Online Communities: Why You Should Start Building Yours

There is no denying that the internet has radically changed the way businesses interact and engage with customers. Whether it be through advertising campaigns, customer service initiatives, or even brand building and awareness, the digital age has opened up a world of opportunities for businesses to reach and grow their audiences.

The latest and greatest trend in this digital revolution is the rise of online communities.

More than just a place for customers to interact with your brand, these communities offer an invaluable opportunity for businesses to generate a significant return on investment (ROI) while building long-term relationships with their customers. But what exactly is an online community and why should you take the time to invest in one?

What is an online community?

An online community is an organized group of people who use the internet to share common interests, values, knowledge, and experiences about a particular topic or product. These communities can range from informal discussion forums to large-scale social networks, depending on their purpose and target audience.

While online communities have been around for some time now, the advent of social media and other digital platforms has made them more accessible to businesses than ever before. By leveraging the power of these digital tools, businesses can create a powerful platform for customers to connect and engage with their brand, allowing them to generate long-term relationships and high levels of loyalty.

Take the TripAdvisor community as an example. As one of the largest travel communities on the web, TripAdvisor allows customers to share their experiences and opinions about hotels, restaurants, airlines, and other travel-related topics.

However, one of their main assets is the community forum, which allows customers to engage in meaningful conversations and ask questions about their destination choices. This has allowed TripAdvisor to build a strong community of loyal travelers, who are now more likely to purchase through their platform.

How to build a branded online community

Whether you’re running a startup, scale-up, or established business, building a branded digital community can be a highly effective way to engage with customers and prospects. Here are some key steps you’ll need to take:

Define the purpose of your community

First and foremost, you’ll need to determine the purpose of your online community. What type of content will be shared? Who is your target audience? What themes or topics will be discussed? Answering these questions will help you to define and focus your efforts appropriately.

More importantly, you need to think about what your overarching goal is for the community. Is it to build brand awareness? Increase customer loyalty? Drive sales? Knowing this will help you craft your strategy accordingly.

Identify key stakeholders

Once you have your purpose and goals in place, the next step is to determine who the key stakeholders are in your community. Who will be responsible for creating content? Who will be moderating discussions? Who will be monitoring activity and responding to customer queries? Identifying key stakeholders is essential to ensure the success of your online community.

Choose your platform

The digital landscape is full of different options for hosting your online community. From social media platforms like Facebook Groups and Twitter Spaces to dedicated discussion forums like Reddit and Discourse, there are plenty of options to choose from.

Depending on the type of community you wish to establish, you can even opt for a virtual events platform to host webinars, virtual meetups, and other interactive experiences.

Make some rules

Before you launch your online community, it’s important to set some ground rules for how members should behave and interact. This will give customers a sense of structure and avoid any confusion or miscommunication. It’ll also help to maintain a safe and constructive environment for everyone.

To do this, it is a good idea to hire a community manager or moderator who will be responsible for enforcing the rules and responding to customer queries.

Promote your community

Once you have everything in place, the next step is to start promoting your online community to get people engaged. You can use social media, email campaigns, and even traditional advertising methods to get the word out. Another great way to boost engagement is by offering incentives or rewards for members who are active in your community. This will encourage interaction and give people a reason to keep coming back.

Continually offer value

The key to success with online communities is to provide ongoing value and keep the conversations fresh. This means regularly creating content, moderating discussions, and responding to customer queries. If you can do this well, not only will your community be more successful, but it will also offer a great return on investment for your business.

Track and measure your success

Speaking of ROI, it is important to track and measure the success of your online community. This will help you understand how effective your efforts are and make any necessary adjustments for better performance. Look for metrics such as engagement rate, number of members, average post length, and any other relevant data points to help you measure success.

Final word

Online communities are an incredibly powerful tool for connecting customers with your brand and driving business growth. By following these key steps, you can set yourself up for success and reap the rewards of an active and engaged community. Just remember to always keep your purpose and goals in mind, and don’t be afraid to experiment with different tactics and strategies.