How to build a community online and why its critical

 

WHY IS A COMMUNITY IMPORTANT FOR A WEBSITE OR SOCIAL MEDIA ACCOUNT?

A community is important because success online isn’t about the number of followers you have, but their level of engagement with your brand.

Your following should be an audience who are engaged, listening, and interested in what you have to say. 

Instead of seeing your posts or articles and moving on with their day, a community engages in two-way behaviour; liking, commenting, and taking action to implement your lessons or buy the products you support.

You want strong communities so that you can get people interested in your products, services, blogs, or content. This could be to buy something, take up your offering, or just invest spare time in the content you’ve created.

TRAFFIC AND FOLLOWER COUNTS ARE TELLING A MISLEADING STORY

It’s all well and good to have a lot of traffic coming to your website or thousands of followers to your Instagram page, but if those people aren’t engaging with you then what’s the point? 

Traffic and follower counts fall under the category of ‘vanity metric’ which are numbers or data that look great but aren’t adding value to your business or brand.

When you are trying to engage people to listen to you or buy your products and services, then you need people to CARE, not just follow. This is why it’s better to have a lower volume of traffic or followers that are highly engaged in your content, compared to huge traffic and follower counts without anyone engaging with you.

Instagram has been around since 2010, so we’re past the decade mark and this is a monumental shift that all users will need to adjust to.

But don’t stress if moving from image to video feels overwhelming, because I’ve rounded up my top 6 tips to create stunning content on Instagram and help you make the transition as smooth as possible.

WHAT COVID-19 CAN TEACH YOU ABOUT BUILDING A COMMUNITY ONLINE

During COVID many businesses thrived and many died because of their communities. As foot traffic fell and people turned to online brands, the importance of making people feel part of a tribe grew. 

Here’s what you can learn about building your own community, whether you run a website or social media account:

  • Build engaging content for your audience: Engaging content should add value to the community to help them stay informed, educated, or inspired. For example, ‘how-to’ video tutorials, free guides, or behind-the-scenes content.

  • Have two-way conversations: Your followers should all feel like they’re able to have direct contact with you. Whether it’s replying to comments or shouting out certain people on your platform, communication leads to community.

  • Find a way for your product or service to add value back to the community: This doesn’t mean you should give away your products, services, or premium content for free. But when times are tough people come together, and your audience wants to see that you’re doing your part to support your community.

HOW TO BUILD YOUR COMMUNITY ONLINE OR ON SOCIAL MEDIA

Firstly you have to give people a reason to join your community. 

What’s the reason they should sign up to your Instagram, your email list, or join your Facebook group?

There are a number of ways to convince people your online brand is worth their time, but the easiest way is to think about your hook and what value you can give people. I’ve rounded up a few of my favourite ways to give value, and attract an engaged audience:

  • Exclusive content that people can’t find elsewhere 

  • ‘How-To’ videos or tutorials, for example, recipes, make-up tips, or workout help

  • Ongoing support and Q&A session (I’ve seen some cool Facebook community groups where admins help answer questions related to the community topic)

  • Connect your community members with each other so they can leverage each other’s knowledge and share experiences and ideas

IF YOU DON’T DO THIS ONE THING, YOUR COMMUNITY WON’T GROW…

You’ve got all the info you need to turn your website or IG account into a trusted source that brings people together.

But there’s ONE more step you need to take to turn their interest into action…

A Call-To-Action (or CTA).

It’s important that when you’re forming your community you have a strong call to action and a reason for them to join. 

What’s in it for them? Why should they give you their email address or follow you? Is there a benefit of signing up like receiving an additional discount?

You need to remind people about your community ALL THE TIME. This could be to sign up to join the club or squad, leave their email to download a premium resource or join a Facebook group for insights and support.

Your CTA is crucial to your community’s growth, so make sure it’s easy to find and easy to click on.

As I mentioned you want to be able to offer something of value to your community in order for them to join, and in return, you’ll be building a loyal and engaged following for your business or brand.

WAIT!!! TAKE THESE EXAMPLE FUNNELS WITH YOU TO BUILD YOUR COMMUNITY ONLINE

FOR YOUR INSTAGRAM

Step #1 – Post on Instagram about your community, including the value and benefits of joining.

Step #2 – Add the URL to join in your IG bio. This could be an email list that allows you to send valuable content, a link to your website, or your own community page.

FOR YOUR WEBSITE

Step #1 – Create a community sign-up page or a lead magnet page (a lead magnet is a free resource, guide, or video that people can only access by giving you their email address first).

Step #2 – Email your new community member a ‘Thank You’ message with their free resource that’s going to help them solve a problem in their life.

Of course, after teaching you how to build your community online I’d be ignoring my own advice to not leave you with a CTA of my own.

 
Social MediaGuest User