If you’ve heard that online communities are going to be the next big wave of 2024, you’ve heard correctly.
More people now are craving community than ever before, and with the rise of advanced technology, AI, and virtual realities, we are more isolated than ever.
With the rise of platforms like Slack, Discord, Saturday, and text groups, we can see that most people have migrated to private communities for that level of connection and sense of belonging.
Looking to prioritize community over solitude this year? Here’s a few things you should know, plus a step-by-step guide on how to setup your own community.
Let’s first define the different types of online communities, shall we?
Types of Online Communities
There’s a whole universe of online communities out there! Here are a few to familiarize yourself with?
- Interest-based communities: These are centered around hobbies or passions, from gardening to coding.
- Professional communities: These networks are great for career development, industry news, and networking.
- Support communities: These provide a space for individuals seeking advice, support, or sharing experiences on personal challenges.
- Learning communities: Focused on education, these communities offer resources, discussions, and collaborative learning opportunities.
Steps to Building an Online Community
Welcome to the world where connections stretch beyond geographic boundaries, and where communities are not limited by physical spaces. In this new digital age, building an online community has become a journey of bringing people together over shared interests, values, or goals.
Let’s dive into how and why crafting such a space is not just beneficial but necessary in today’s world.
Building an online community might seem daunting at first, but it’s entirely achievable by following these steps:
1. Define Your Purpose and Audience
Before anything else, know why you’re building this community and who it’s for. A clear mission will guide your actions and attract members who share your vision.
When creating a streamlined or membership community, it’s important that you choose a niche and stick to it. A clear niche and outline of what your community intends to offer will keep those recurring monthly membership subscriptions rolling in.
2. Choose the Right Platform
Pick a platform that suits the nature of your community and its needs. Whether it’s a dedicated forum, a social media group, or a custom-built site/platform, it should offer the features your community will benefit from.
Here are some important engagement tools a community should offer:
- Chat forum
- Posting tools (photos, videos, polls, Q&A’s)
- Topics
- Video Library
- Live-streaming
- Resource Library
- Events
Linka offers all of the above tools to both engage & entertain your community’s members. You can set up free trials for your members, and create locked “members-only” content.
Want to activate your own Ads section? Linka’s got you covered there, too. Add up to 4 ads within your Group at a time, collect instant ad revenue through your community.
For a full list of ways to monetize your Linka group, click here.
3. Create Engaging and Relevant Content
Content is what will draw people to your community and encourage them to stay. Share valuable, interesting, and engaging content that sparks conversations and connections.
A great way to create engaging content is by involving your audience. How can you go about doing this? Use features such as polls, questions, and quizzes to get your audience interested and engaged.
Include them in decision making. For example, “what would you like to see more of?” Or “would you rather do x or y?” Are good questions to ask your community and give them a sense of belonging and recognition.
4. Foster a Welcoming Environment
Set the tone for your community with clear guidelines and a welcoming atmosphere. It’s critical to cultivate a space where members feel safe and valued.
Always have a ‘Welcome Post’ for your members that they can see as the first thing when they enter your group.
This post should also include some CTA’s that you want your members to take. For example, in a food/cooking group, you could ask, “Comment your name, where you’re from, and what your favorite dish to make is”. This gives your members a sense of importance and belonging.
With Linka, you can ‘feature’ or ‘pin’ tyour most important posts at the top of your group.
5. Promote Your Community
Promotion of your group or community is, arguably, the most important part of this process!
You can have the most amazing group, but if no one sees or knows about it, what’s the point?
Getting the word out about your community can seem overwhelming, but we’re got a few ideas to help you out in the early days of getting started.
- Utilize social media -> If you have an existing, engaged platform, use that to let your audience know about your new private community. If you’re a creator on Instagram, you can utilize Broadcast channels, which will allow you to send your community updates & share exciting news!
- Word of mouth -> One of the best ways to increase brand awareness and get new customers is through the tried and true, word-of-mouth. Personal recommendations always go a long way, so make sure your customers are leaving you reviews, and spreading the word!
- Collaborations with influencers or related communities -> You’ve probably heard it before, but team work really does make the dream work. Do you know another business owner who is within a similar line of work and compliments your business? Partner with them, tap into their network, and offer to promote their services or offerings to your own audience. Cross-collaboration is a great way ensure and build tust between both of your clients as well!
- Leverage well-known marketplaces -> You should definitely be promoting your community wherever you can. Forums, related Facebook groups, alerting your email list, discord, whichever platform allows you to advertise freely without penalty. Of course, always make sure you read the T&C’s before self promotion, as many platforms or groups do ban such practices.
As a Linka client, one of the BIGGEST benefits we offer our entrepreneurs is the Linka.live marketplace — or, in other words, free marketing for your business.
Your business will be featured on the Linka Listings page, and searchable by thousands of organic consumers looking to book what you have to offer. This is included as a free add-on just for being a Linka client.
Remember, growth is a continuous effort. It takes perseverance to get where you want to be, but with consistency (and a little boost from Linka), it is absolutely possible to reach your business goals.
6. Engage and Empower Members
Once your community starts to grow, involve your members in its development. Solicit their feedback, encourage member-led initiatives, and recognize contributors to foster a sense of ownership and loyalty.
This creates empowerment among your members, and fosters a deeper connection that they feel within your group. People will always remember how you make them “feel”, and it’s important to apply that same principle when creating a community. Make them feel engaged, important, and empowered.
Let’s Recap
Building an online community is like planting a garden. It requires patience, care, and a lot of dedication, but the blooms make it all worthwhile.
In the digital age, these communities are our meeting halls, our libraries, our coffee shops, and our support groups.
As we venture into 2024, let’s prioritize these digital spaces and create flourishing communities of connection and collaboration. After all, a connected world is an empowered one.
Let’s build these communities together, shall we?