Relating to 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 international locations 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 stuffed with AI-generated posts and really noisy with self-promotional shouting.
Additionally, there have been modifications to the platform’s algorithm that prioritize advert income and sponsored content material, and it may be not possible to search out posts from the individuals you do wish to attain and work together with.
Fortunately, LinkedIn isn’t the one platform the place you may community and proceed to work together with individuals in your group and community in your {industry}.
Listed below are eight skilled networking alternate options to LinkedIn that can assist you hook up with alternatives:
Occasion & In-Individual Networking
1. Meetup
Screenshot from Meetup, October 2025With over 52 million members, Meetup is a social media platform that connects you to like-minded lovers in your individual local 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 gives 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 may take pleasure in a variety of social actions.
For those who don’t discover one which pursuits you or one which works along with your schedule, you may 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 international locations in 2024, targeted on larger-scale skilled gatherings and festivals alike.
You may attend and revel in immersive or digital reside 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 may meet fellow friends, speak store, and broaden your skilled circle.
Neighborhood & Group-Based mostly 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 is usually an amazing networking choice.
It’s commonplace to think about using Discord as an alternative choice to LinkedIn. In spite of everything, 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 reside co-working periods which can be centered on their area of interest, which is much extra personable than a plain DM.
The informal atmosphere additionally helps professionals calm down and work together higher than on formal job websites. Non-curated, genuine posts inside tight-knit communities on Discord can enhance 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 inner messaging instrument, it has been adopted as a networking platform that may be thought of as a LinkedIn different. There are nice communities for no matter your area of interest could also be, from startup founders to UX designers. For instance, information specialists can be part of Measure, a digital analytics group Slack group, or LocallyOptimistic, one other information group that shares their challenges working with information.
Learn the principles rigorously, 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 possible already utilizing Slack for work, so notifications in your cell phone and work gadget will be distracting. If you end up simply distracted by immediate messaging (IM) and cellular/desktop notifications, Slack may not be the best choice (although you may at all times 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 may create your individual Slack workspace and invite individuals to affix totally free.
5. Fb Teams
Screenshot from Fb, October 2025There are 3 billion month-to-month lively customers on Fb, which signifies that whereas it’s usually seen as a private social media platform, you’re greater than more likely to discover your skilled community on it.
Fb can function an amazing, much less formal different to LinkedIn, notably Fb teams, which stay well-liked for skilled networking. You may plug in associated key phrases on your curiosity or {industry} inside Fb, then click on on Teams and filter the outcomes in accordance with your location.
There are a number of teams that share knowledgeable recommendation, maintain conferences, or function a community for hiring freelancers. These teams cater to numerous points of digital advertising, from tactical information 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 subreddits, together with r/PPC for paid search and r/search engine marketing. These communities are fully free to affix and open to the general public.
You may reply to these in search of skilled opinion and construct up your karma and profile to earn curiosity in your model/companies.
Every of those has its personal goal, with a algorithm and mods in place to implement them, making certain they’re not scams. So, in the event you’re job searching, it’s greatest to seek for categorized boards comparable to r/RemoteJobs and r/forhire. You may reply to current 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 different, but it surely’s public, free, lively, and continues to be going robust with over 586 million estimated MAU. You may join with a broad viewers on it to change work-related concepts and ask for suggestions. It’s superb 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 will be actually supportive. You can even ask Grok, the free AI assistant constructed into the platform, to research real-time information and present tendencies, to summarize conversations or uncover related information.
SEOs and digital entrepreneurs can discover hashtag-driven communities, comparable to @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 Targeted Platform
8. AngelList
Screenshot from AngelList, October 2025For a extra startup-focused networking expertise, AngelList is a powerful different to LinkedIn. With over 13,000 lively startups on the platform, it was initially created for startup founders to lift funding, however has advanced right into a networking platform helpful to tech, advertising, and entrepreneurial professionals.
Members can create specialised profiles to focus on their abilities, apply for job listings, observe firms, take part in discussions with professionals of their discipline, and join with founders to share information and experience.
AngelList is like LinkedIn, however custom-fit to startup lovers and founders, so it’s extra possible that can assist you acquire startup-stage connections and alternatives quicker than in the event you had been to browse on LinkedIn.
Wrapping Up
Whereas LinkedIn continues to be the most important skilled networking web site on this planet, it’s not the one one you want. There are such a lot of alternate options to construct significant connections.
Many of those alternate options listed could also be extra useful than LinkedIn as a result of they deal with creating extra skilled connections based mostly 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 via a number of job boards on Reddit. The secret’s to satisfy your friends the place they’re, pitch your greatest work, and join round a shared aim.
Whether or not you favor an informal forum-style job posting or a high-energy reside occasion, these LinkedIn alternate options may help you develop your community and take the following step in your profession.
Extra Sources:
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) will 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 comparable to X (Twitter) present supportive environments the place new members are welcomed and inspired to contribute.
- Professionals can use hashtags to have interaction 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} tendencies.
What are some issues when selecting knowledgeable networking platform?
Selecting a networking platform appropriate on your skilled wants entails evaluating a number of components:
- Objective: Decide in the event you 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, usually 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: Take into account in the event you want informal social media interactions, structured networking websites, or {industry} boards for information change.
- Consumer Base: The dimensions and exercise stage of the group can tremendously impression 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 may help pinpoint the most effective networking platforms for reaching your skilled objectives.