TL;DR
- Most networking events aren’t visible on Google or Meetup.
- 76.9% of public Luma events, including 77.1% of networking events, are hidden from Luma’s own discover page.
- Hidden Events lists these public but unfeatured events in many cities.
- You can check if an event is hidden using the event checker tool.
- The share of hidden events varies a lot by city and category.
Most people searching for networking events on Google or Meetup miss a huge share of what’s out there. Luma powers many public events, but 76.9% aren’t shown on its discover page, and 77.1% of networking events are hidden. If you want the full picture, you need to look beyond search engines and the usual platforms.
How can you find networking events that Google and Meetup miss?
You can find hidden networking events by using tools that list public Luma events not shown on Luma’s discover page or indexed by Google. Hidden Events surfaces these events across many cities, letting you browse and search for opportunities others overlook.
Most Luma-powered networking events aren’t visible on Google, Meetup, or even the Luma discover page. Hidden Events tracks 3513 public events, including 1311 networking events. Of those, 2703 are hidden, not featured on Luma’s discover page. That means if you’re searching Google or Meetup, you’re missing 76.9% of Luma events, and an even larger share when it comes to networking.
To see all the Luma events we track, visit all the Luma events we track. You’ll find networking opportunities that are rarely listed in standard searches. And if you want to focus on a specific city, check out San Francisco networking events or NYC networking events.
Key takeaway: Searching Google or Meetup often means missing many networking events powered by Luma.
Why are so many networking events hidden?
A huge share of networking events are public but not featured on Luma’s discover page, so they’re invisible to Google and Meetup. 77.1% of networking events tracked by Hidden Events are hidden, compared to 76.9% of all events. These are still public, you just need the link or a tool that surfaces them.
This isn’t unique to networking: Startup events have the top hidden share at 83.5%. Crypto events are the lowest at 63.3%. But networking is a big category, making up 37.3% of all events, so missing these means missing a lot of opportunities.
To go deeper, see our guide to why luma events are hidden. For more networking events in your city, try Austin networking events or London networking events.
How does the hidden share differ between cities?
The hidden share of events varies by city, with New Delhi having the highest at 90.7% and Lisbon having the lowest at 55.3%. Your odds of finding hidden events depend on where you search.
Here’s a quick look at how hidden shares compare:
| City (ranking) | Hidden % |
|---|---|
| New Delhi | 90.7% |
| Lisbon | 55.3% |
If you’re in New Delhi, the odds are high that networking events you want aren’t visible on Google or Meetup. For a city-specific look, check San Francisco events or Toronto events.
Key takeaway: The hidden share of networking events is much higher in some cities than others.
How can you check if a networking event is hidden?
You can check if a networking event is hidden by pasting its Luma link into the event checker tool on Hidden Events. This free tool instantly tells you if the event is featured on Luma’s discover page or hidden.
This is especially useful if you find an event through a friend or private invite and want to know how public it really is. Try the event checker now. If you’re an organizer, you can get your calendar listed on the add-event page, and your events will show up in about ten minutes.
How do networking events compare to other categories for hidden share?
Networking events make up 37.3% of all Luma events tracked by Hidden Events. Their hidden share of 77.1% is higher than some categories but lower than Startup, at 83.5%.
Here’s how hidden shares stack up by category:
| Category | Hidden % |
|---|---|
| Networking | 77.1% |
| Startup | 83.5% |
| Crypto | 63.3% |
You can read our guide to how to find hidden events for more on this, or check our guide to how to find networking events for practical tips.
Key takeaway: Networking events are hidden at a high rate, but some categories are even more hidden.
What’s a good way to track upcoming hidden networking events?
One way is to use Hidden Events, which tracks 3513 public Luma events across many cities, including 1311 networking events. There are 1031 events starting in the next week alone. You can also embed the city events widget on your own site to keep an eye on what’s coming up locally.
If you want to see city-specific networking events, try London networking events or Austin networking events. For a broader search, start from Hidden Events.
The Luma help center has more on how Luma events work if you want to go straight to the source.
Ready to see what’s really out there? Browse the live list of networking events to find hidden gems in your city.
About the author. Himanshu Saleria, Founder, Hidden Events. I love meeting people. I’ve been attending events, hosting them, and picking up patterns along the way for what makes a gathering worth showing up to. Hidden Events surfaces what I’ve been finding. Himanshu Saleria on LinkedIn