Online Networking at Virtual Conferences: Feature Usage and Relational vs. Structural Social Capital

Abstract

Nowadays, online networking takes place not only on Social Media Networks (SMNs) but also at virtual conferences - preliminary versions of a “metaverse”, recently introduced as the future of making social connections by Mark Zuckerberg. But how can individuals effectively network at virtual conferences and build relationships that go beyond LinkedIn connections? Networking refers to individuals’ strategic behavior to accumulate social capital (SC) – the number of relationships (structural) and the trust and reciprocity thereof (relational). Prior research has often neglected the relational dimension and virtual conferences as relevant settings for SC accumulation. In response, we combine prior insights from social capital theory, online and offline networking, and digital features and affordances to develop a theoretical framework of online networking at virtual conferences. To test and substantiate it, we conduct a longitudinal mixed-methods study based on digital trace and survey data of 74 participants at four sequential virtual conference events in the energy sector, complemented with 19 interviews and 120 hours of observations. We find that, visiting booths relates to increases in structural SC. Bi-lateral and multi-lateral webconferencing and direct messaging, instead, to increases in relational SC. Our qualitative insights substantiate the theorized mechanisms, shed light on discrepancies between framework and empirics and provide relevant contingency factors. With an empirically qualified framework of online networking at virtual conferences, we contribute to the literature by confirming the “theory of active feature utilization” for SC accumulation in the context of virtual conferences and extending it by (1) differentiating between structural and relational SC, (2) expanding the set of investigated features, and (3) introducing contingency factors. Thereby, we shed light on virtual conferences as relevant online networking phenomenon and provide practical insights for participants and organizers of virtual conferences.