Building Your Prosperous Online Community
Author: Courtney Brooks
Building an engaging and captivating online community can be one of the most rewarding experiences about growing your business.
The opportunity to connect and build relationships with your audience can help you gain the insight needed to further your brand's online presence.
What is an online community, you ask?
An online community is a group of like-minded individuals who interact and communicate through social platforms—sharing ideas, thoughts, facts, information, and opinions on topics related to their similar interests.
Human beings naturally enjoy being social butterflies and communicating thoughts and ideas to each other. This being one of the many reasons why social media is as successful as it is today. The topics of conversation are endless, and there are no limits to the number of people your content can reach.
The most effective online communities are the ones that thrill your audience and keep them coming back for more, where the topics of discussion are enlightening, positive, and helpful to you and your audience.
An online presence not only helps others find your brand but also enhances your credibility and reputation. This process takes time, but sticking to a plan of action can get you the results you have always wanted for your company. Starting with that strong foundation and building up from there is the best way to start, and below are some great tips to help.
1. Know Where Your Company is Going and What Directions you Want to Take
A crucial component of the planning process is developing and understanding your brand identity. Knowing what your goals and values are and how to deliver your brand’s message effectively to your audience. This will not only show your followers how authentic your brand is, but it will keep you on track to where you want your business to be years down the road.
2. Choose Social Platforms That Make Sense for Your Business
Not every social media platform will work for every business, and being on too many platforms can lead to burnout. It is important to do your research and try out a few platforms that you think would complement your marketing strategy goals.
This website link below breaks down 10 of the biggest social media platforms and discusses which ones would benefit your business.
https://www.lyfemarketing.com/blog/social-media-sites-for-business/
3. Identify the Behaviors of Your Audience, and What About Your Content Appeals to Them
Find out what your audience is interested in seeing from you and note which pieces of content are receiving the most engagement (comments, likes, shares).
Here are some examples of different types of content posts:
Images
Blogs
Videos
Reels
News
Going live
How to guides
Case Studies
Polls
Downloadables
Use this knowledge to your advantage to help you build and connect with your online community even further.
Every online community is a different experience for every online business. Using these three tips will give you a solid foundation that you can apply to any marketing strategies in the future.
Leave a comment about how your online community is going. 👇🏼
