Employment, school, kids, families and life, in general, make sure we don’t have a lot of time for a social life.
Many people also end up isolated simply because they had to move away from family and friends due to a change in jobs or schooling.
The virtual world can help with that.
It can open a door that will help people who are feeling alone and increase their integration into new social circles.
Using social media to chat online with others around the world online lets people build social circles and relationships through the medium.
Finding the best social chat services opens doors to new forms of social interaction.
Social Chat to Meet and Talk
Life is busy.
We pack more and more into 24 hours.
A decade ago, we would have called someone on the phone to chat, catch up or to set up a time to go out but that happens less and less and there is more pressure on our limited time.
A way to address this is with chat services.
You are able to talk with almost anyone immediately through the internet.
Send an SMS, use an instant message or slide into someone’s DM’s to talk.
Everyone in the virtual world is just a click away.
Chit Chat
If you are looking to meet and chat with people online then you need to find an app or two that you are comfortable with.
There are some great ones available.
This is a free app that works with almost all the current operating systems on devices.
It is owned by Facebook and has almost 450 million users.
It is easy to use and lets you work with photo, video or audio types of media.
You can also use a group chat when you want.
You can back your chats up to iCloud and save any media you have been sent.
It’s a great app to chat with people you meet.
Facebook Messenger
This is another free app owned by Facebook and is linked to Facebook itself.
It is usable on all current devices no matter what the operating system.
It has over 500 million users.
You get regular chat abilities with emojis along with picture and voice messaging and free wi-fi calls.
Easy to use and linked to one of the biggest social media platforms online.
Slack
A free app that also has tiered pricing.
It is an app used by many business teams and allows easy chatting ability.
It is smart looking and really easy to use.
It is bright and fun as well as adding lots of chat content such as gifs, PDFs, documents, videos and more.
They are all shared on various channels.
If you choose to chat in the premium tiers, you can do lots more than you can with the free version.
Snapchat
Snapchat is an interesting way to chat and meet others online and works on most current mobile devices.
While it is deemed to be an app for younger people, it is certainly usable for all.
It is a great way to communicate often through pictures reflecting everyday life.
You won’t get into long conversations on Snapchat, but you can certainly touch base and enjoy posted content by friends, businesses and new acquaintances.
The pictures, videos and chats disappear after 10 seconds so it’s a quick back and forth with pics and notes.
Cryptocat
If you are concerned about privacy, then this is the app for you.
It was created by Nadim Kobeissi and lets you have chats that are encrypted.
The chats can be one on one or with groups of people.
It is an easy interface and you do not need an account to use it.
You create a conversation name and you can chat away with people you meet.
It’s a great app for secure conversations.
While it is great on mobile devices, there is also a version that works well on various current browsers.
Kik
Kik is one of those apps that seems to be for teens but then you get the odd group of adults that will use it as well.
It offers good privacy as it won’t like to your phone contacts unless given permission.
You set up your account with a username and email, so you aren’t logged into your phone information.
It has its own browser to you can share videos, web pages, memes and whatever else you think those you are chatting with would be interested in.
It is usable on all current mobile devices other than Blackberry.
Google Hangout
This is an app also called GChat.
A very informal place to chat with people you meet at work and socially.
Great way to keep in touch with people or send a quick message to chat.
You are able to use stickers, pics, audio and group chats and calls.
Line
This app is used by more than just teens chatting.
It is used by various brands and celebrities as well.
It is popular because of its VoIP service meaning you can make calls using the internet along with being able to chat with people through messaging as well.
It also offers different games as an added bonus.
You can add people you meet by QR code or by shaking phones at the same time.
Line is certainly unique compared to a lot of services.
Meowchat
This is app is basically a pen pal app.
You can meet people through their location.
It is a great way to find new people around the world.
It actually offers some unique ways to meet others when you travel or want to simply chat with someone new.
You just zoom into a spot on the map and pick someone and then you can start chatting.
Signal
This app is a little less know but is still great for chatting with others.
The best thing about this chat app is its security and various options.
You can set time limits for your conversations to be active so you can have them disappear after the amount of time you set for them.
You can also be assured of encrypted security when you are chatting so hacking of any kind is not going to happen.
Signal will let you send pics, stickers while giving you a sense of security around chatting with others.
While many uses it for business chats, there are many who are socializing on it as well due to its high level of security and settings flexibility.
Camfrog
Camfrog is a great chat service that offers an easy to use the platform so you can talk to others from around the world.
It offers video chat so you can either talk with one person in a video chat room or with a group.
You do not need a webcam to use the app.
It works behind firewalls and on most wireless networks.
Camfrog offers a user directory so you can find and meet people then begin to chat.
It also uses Facebook messaging to make life online easier when you are looking to talk with others.
You need to download it to use it, but it is quick and easy to do and takes less than 15 minutes with a regular modem speed.
It’s a great platform that offers lots of flexibility and access to others who are also looking to chat and interact.
A good way to meet people from around the world.
Facebook Groups
These groups are fun, diverse and great for meeting people.
It’s a place for communication with a group of people who share some common interests and want to chat with others.
It may be a cause, issue or hobby and the group lets people from around the world talk about it, post pics and share other content that may relate to the group’s topic.
Facebook groups are simple to set up but there are also more than 6000 already available if you just want to join one.
These are not the same as Facebook pages so make sure you are joining the one that you want.
You need to be on Facebook to use groups and people can often see what ones you have joined.
Some Facebook groups are public with others being private or hidden.
You may have to request to join or be invited but there are many that will quickly add you.
Bumble
This is a very cool dating app that lets you meet and chat with people.
Bumble was created by the founder of Tinder and is growing in size and offerings.
There are constantly new updates to keep it at the forefront of the dating world.
Bumble is similar to Tinder in that you swipe to see profiles and possible matches in your vicinity, but it is up to the female to message first.
This is done to get women to feel safer and more empowered in the chat world.
Bumble takes some of the creepiness away that comes in other dating and chat apps where women can get hit with a ton of matches fast.
Matches on Bumble only hold for 24 hours so you need to be involved and watching or you will lose your chat opportunities unless you want to pay more to extend them.
Tastebuds
This is a really awesome chat service that lets you meet people through the music that you like.
Music tends to tell you about someone and gives you a similar thing to discuss and like.
It lets you meet people based on some great tunes and soundtracks.
Tastebuds lets you meet and connect with others who are deemed to be nearby to you through sharing your favorite music and songs.
This app is also working to connect their thousands of users offline as well at jam sessions, festivals, concerts and music gatherings small and large.
It is a great novel way to meet and chat around something that most people love and find meaning in.
Music.
So, whether you are a metalhead, rockers or into classic rock, you will find someone who matches your musical tastes and you chat with.
There may even be a chance to eventually meet up and enjoy a concert.
