Top 5 Apps for Networking in a Digital World

Can apps for networking replace the absence of in-person events to create professional connections? In a professional setting, colleagues, acquaintances, and new connections most often, and effectively, started and maintained a business relationship at physical conferences, events, and meeting for coffee. Since going virtual, many networking habits and sales dependent forums have halted. This has harmed companies and individuals seeking mentorship and career growth.

Luckily, there are apps for networking that can enhance this experience and connect the professional world regardless of geographical location or global health crises. Check out the top 5 apps for networking to grow your connections.

LinkedIn

When you think of apps for networking, you probably think of LinkedIn. LinkedIn is the “name brand” networking app for young professionals and successful executives alike. It has become its own social media platform with the need to spread influence and understand the LinkedIn algorithm to grow your network with enticing content, genuine connections and tangible value.

College students are encouraged to join and build connections with anyone and everyone they meet. It is a tool for networking as well as selling. LinkedIn’s expansion of their Sales Navigator tool has propelled them into another space. The app designed for networking pivoted to be a sales prospecting tool in addition to the trusted relationship builder.

Despite their added features to enter the sales space, LinkedIn is still one of the top apps for networking. Respected entrepreneurs and executives are influencers on the platform sharing business tips, motivation, and a peek into the lifestyle of successful business men and women.

Covve

Covve is a contact management app that helps automate the daunting task of maintaining connections and nurturing relationships. Amongst your busy schedule of performing your roles and responsibilities at work, now you have to make time to follow up with acquaintances and warm relationships. Fortunately, Covve was designed to take the pressure off your plate.

As one of the top apps for networking, Covve is focused on your contacts. These are the connections you are closest to, as opposed to someone you clicked “Connect” with on LinkedIn out of the blue. Covve’s features allow you to scan and digitize business cards to add professionals to your contacts. Based on your contacts, you will receive notifications if someone is mentioned in an article or in the news. This provides great context for your next communication and relevancy for touching base with them again for a congratulatory message to build rapport. Covve also has smart reminders to keep you on top of your network. The app will notify you automatically when it’s time to reach out again and reschedules pending reminders on its own.

With privacy and security as their top priority, your contacts are safe within the Covve system. Using the most up to date platforms and servers complete with high-tech data encryption, your contacts and the personal information you store is safeguarded.

Shapr

Many apps for networking can seem like sleazy sales tactics. Shapr takes this concern out of the question by only allowing for mutual interest to connect two people. Based on your interests, goals and location, Shapr provides suggested professional connections in the Discover mode. In Search mode, you can explore the entire community and select criteria to narrow down profiles you want to see.

Employing a similar “swipe” feature to dating apps, Shapr is another one of the apps for networking that makes professional connecting feel personal. As your goals change, so will your matches. Shapr is meant to evolve with your career and desires. Whether you are searching for a mentor, friends or a new job, Shapr aims to simplify and personalize your journey.

Affinity

Affinity is a networking and prospecting tool that helps you visualize your network. The app eliminates manual data entry to save you time and increase productivity. Automating workflows, Affinity surfaces interactions of your entire team’s connections, logging historical communications and adjusting to new information in real time.

Another of apps for networking with smart reminders, Affinity has the end goal of helping you close deals. With their smart suggestions, you can leverage your extended network to gain introductions and establish communication pathways with your ideal target audience.

Relationships are our most powerful assets in the digital age. This app provides smarter meeting abilities with a management system to allow you to know who on your team has conversed with whom in your connections. You will always have the most up to date information for each meeting to be highly engaged.

Common Connect

Common Connect is helping you link up with people based on interest, career, and proximity. Virtual conferences can create a custom code for participants and attendees to use to connect with others at the same conference. Even though you may not be able to meet and interact with everyone who attended, you have the ability to find and connect with them afterwards, knowing that they also attended the conference.

Common Connect is one among the apps for networking looking to disrupt the way professionals connect by integrating more of a social aspect. This app gives you the ability to connect with missed opportunities in your day to day life who can add value to your network. As a user, you can connect with people based on real-time proximity, search by job title or industry, and strengthen connections.

Operating in a digital working environment should not hinder your growth or ability to find like-minded people. These top apps for networking prove that technology is the solution to our problem. Establish relationships now and build up to the return of in-person meetings.