I see others thriving in online communities, and I’m just here awkwardly liking posts

How do you guys make friends online? I find it hard to make them even offline.

I've seen people build meaningful connections, get referrals, find partners, and even land opportunities—just by making friends online, both here on GV and on Twitter.

Meanwhile, I struggle to maintain connections in the offline world—with ex-colleagues and classmates. But online, I see people actively supporting each other, collaborating, and growing together.

Long-distance online friendships? I don’t even fully understand how that works. How do you guys meet these people and stay connected over time?

I want to move beyond the usual ‘hi/hello’ on LinkedIn with strangers and actually build genuine friendships.

What’s the secret sauce? How do you turn a casual interaction into a real connection?

Do you follow up on DMs after engaging with someone’s posts?

How do you stay in touch without coming across as annoying?

And lastly, is it safe to share personal struggles with people you've never met in real life?