has been encountered from a global business perspective. 

With all the changes that have taken place, chances are you’re no stranger to pivoting and adjusting - as you’ve rolled with the punches, you may not have yet realized the changes that have taken place in the overall networking sphere. So, let’s examine that question - how has business networking changed in 2022? 

The Elimination of Distance 

Traditionally, networking has been considered an integral part of business expansion - depending on who you asked, networking could take many forms but often would center around physically meeting with, or at least being in proximity to, useful business contacts or professionals in your same industry. 

More recently, public health concerns have altered the form that networking takes drastically. While in-person events are making a resurgence as people long to return to some sense of pre-pandemic normalcy, the fact is that the remote alternate connection methods which sprang up to supplement and replace in-person networking won’t be disappearing anytime soon. Vimeo recently published a study that supports this, indicating that virtual and hybrid networking opportunities shall be increasingly common. 

With this further emphasis on online networking, the business landscape is more connected than ever before. While not every industry experienced a drastic shift, you’d be hard-pressed to find individuals who didn’t adjust their operations in at least some way in response to the pandemic. In the real estate industry, certain processes such as walkthroughs were adjusted in accordance with shifts in restrictions. Brittney Jackson shares how her business adapted to the pandemic in this clip:

Growth opportunities are now more abundant, considering professionals and businesses can expand their partnerships through online communities that extend across the entire world instead of working only with those professionals who are close geographically.Remote work and international partnerships have been on the rise thanks to the observed changes. And, business tools have evolved in correlation with the increased focus that online networking has garnered. 

An Emphasis on the Right Tools 

Communication and networking technologies have experienced a boom with the migration to remote and online school and work solutions recently as well. Zoom, for example, experienced stupendous growth in the midst of global lockdowns and restrictions - while the rate of growth may have slowed recently, people’s interests in finding the right tools has maintained a constant incline. Companies, now more than ever, are encouraged to innovate legacy processes and operation methods to enhance digital networking and collaboration. 

While not every application that was launched during this virtual renaissance has managed to maintain relevance, the fact remains that people are excited to find the best way to interact and engage with each other as the new normal begins to fall into place. The right tools that are able to satisfy this user need can count on a dedicated user base, which may indicate a trend toward splintering user bases as people with different interests migrate to platforms that best suit their specific needs. 

Platform Satisfaction and Establishing New Communities 

Further supporting this theory is the fact that larger, more well known social and networking applications don’t necessarily perform well when it comes to user satisfaction. This may have to do with the fact that social media platforms have continued to emphasize ad-based content and limited communication capabilities for business owners. While traditional social media business pages are still necessary to allow for consumer marketing, networking for professional collaborators can be best accomplished on other platforms which emphasize true communication without limited networks. The SetSchedule platform allows for user empowerment and immediacy in communications - interested in scaling your business with other professionals who are as motivated as you are? Create your SetSchedule account today!