Some connections are purely online, which is to be expected. The surprise for me has been how online interactions can lead to in-person connections, often reaching a much wider audience than any one person could directly. Tweet-ups bring people together in real life who previously only knew each other online. Dating sites help people meet each other who never would otherwise. People find old friends (and sometimes romances) through Facebook. Organizations offering training or events can spread the word quickly to a large and more diverse audience. Initial meetings online can lead to meaningful in-person interaction.
A few examples:
Ryan Morgan is organizing a fund-raiser for a business hurt by the Grandview fire via Twitter.
Fuse Factory can quickly promote their training offerings, which are passed on from friend to friend.
People from high school that I haven’t seen or heard from in over twenty years are now friends on Facebook.