Making friends online can seem daunting, but it's actually pretty easy. Just follow these steps and you'll be well on your way! First, find people who share your interests so that you'll have something to talk about right away. Then, get to know them better by talking with them online and in-person. As you get to know the person better, make sure to avoid common pitfalls that may derail the friendship. Also, keep yourself safe by not sharing personal information and by taking special precautions if you ever meet in person. One of the best ways to make friends on social media is to follow people who interest you. You can find people by searching for hashtags on social media, or by looking for people who comment on your posts. If you are really into fashion, for example, you can follow someone else who’s into fashion and frequently posts images of their outfits. Or if you are a fan of baking, you could follow someone who posts images of things they bake. This will not only help you make connections with people who share similar interests but it will also allow you to see what other people are doing in their lives. You may find that some of these people have been through similar experiences as yourself and can offer advice or support when needed! Leave positive comments on other people's posts. Saying nice things to people is a great way to get their attention and make yourself stand out from the crowd online. If you're involved with a special interest forum or group, make nice comments on other people's posts. Compliment them or ask them questions about their post. For example, if someone you follow on Instagram posts a picture of a new book they've just started reading, you might comment something like, "I've been wanting to read that! How do you like it so far?" If you want to get to know someone, you’re going to have to share a little about yourself. We all have skeletons in our closets, and if you want to make a friendship with someone, it’s important to build trust first. It’s important to share and allow yourself to be vulnerable because that’s how people form connections with each other. However, don’t overload the person with too much information on yourself at once! Start with the basics about yourself and save your deepest secrets and other more personal information about yourself for another time after you’ve gotten to know each other better. It's important to be safe when you're meeting up with people you meet online. That's why, if you decide to meet the person after getting to know them online and on voice chat, make sure that you tell someone about it. Tell them where you will be, who the person is, and when you will be back.