No doubt everything has changed. The reality, virtuality, habits, but in ways we have yet to realize.

Inside.bar blog What COVID-19 means for online entertainment

COVID-19 has had a significant impact on the entertainment industry since the lockdown has forced people to try new hobbies, and you won't believe it, others have tried to rekindling old practices. Luckily, online entertainment platforms have experienced a surge in demand, but bottom line, the industry has experienced a shock in media consumption among people from different demographics. During such uncertain times, media planners and advertisers have been forced to leverage data and make wise decisions on the content to give users. Research conducted in April 2020, which was done in 14 countries, helped shed some light on what COVID-19 meant for online entertainment. Over 70% of internet users who participated in the survey, the youth being the majority, opted to self-isolate themselves and based on the collected data, you can get a clue on how people spend their time on online platforms when they are on lockdown.

## Social distancing has influenced group activities.

Based on the results of the research conducted in 2020, 54% of the respondents spent their time on social media platforms with their families, 68% spent time watching the news and 52% spend most of their time on online streaming platforms such as Netflix (Moon, S., 2020). Most of the millennials spend their time streaming movies while those who are above 25 years spend their time watching news coverage or on media platforms with their families.
 	
With social Distancing being the cornerstone of overcoming COVID-19, some online entertainment users have limited the streaming of music, and, they have opted to keep in touch with events taking place around the world. Most music fanatics prefer listening to music while they are commuting; over 50% of respondents avoid public transport, and as a result, this could have a negative effect on the streaming figures. In Italy alone, Spotify confirmed that there had been a decline in over 3 million online streamers compared to last year (Le, A., Pinkston, J., & Yelowitz, A., 2020). This is a familiar trend all over the world, and COVID-19 has caused an overlap between broadcast and online television. Over 60% of those who prefer watching TV also find themselves streaming for online content. It is estimated that the number of online users will increase with COVID-19 being central to all this.

## Increase in the Production of Online Material

It's unbelievable that film production companies have resorted to producing content remotely, and they currently distribute it through digital media outlets. The film industry has experienced lower ticket sales and footfalls in children's parks, event venues, and cinemas, and KPMG predicts that the film box office is heading for failure, this is so sad (Le, A., Pinkston, J., & Yelowitz, A., 2020). The encouraging part is that film production agencies have sought to expand their digital media production, and they have used social media platforms to air their content. 

## Users need ways to connect, but they rarely use phones.

It's sad, but most public gatherings have been banned, and online entertainment fanatics are looking for entertainment channels to stream, such as YouTube, Netflix while others have preferred to use social media platforms. Before the COVID-19 outbreak, users preferred using their smartphones for entertainment, but currently, they are confined to their homes with computers. It's evident that users have found smartphones to be unpleasant during this outbreak; some of the respondents citing that they dislike the tiny smartphone screens (Beaunoyer, E., Dupéré, S., & Guitton, M. J., 2020). Besides, YouTube, Netflix, and Facebook have experienced stagnation in the number of users who have downloaded their applications while other social media platforms have experienced a decline in the number of users.

## Video chats are the norm.

Luckily, most countries have encouraged citizens to observe social Distancing, and as such, online users across all demographics are on the lookout for ways to connect; most of them preferring video chatting (Beaunoyer, E., Dupéré, S., & Guitton, M. J., 2020). Everyone knows how online users prefer seeing each other when they communicate as opposed to texting. It has been a big boost to online applications such as Google Video Chat, House Party, and Duo, which brings together strangers and also enables them to play.

## Sports sites have lost popularity.

Sadly, most of the major leagues have been called off, and football fanatics don't have content to watch other than the Belarusian soccer and marble racing. ESPN users have been on the decline since the website doesn't have fresh content to post. On the brighter side, the website resorted to replaying old matches that some online users find disturbing. On the other hand, video game websites have experienced a surge in online traffic since they even allow gamers to watch each other as they play. Twitch has been a leading online gaming platform, and the website has experienced a 30% traffic boost since the lockdown (Donthu, N., & Gustafsson, A., 2020). Besides, the mobile application, TikTok, that airs lip-syncing and pranks has experienced a surge in the number of users since the COVID-19 outbreak

## Lockdown has forced some users to remain offline.

When the research took place, 30% of the respondents claimed that they don't leave their homes except in situations when they are forced to do so. The lockdown has affected customer behaviour in unprecedented ways, and the behaviour differs from customers who are not in quarantine. Online users who are under 20 years have made major strides, and they have moved from passive content consumption, and they currently create their own online content (Donthu, N., & Gustafsson, A., 2020). However, some people who are under quarantine have resorted to traditional entertainment methods such as watching the television and playing games. The trend is uncommon among older consumers since they have resorted to reading newspapers since the inception of the lockdown.

## The show must go on.

The COVID-19 pandemic has had a positive impact on the online entertainment industry since governments have forced people into lockdown. The pandemic has had a negative effect on offline entertainment since most events have been postponed or cancelled, and this affects people relying on art to make a living. It's sad to note that online users have been forced to do away with old lifestyles and embrace new habits since they are confined to their home space, but all in all, the  COVID-19 pandemic has benefited the online entertainment industry. 

What COVID-19 means for online entertainment

From a 56kb dial-in modem to live streaming, this is far more real than meeting face to face today. See for yourself.

Inside.bar The Future of Live Video Streaming Entertainment

# The Revolution Will Be Streamed

## The Entertainment Revolution Won’t Be Televised… It’ll Be on YouTube

We’ve experienced an entertainment revolution in the past twenty years. 

In 2000, we were just beginning to make the transition from VHS tapes to DVDs. Today, sales of Blu-Rays are dropping like a rock. 

Twenty years ago, you were lucky if you had a really good 56K modem. Now, the slowest broadband connections would smoke those dial-ups like they were standing still. 

Back then, video chatting or livestreaming still felt like something out of Back to the Future II. But in 2020, it’s such a daily part of our lives we barely even think about it.

We’re living at a time when we can talk to almost anyone in the world, live via Skype. We can watch livestreams of our favorite musicians playing concerts from their living rooms. YouTube gives us the ability to see every kind of video content you can imagine (and lot you can’t). And Netflix, Amazon, and other streaming services have made it possible to watch nearly any television show or movie ever made – without having to get up from the couch.

But the entertainment revolution isn’t over. In some ways, it’s just beginning.

## Livestreaming: The Next Frontier of Digital Entertainment

While live video has been around for a while, it’s only gained mainstream popularity in the past five years. According to a 2018 study1, global livestream viewing increased by 65% between 2017 and 2018. And a 2018 report from Nielsen2 found that 42% of the US population had livestreamed online content. That might not sound too impressive until you realize that one year prior, that number was only 25%.

Livestreaming and other forms of live video entertainment have quickly become the next frontier of digital entertainment. And the COVID-19 pandemic of 2020 has only sped up the shift.

With so many people stuck inside, it was inevitable that more online content would be consumed than ever before. But no one could have predicted the actual numbers. StreamElements and Arsenal.gg put together a report on the state of streaming up through April 20203. They found that the livestreaming sector grew 45% between March and April. And compared with last year, the industry has seen a 99% increase.

With those kinds of numbers, you can be sure that everyone with a wad of cash and a livestream idea will be crawling out of the woodwork, hoping to get a piece of the pie. We are facing a veritable avalanche of new live videos, services, products, and more.

But what will it look like?

If the past twenty years have utterly transformed the face of entertainment, what will the next twenty bring? And what role will live video entertainment play in it?

## Unleashing the Full Potential of Live Video

Before we get to the ‘what’ of our live video future, we ought to take a moment to reflect on the ‘how.’ Online video has only become as popular and widespread as it has because of advances in technology. Live video entertainment needs even greater broadband capabilities to thrive. After all, nobody wants to watch a livestream that’s lagging or makes the speaker look like a pixelated Picasso.

So, what are the technological advances coming down the pike that will make live video even more reliable and popular?

Higher Video Quality. As people have gotten used to HD video, anything less than 1080p feels like a letdown.  And one of the biggest challenges that live video entertainment faces is instability in quality and resolution. As internet speeds become faster and more consistent, it will be possible to maintain higher quality live videos. This will only increase the number of people looking for live content.

Lower Latency. Latency is the term used to describe the delay between the actual broadcast and when it reaches the screens of viewers. When it’s important for viewers to experience live content as it's happening, latency matters. As newer encoding and decoding tech is developed, and internet speeds continue to increase, we’ll likely see latency drop even further from where it is now. This will make live events easier and more natural. 

Real-Time Translations. In the late 90s and early 00s, many middle and high school Spanish students took advantage of Babel Fish’s translation services when homework time came. The results were not always A+ quality. 

Today’s translation software and services are becoming ever more accurate and robust. Soon, you’ll be able to watch a live stream featuring a speaker of any language in the world and get automated subtitles that don’t look like something from an 80s NES game.

Over the next few years, we’ll see live video continuing to get better. And this will lead to a whole host of live video entertainment options that have never been available before. What will that feature look like? Let’s look into the crystal ball and find out…

## The Future of Live Video Entertainment

The Continued Rise of Video Game Streaming
In 2011, Justin Kan and Emmett Shear launched Twitch, a livestreaming service that focused on video games. Since that time, it has exploded in popularity and ushered in an entirely new form of entertainment that fuses video games, pop culture, comedy, and more. Since the novel coronavirus hit in early 2020, traffic on Twitch has skyrocketed, averaging over 15 million viewers each day.

This growth shows absolutely no signs of slowing down. Several competitors to Twitch have popped up in the past few years, signaling that there is still an opportunity for growth. Sony and Microsoft both seem committed to this livestreaming future by making it an option right out of the box for their consoles. And with the games themselves being streamed to consoles now, it appears that video games is the beachhead of the live video revolution.

It will be interesting to see how it continues to grow and evolve in the years ahead.

## Live & Unplugged… From Your Favorite Musician’s Bedroom

COVID-19 has had a huge effect on nearly every part of our country, including the way we entertain ourselves. One of the most interesting (and coolest, if you ask us) ways that this has happened is with the rise of livestreamed concerts. But we’re not talking about concerts played in big stadiums or amphitheaters. Major artists as diverse as Dua Lipa and Brad Paisley have performed via livestream.

And since part of livestream’s appeal is the ability to communicate with the broadcaster during the event, artists have a chance to connect with their fans like never. Because of state and local lockdowns, many artists were forced to take this approach. But there’s a very good possibility that many of them will continue taking advantage of it after COVID-19 is nothing but a memory.

This could signal a major shift in the way we consume live music. Why spend $200 on a concert ticket when I can livestream my favorite band’s concert and talk to them during the show? Or, at the very least, why wouldn’t I take advantage of both?

## Meeting New People Digitally

We’ve already noted how COVID-19 has spurred several changes in the way we consume entertainment that were already taking place. One of the biggest is the rise in live video meetups.

When many states shut down their nonessential businesses, they forced those businesses to find alternative ways to get work done. For many people, this meant the rise of constant online meetings. Because of this, many people got used to spending time on Skype and other video calling software.

This situation has led to several savvy entrepreneurs developing novel ways to interact with others via live video. Online professional and hobby groups have started, giving members an opportunity to continue pursuing their goals with others, without breaking social distancing guidelines.

Virtual dating mixers started appearing here and there. And there was even a rise in so-called virtual bars. These were online video chat rooms where people could talk, get to know one another, and even begin developing deep relationships. And though the coronavirus has been the kick to get this ball rolling, there’s a good chance it won’t stop when the pandemic is finally under control.

Instead, we’ll likely see virtual bars and similar platforms playing an ever-larger role in our lives.

## Conclusion 

We’ve barely touched the tip of the iceberg. Live video entertainment will continue to make up more of the content we consume. And it won’t just be video game streamers, livestreamed concerts, and virtual bars. 

Imagine what a virtual comedy club would look like, with different up-and-coming comedians trying out routines and getting instant feedback. Or interactive cooking experiences where you can follow an expert chef and ask questions as you go. The live video entertainment possibilities are limitless.


The Future of Live Video Streaming Entertainment

Texting is so easy. It looks like communication, but it comes with a price.

Inside.bar blog Why are live conversations so much better than texting?

Nowadays more and more people believe that talking to other people is way much better than just texting to them. What is more, quality live conversations are more effective when it comes to building relationships or getting to know others. But why does face to face communication perform better in the long-term or even in short-term relationships? And most importantly, why should you choose it instead of texting? In this article, we collected some amazing benefits of live conversations and we want to share these insider tips with you. Caution! If you read this article, we guarantee that you will never want to get to know someone through texting again.

## Live conversations allow you to see the other person’s gestures and mimicry

It is already better than texting, right? Instead of emojis, gifs and misunderstood texts face to face communication allows you to see the other person’s reactions on what you are saying and on what you are doing at that exact moment. This is magnificent because with this you can avoid major misunderstandings and awkward moments that sometimes even end the relationship you try to build. 

What is more, gestures and mimicry are more important in relationships than you would think. According to researches, people who see the other one and communicate with each other in person (video calls also belong to this so-called in-person group) are more likely to trust each other than those who use texting and email for communication. Additionally, live conversations help people to get to know each other better and with this become friends or partners and maintain a long-term relationship. 

All of the above-mentioned information is extremely important to know if your goal is either to make friends or find your future life partner. 

Moreover, don’t forget that both gestures and mimicry are very important in our communication because with the help of these we are able to express ourselves in a different way. For instance, imagine that how would you know if someone likes you if you two were not seeing each other face to face and you weren’t able to see the other person’s smile or lovely gestures. 

Because all of these, we can confidently say that talking to people is better than texting and live conversations allow you to see and feel what the other one thinks.

## Live conversations help you to get to know other people’s real personality

Has it ever happened to you that you have been texting with someone for months and when you finally met, the person was totally different than you imagined? Unfortunately, we have already heard about lots of cases like this. What is more, there is even a TV show based on stories like this. Because of that, we can confidently say that texting isn’t the most effective way to build long-term relationships, but live conversations are perfect for this purpose.

Communicating face to face with someone allows you to get to know the real personality of the other person. In live communication, if you ask a question from someone, that one will probably answer to it immediately, because nobody is really thinking a lot about the answer they should say, they just express their true thoughts that come into their mind. Because of this, life communication is much more honest than texting where people can correct themselves a hundred times before they send a message or in some apps, they can correct themselves even after the message was sent.

What is more, some people are also very bad at communicating via text messages or emails. If you are one of these, live communication is perfect for you. With communication face to face with others, you don’t have to worry about what the other one will think after that one read your message because you will know his or her thoughts immediately on the spot. 

## In-person communication is faster than texting

This sentence above is might be surprising for you, but it’s true. Talking to people is better than texting and it is also faster. It has happened all of us that we were waiting for a message for hours, days or weeks and it has never arrived. Or the other person just forgot to text us back and because of this we missed and event or a special sale. All of this above-mentioned stuff can be annoying and they can cause frustration as well. In contrast, talking to people is a more honest and also a faster way. 

Why is it faster? The first and the most obvious thing is that you don’t have to wait for long minutes or hours until the other texts back. Secondly, if someone doesn’t like you, you can find it out immediately and you don’t have to waste your time on messages and texts and hoping that the other person likes you back.

Talking to people is better than texting because it gives you the opportunity to find the right person for yourself and avoid those whole aren’t really your types. 

Additionally, if you are talking to someone, all of the things that were mentioned in the previous paragraphs are true too. These are honest communication, gestures, and mimicry and getting to know the other person’s real personality. All of these will help you to find the right friend or life partner that you are looking for. In contrast, if you are just texting with others you will not be able to find out the other one’s real personality, honest opinion, and feelings until you see each other. 

# Talking to people is better than texting because it reduces the feeling of loneliness

According to researches, almost 50% of the popularity is suffering from loneliness these days. This number used to be smaller before the current situation, but not significantly. Why are so many people affected by this problem? It’s commonly known that nowadays we live in a fast-changing world and because of this, we don’t really have time for our relationships. What is more, if we have time for a little relaxation or holiday, we like to make these activities alone, because it is easier this way. Moreover, we don’t really meet our friends and family anymore, because in most cases we communicate them via texts. Sadly, we don’t realize that with this behavior we are getting more and more lonely that affects our everyday life, our health, and our relationships. Fortunately, we can solve all of the problems that were mentioned above, if we start focusing on face to face communications instead of texting. With this, we will be able to reduce the feeling of loneliness and isolation. 

Additionally, it is also interesting to know that even just watching someone’s face can be a happy experience, but if we want to make sure that our social skills are maintained and developed consciously we have to make live conversations from time to time. With this we can successfully reduce the feeling of loneliness, furthermore, we can make new friends and can also keep in touch with our most beloved already existing ones and with our family members.

All of these above-mentioned reasons proof successfully, that talking to people is better than texting.

# Face to face communication provides you with real-life experience and stimulates your brain

Without seeing each other’s faces we might feel that we don’t even talk to a living creature. That’s because face to face communication is amazing. It doesn’t matter if we meet the other person in a café or we talk with him or her through Skype or Hangouts that type of communication where we can see the other one’s face and hear the other person’s voice is more than valuable. 

What is more, during the last couple of decades people got used to in-person conversations, and because of this, our brain developed itself into that direction that it became even more and more appropriate for a face to face communication. It’s not a surprise that because of this, we should not allow ourselves to suffer from a lack of in-person communication. 

Having real conversations with people instead of just texting them provides us a real-life communication experience, develops our social skills, and helps to develop our brain too. What is more, if we choose this type of communication over emails and texting we can be sure that we won’t feel lonely, furthermore, we will be able to make friends any time and everywhere.

Takeaways
To sum up, what do we suggest for those who want to talk to people in-person instead of just texting to them? What is more, how can you make new friends or find your life partner easily? You don’t have to do anything but follow the next steps:
Be open and focus on in-person communication instead of texting or emailing.
Don’t allow to anyone or to any situation to limit your opportunities for live conversations.
If you don’t want to go out in a traditional way or the next bar is far away from you, don’t worry. There are many online bars that provide a real bar experience for you at your home. With this, you will be able to communicate face to face with people and have a bar-quality drink at the same time. Before you choose a bar like this, make sure that it has good quality and it provides anything that is necessary for a great experience.

Last but not least, we hope that with our article we could show you effectively why talking to people is better than texting. What is more, if you are interested in similar content like this, check our other blog posts as well.


Why are live conversations so much better than texting?

Everything you need to know to connect efficient with new people and make new friends!

Inside.bar Blog Make new friends in 5 minutes

For a lot of people, making friends is easy, but for the rest of us, it is something that puts us firmly out of our comfort zone. The good news is, that making friends can be learned behavior, and practice does indeed, make perfect. 

Will Smith's character in Hitch said "it is good to have a plan" and this is exactly what we are going to help you do with these tip tips that you can practice during your interactions at Inside.bar. 

## It pays to prepare

If you want to make a good impression and do well at something, preparation can go a long way. This applies to a new task, like joining a gym or going for a new job interview. Doing some preliminary research will make the whole event more successful.
The same applies to meeting people. Have some standard conversation starters prepared, so you don't have to battle to think of something on the spot. These are just openers that can offer you the opportunity to start a conversation. 
Contrary to popular belief, sending a simple message like hi, or hello is not very successful. 
Starting conversations with a little bit about you opens the door for a conversation to start. An example would be something like, "Hello, my name is John, I live in Barcelona in Spain and am an avid mountain biker, what about you?" 
By giving some information about yourself, it opens the other person to open up a bit about themselves. By responding with their name, location, and what they like to do, you have three conversation avenues to explore. Expanding the conversation and asking them for more information on what they have already volunteered with other open-ended questions, gets the conversation on the way. 

## Yes or No is not the way to go

The art of conversation is not to ask questions that may have a yes or no answer. This is too easy to shut down the conversation and leave you hanging. Asking your questions using the who, where, what, when, and how terms, can help you get better answers to your questions.  Examples would be "wow, mountain biking, how did you get into that? or Do you go mountain biking on your own or do you belong to a club?,  Whereabouts do you ride? What has been the prettiest place you have ever ridden?" you get the picture? 
By using these tips, you can have an endless conversation. 

## Avoid the interrogation

One of the biggest red flags to avoid is sounding like an interrogation. The questions should be spaced with some snippets about you and possibly even a story about an adventure. 
If you keep asking questions, you will run out of them in 5 minutes and not have anything else to say. Conversations are about a bit of give and take. Offering up some information about yourself will allow them to also get to know you. 

## It's a 2-way street

A conversation is also about offering up some interesting information about you. Great stories that could be relevant to the topic will show them that you are engaged in the conversation. It is about taking a journey with the other person and getting to know them, alongside getting them to know you. Being genuine is the best way to make long-lasting friends. If there are aspects of the conversation that come across as fake or far-fetched, will soon get them to move on to the next person. 

## It is good to listen

People do love to speak about themselves. So often we find people who are just wanting to vomit information about themselves, instead of taking it slow and allowing the other person to have space to speak or share their story without being interrupted. It is tough in an online world where you can't always pick up on tone or facial features and expressions, so you can be more definitive about these emotional cues to put the other person at ease. 

## For people to be interested, you need to be interesting 

You should never be the most boring person in the room. Brush up on a wide variety of topics, so you can have some opinion on them. You may not be the biggest football fan in the world, but a five minute read online can allow you to have some conversation on the topic. For example, if the person is European, they most likely have a favorite team, asking them about that is one way to get to know something more about them. You can ask them about their thoughts on players looking to transfer this season or how they like the team's coach and why? 

## Stay engaged

Nothing will stop a conversation in its tracks by someone not paying attention to the chat. It is like that irritating person irl, who is always looking over your shoulder at the door to see if anyone is interesting coming in or flitting from group to group without adding any value. This type of behavior is not conducive to making the other person feel valued. 
So take the time to focus on that one person and stay engaged with the conversation. When the time is up and you feel you want to move on, a simple "it was really great to chat with you, let us do this again sometime soon" will suffice.  There is no need to hedge your bets when it comes to a great conversation. 

## Don't leave them hanging

Nobody likes to be or feel rejected. If you are going to be away from your keyboard or cam, let the person know so they are not left waiting for a response that does not come. Ghosting on chats can leave the other person feeling worse than when they first logged on. If you are not feeling the conversation, rather be polite and end the chat so that you can both move on without the feeling of rejection. 

## Be Honest

It is difficult when you don't want to hurt someone's feelings, but it is often much better, to be honest with your intentions than try an cover up a reason for leaving or not coming back for a chat. 
The most interesting people can be found in the most unusual places. Often, older or shy people have the best stories, it is just about making them feel comfortable to share them. 

## Give people the time of day

Now, this does not mean telling them the time. It is about chatting to anyone and everyone. There are so many great people out there and sometimes first impressions are not always great. There have been so many people that land up being the best of friends, who met in the most unlikely ways. It is about opening up your horizons to meeting new people, sharing in their stories, and getting to know them for who they are, that we start to appreciate the differences in us all. 

## Practice makes permanent

Friendships and becoming a connoisseur conversationalist is not an end goal. Meeting people should be a constant practice, every day. Soon, you will discover that you can start and hold lasting conversations with people and leave the meeting with a sense of fulfilment.
If someone walks away and says, "what a great person that was, they are so interesting" then you have met your goal. 

## Now go out there and start to connect.

Make new friends in 5 minutes, Anytime

How would you meet people virtually in 2020? Here it is...

Inside.bar, the global virtual bar experience

## The #digitalage has opened the door to meeting new people across the globe without ever leaving your house through the use of social media. That is, until now.

But even social media itself can feel a bit like a one-way street; luckily there are other digital platforms actively replicating the nuances of meeting someone the good old-fashioned way… the bar.
Hmm… I’m intrigued. A virtual bar, you say?
Inside.bar recreates the bar-going experience in your own home through virtual video chat. In a world where networking and establishing social connections and online relationships mean everything, Inside.bar makes socializing easier without you breaking the bank or even putting on shoes. 

That's right, you can make new long-distance friends without ever having to leave your couch.

There are enough dating apps in the world, so Inside.bar isn’t the place to pick up your next hot date. Instead, patrons frequent the Inside.bar to meet other like-minded individuals in their industries or those who share similar hobbies or interests. To get you started, Inside.bar asks you to select your language and pin-point 3-5 interests that’ll help match you with other patrons. 

Inside.bar offers the best of both worlds to extroverts looking for an outlet to interact with others, and introverts practising putting themselves out there safely and comfortably. 

## How can I tell if these “new friends” are the #realdeal?
It’s normal to be sceptical about meeting new people online. Most of us were conditioned by our parents to never trust strangers (especially on the internet).

While there’s nothing wrong with a little healthy scepticism, more and more people are dipping their toes in the digital pond during the COVID-19 pandemic. According to Gartner, there was a shocking 93% increase in video and voice conversations on popular social networking and dating app Bumble during the tail-end of March. Right at the peak of the pandemic and everyone's self-quarantine. 

Perhaps a little unorthodox and uncomfortable for some at first, video chats and voice messages quickly became the new normal for internet users confined to their homes during the pandemic. 
How to get the most out of your virtual ‘hangout’
After a long day of work, it can be daunting to walk into a full bar filled with people you don’t know. You might assume everyone is paired off with their partner or group of friends. This can have you feeling low and second-guessing yourself. However, a digital bar means everyone is there on their terms, independent of their social circles, and open to meeting new people.

## So, how do you go about making a lasting impression on someone you just met from the internet? 
Ask about their ‘why’
When you share the same love for something, whether it be collecting certain items, volunteering, sports, or films, you will both undoubtedly have very interesting and personal reasons for how or why you got started loving it in the first place. This question alone calls upon a person’s passions and motivations, a topic that is sure to spark lively conversation. 
What are their future goals?
Now that you have some background on why they are passionate, you can ask what do they wish to accomplish in the long-run? Asking this question presents the opportunity for you to determine where you can fit into the equation. Perhaps you know someone else you could connect them to, or you have some advice you could pass down. Either way, this question opens up many doors for you two to help each other in accomplishing your goals and overall building trust.

## Would you like to stay in touch?
This is a super important question that surprisingly most people forget to ask at the end of their conversation. Don’t be bashful, if you think the connection was strong then offer to stay in touch through social media and arrange another video call soon. Never forget, people like to feel wanted. If you don’t put yourself out there, you could be missing out on a new long-distance friend!


## Will internet friends come and go?
To answer briefly, just because a connection is made online rather than in-person, it doesn’t mean the bond is considered any less than or weaker in comparison. According to a TechCrunch article, the internet has made longer relationships more feasible through consistency, convenience, and multi-way communication. 

The internet is a platform for those with similar hobbies and opinions to connect and communicate; much like a bar, sporting event, public concert, or other in-person events. The internet presents the same fundamentals to progressing relationships (if not more conveniently) than attempting to develop relationships off-line. New relationships make or break according to these key elements: consistency in communication, convenience (location and availability), and reciprocity. 

According to a 2016 study, research supports the idea that intimate online relationships can be similar to relationships made offline in terms of “meaning, intimacy, and stability.” Also, keeping in touch online has helped both types of relationships develop over time. After meeting someone new over video chat or messaging, extend your communication through engaging with each other via social media channels to cover all these bases when you're not video-chatting.

Reciprocate and validate your new connection with likes, comments, and general acknowledgement. Share funny memes, videos, or tweets with them to spark new conversations and continue to make an effort by staying consistent. The convenience of communicating on the internet has eradicated the need for local convenience. Essentially, you can be long-distance friends with anyone from any part of the world thanks to the internet!

## Staying consistent.
Now that you’re primed and ready to jump into the vast world of social networking in a virtual bar setting, just go for it! 

A common red-flag that most people are concerned with when meeting new people online is that it’s so easy to lie. Prove those people wrong by being your most authentic self and you’ll attract others who are being genuine also. 

It’s all about consistency when establishing new online relationships and it can be hard work. But in the digital age, expanding your social circle has never been simpler (and honestly, more fun).

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