People value a community most when they connect, engage, and feel encouraged to share. Communities that thrive on user-contributed content are proven to be most successful. It means that members are permitted to post their own experiences, projects, events, statements, even pictures, and videos.
The current trend suggests the best type of engagement is the one that results in building a robust online community. Online communities help the company by growing its brand recognition, thereby enhancing its reach to influencers with increased website traffic, more reviews, more reliable brand image, and new potential customers.
To grow your online community, it would help if you follow these strategies that have proven to be the best for scaling your online community.
1. Social media platform selection
Every business has realized the importance of social media outreach and engagement. The social media platform used for reaching out may vary based on the styles and interests of the community of people.
Having a real-time forum connects people, where they participate in the group by sharing content and having discussions with members at a global scale.
You can send personalized or tailor-made messages, discussions, and engagement to match their expectations. Established platforms are great, but don’t miss the chance to build on the latest and rapidly growing social networks too.
At its core, a community is essentially a gathering of like-minded people who would like to discuss and share ideas. Platforms like Airmeet can be great to bring your community onto virtual events, interactions and meetups. Regular networking or brainstorming sessions can build a greater sense of belonging and a highly engaged community
2. Choose community managers carefully
Managers that you hire to foster your online community should be people-oriented, passionate, and proactive because their key role is to engage people. Select those bunch of people who can connect better.
3. Make the new members feel connected
As soon as a new member gets associated, set the tone, introduce the brand, culture, and committee through a series of emails, infographics, mind-maps, and FAQs. The sooner they get acquainted with the community culture, the faster they start contributing.
4. Adopt a community culture
Foster a culture by watching the behavior, language, communication of members carefully. Reinforcing a culture where community members themselves play the role of moderator, then the community managers can focus on other areas.
Highlight the relevant and interesting posts and remove inappropriate posts to maintain integrity and ownership.
5. Create the right content
Research, research and research! This is all that helps you generate content to encourage more engagement and interest among community members. The content can be created on specific topics, or on a viral trend or something that would intrigue the community members to read, comment, and share more.
Highlight the relevant and interesting posts and remove inappropriate posts to maintain integrity and ownership.
6. Measure KPIs
Identify, measure, and analyze community engagement based on KPIs. You can measure the number of posts in a day, reviews by the community, or response to a question.
You can measure based on the number of users, the number of opinions per user, or the time taken for a response. Such statistics indicate how people are engaging with your content, are they interacting amongst each other, and help you track the overall success at any point in time.
7. Engage influencers
Moderators perform a dedicated task, but influencers can power up the community. Such advocates encourage new people to join in and also stimulate the passive ones. It can be anybody who either has a strong connection, strong words, or a strong social presence. They encourage people to participate and attract them to invite more personal connections.
8. Promote community discussions
Create intriguing and informative content that inspires community bonding and discussions among the community members. If members connect through posts, like and comment, the community strengthens and improves sustenance. Request members to give feedback or create groups of people based on their opinion to promote discussions.
"Build your community on a value-centric approach, because communities that thrive on generated & user-contributed value are most successful. "
Build your community on a value-centric approach, because communities that thrive on generated & user-contributed value are most successful.
9. Use tech tools
Community managers and moderators should leverage the right technology and tools to manage content and connections effectively. The tools are imperious for measuring moderation, generating reports, and analyzing the data collected. Airmeet is a platform that can help you create events and help your community learn, grow, and connect better.
10. Personalized support
We all desire personal attention, and so do the community members. Each one of them is unique and requires support and interaction. A human connection is always above any canned or automated message. It would be best if you communicate with members to give a touch of authenticity to the process of community fostering.
11. Focus on a long-term vision
A virtual community can multiply rapidly through social media, but unlike other marketing campaigns, the growth of the community has no boundaries. Envision to sustain longer and grow progressively. Keep monitoring the graph, and when you see a sudden dip, put extra efforts to bring it back to its pace.
12. Host webinars and workshops
Hosting webinars and workshops empowers you to strengthen existing connections and facilitate new ones, significantly contributing to community growth and engagement. This not only offers educational and learning opportunities but also promotes direct interaction, collaboration, and networking opportunities among community members.
13. Collaborate with course providers
By partnering with well-known course providers and organizations, you gain the ability to provide your community members with access to exclusive content and discounts on courses and certifications. This collaboration encourages members within similar fields to engage in discussions about their learning experiences, fostering deeper community engagement and connection.
Moreover, promoting this partnership on your social media channels can attract new members to your community. Through this collaboration, you can create anticipation among the existing users of the course provider by offering exclusive discounts on courses and certifications. This encourages them to join your community to access these exclusive offers.
14. Membership discounts
Offering discounts for annual or lifetime memberships can attract new members and drive community growth. This strategy effectively influences your target audience to join by creating a sense of urgency, encouraging them to take advantage of the reduced rates and join the community in that designated period of time.
15. Feature community members
Feature your community members in stories, posts, videos, and events. This recognition not only celebrates their contributions but also motivates your target audience to seek similar acknowledgment, encouraging them to sign up for your community.
16. Mentorship programs & initiatives
Mentorship programs and learning initiatives facilitate knowledge sharing, skill development, and relationship building. These programs empower members to learn from each other, fostering a supportive environment, while also offering valuable learning opportunities to your target audience.
Mentorship programs can include one-on-one sessions with industry experts or on-demand videos from thought leaders on specific subjects. Depending on your community goals and target demographics, you can also partner with organizations or institutions to offer these programs to their audiences. These approaches encourage new members to join and benefit from the learning opportunities available as part of your community.
17. Run referral programs
Referral programs within your community enable existing members to invite others to join, expanding their reach and fostering growth. Offering rewards such as coupons, gift cards, or other incentives for successful referrals can motivate members to actively promote the community and contribute to its growth.
18. Plan virtual networking sessions and events
Virtual networking sessions and events provide opportunities for attendees to connect, exchange ideas, and collaborate with like-minded individuals. You can host both external and internal networking sessions and events. External events will help you expand your network and community, while internal ones will empower you to strengthen and foster your existing network.
19. Plan specialized onboarding sessions
Specialized onboarding sessions can significantly contribute to the growth of a robust online community by offering new members a personalized introduction and ensuring they feel welcomed and valued. By investing in specialized onboarding, you create a supportive environment that nurtures active and engaged community members.
These sessions also empower new members to understand the goals and objectives of your community, enabling them to contribute meaningfully to growth strategies and community initiatives.
20. Opportunities for professional growth & promotions
Understanding the significance of professional growth and development opportunities is crucial for any organization. Providing a structured promotion cycle helps community members advance in their areas of interest and expertise. Members who benefit from these opportunities are more likely to contribute effectively to community growth and sustainability with their knowledge and expertise.
21. Host virtual farewell sessions
Farewell sessions offer a chance to acknowledge departing members, express gratitude for their contributions, and maintain positive relationships even as they leave the community. This helps preserve goodwill, potentially encourages future return visits, and may influence their network to join your community as well.
22. Sponsor events
Sponsoring relevant organizations and community events can attract attention to your community. As a sponsor, you’ll have the opportunity to connect with a diverse group of people, discuss your community, showcase its benefits, and elevate your brand presence. Sponsorship not only enhances your market presence but also creates opportunities for potential collaborations and empowers you to boost community growth.
Why are Online Communities Important?
Online communities bring people together with diverse skills and knowledge so they can share expertise, ask questions, and solve challenges efficiently. They play a vital role in building relationships among virtual audiences. Most importantly, web communities give your members an opportunity to connect and engage with like-minded people.
The truth is online communities create real connections. They provide a platform to connect, collaborate, and support people with shared interests. According to stat, 86% have said they received some form of support from others. Any member who has a query can post it in the group and get a relevant answer from someone in the community.
(For example, if there is a healthcare support group that is made up to help people with specific health conditions or experiences. Suppose a member posts in the group about his particular ailment and asks for some solutions, other members can share their own experiences and advise him on coping strategies or suggest some treatment for a quick recovery. This type of peer support can be incredibly beneficial for people going through difficult times.
In such a community, members can share their experiences, give advice, and provide emotional support to each other. Plus, they can share some kind of information about treatments or resources that are needed to fight with specific diseases. Online communities can naturally create a sense of belonging and connection even for individuals who live far apart.)
Through online discussion groups, people can easily connect with new people around the world and expand their professional and personal networks. Members can continually build connections and broaden their personal reach by joining online communities.
In addition, digital communications groups create a supportive environment for people who are seeking advice, encouragement, and empathy.
Based on facts, 27.3% of customers use online communities in their internet-buying decision-making while considering a product or service. Because recommendations from fellow community members are often seen as a more trustworthy source than traditional marketing channels. By receiving diverse perspectives from community members, people value them, enabling them to make informed decisions.
Remember, businesses of all sizes and sectors can create an online community group to engage with their customers, gather feedback, and promote their products or services. Whether you are a small start-up or a large organization, building a community around your brand can foster customer loyalty, generate valuable insights, and improve your marketing efforts.
The greatness of a community is most accurately measured by the compassionate actions of its members.” – Coretta Scott King
How are Online Community Platforms Different from Facebook and LinkedIn Groups?
Online communities have lately grown to be a necessary part of modern communication and interaction. In fact, Online community platforms are expressly built to foster and grow online groups around particular topics or interests.
On the other hand platforms like Facebook and LinkedIn also allow to creation of community groups but they are primarily social networking platforms, designed to connect a broader range of demographic people. They offer features such as posting, commenting, sharing, private messaging, and more.
However, their focus on social connections and networking can sometimes limit their ability to foster deeper engagement and specialized discussions.
According to a stat, 88% of branded communities said that the community has helped improve customer experience. When it comes to solving important business problems, branded communities operate better than social media groups.
Let’s see how online community platforms differ from Facebook and LinkedIn groups:
Features | Online Community Platforms | Facebook Groups | LinkedIn Groups |
Purpose | Dedicated to niche-specific and common interest | General social networking and building connection | Professional networking and engaging in industry-specific discussions |
Customization | Offer a high level of customization | Limited customization options | Moderate customization options |
Ownership & control | A community owner has full ownership. He/she has full control over content, data, and user experience. | It is owned by Facebook and group admins have limited control | Group admins on LinkedIn have limited control. |
Main focus | Building strong relationships and fostering engagement within a niche community | Foster social interaction and group discussions around shared interests or topics. | Professional networking, knowledge exchange, and staying up-to-date with industry news |
Live events | Ability to host live events and webinars directly in the community | Live events are limited on Facebook | Live events are limited on LinkedIn |
Engagement features | Offers advanced engagement tools such as gamification, discussion forums, private messaging, polls, and more | Provide engagement options such as live polls, file sharing, group chat, and more | Offer engagement features such as discussion forums, content sharing, polling, and more |
Target audience | Targets specific demographics or niche-focused people. | Targets a broader range of demographics | Primarily targets professionals and industry experts |
Data privacy | More control over community members’ data | Less control over users’ data and privacy on the FB group. | Data access is limited on the LinkedIn group |
Final words
Creating a virtual community takes time, consistent efforts, and commitment. Watch out the trends in the community, the highs, and lows, and work to create a better experience for members. It will result in active participation within the community, and it will flourish on its own.
FAQ
An online community is a virtual space where individuals share information and engage in discussions that are based on common interests and goals.
Online communities serve as a medium for people to collaborate and build global connections.
Community platforms are websites or software that provide the necessary features to facilitate the formation of online communities. These platforms usually offer features, like discussion forums, content sharing tools, and engagement tools.
Community guidelines play a significant role in managing and maintaining a holistic environment in these online communities. These guidelines help safeguard the integrity of an online community by outlining standards of behavior, acceptable conduct, and the consequences of violations.
To identify the target audience of an online community, one can categorize potential members based on demographics, interests, and characteristics.
Leveraging analytics tools, conducting surveys, and performing market research are effective methods for determining the right audience for your online community.
The different types of online communities include learning communities, brand communities, support communities, fan communities, and membership communities.
To establish an online art community, first, define its purpose, such as sharing artwork or discussing techniques, etc. Then, create an online community or group on community platforms or social media sites where artists can join, interact, and engage in relevant discussions.
User-generated content empowers community members to actively participate and share their experiences, insights, and knowledge.
This creates a sense of ownership and belonging among the members. It encourages them to interact with each other more often and contribute to the community’s growth and engagement.
Joining in an online community will:
- broaden your social network
- Gain new information
- Seek support and encouragement
- Develop rapport with people with common interests
- Enjoy social interaction
- Meet new people & make friends
- Find inspiration & motivation from the stories or experiences
- Access valuable resources, such as information, tools, and opportunities.
Yes, Absolutely! There are some key etiquette guidelines to follow in online forums to create a friendly and respectful environment for all participants.
Everyone should obey the etiquette listed below:
- Respect and adhere to all community policies and guidelines
- Do not interrupt others when they are expressing their thoughts freely
- Help other members to solve the problem when you can
- Avoid posting irrelevant content
- Show kindness and respect to all, no matter their viewpoints.
- Avoid using disrespectful or abusive words
- Do not share your personal information such as contact number, address, etc
- Keep your views and ideas relevant to the ongoing discussion.
- If you disagree with someone’s opinion, do not make personal attacks and inflammatory comments. Instead, respect their opinion and respond positively.
- Before posting, check the tone and clarity of your text. This will help avoid misunderstandings.
The important elements of an online community include a shared purpose: where members come together around common interests or goals, trust & safety: ensuring a respectful & safe environment; content value: which provides useful and relevant resources that encourage discussion and collaboration, engagement: which fosters meaningful interaction among community members and strong moderation: which maintain focus and foster a positive community culture.
