The line between networking in the real world and the virtual world is fading - fast.

Awhile back I wrote an article looking at online networking groups who were taking it offline and I again have to marvel at how the lines have blurred between socializing online and offline.

This is especially true with microblogging tools like Twitter that allow for real-time updates from moboile devices. For example, half the time, people at conferences, events, or even out shopping socialize via whatever device they’re using to Twitter, Plurk or otherwise update people and talk to them about what’s going on.

This is what I mean when I say the line is fading - this simultaneous existence of real world and virtual world socializing is blurring the lines between socializing online and socializing offline.

A great many people are doing both at the same time!

Let’s take a hypothetical conference. You could be all alone at a conference but Twittering with all your friends about what’s going on, creating conversations, starting dialogues and generally socializing. At the same time, you connect with several people who are at the same conference whom you don’t know, you end up hooking up with them and talking about stuff you’re doing, they tell you about stuff they’re doing, and pretty soon you’re talking about collaborating on a project or doing a guestpost on their blog.

This is extended through sites like Meetup.com, Yelp and other social networking sites whose members are as tuned in and engaged to their online communities as they are to the real world.