In a world dominated by digital connections, building a thriving online community is more important than ever. As Matthew Stibbe, CEO of Articulate Marketing, pointed out, “Community is not the cult of celebrity. It’s a reciprocal thing. It is about building connections, true connections, and developing those connections into relationships.” It’s not about having a huge following; it’s about creating a space where genuine interactions happen and relationships flourish. But how do you get started? How do you create a community that people not only want to join but are excited to be a part of? Let’s break it down.

Understanding the Why: Defining Your Motivation

Before diving headfirst into building an online community, you need to understand why you’re doing it. What’s the driving force behind this initiative? Jenny Sowyrda, Manager of Community Strategy and Operations at HubSpot, emphasizes the importance of having a clear goal and mission statement. “Know why you’re building a community (from a business perspective) and who you’re building a community for,” she advises. It’s about knowing your ‘why’ and using it as a compass for every decision you make.

Building Personas: Clarifying Your Vision

One effective way to clarify your motivation is by developing personas for your community members. Who are they? What do they need? What are their pain points? Answering these questions will guide you in choosing the right platforms, designing engaging content, and even determining the best strategies for community management. Each persona represents a different segment of your audience, and understanding these segments is crucial in creating a community that meets their specific needs.

Identifying Your Ideal Audience

Once you’ve nailed down your reasons for building the community, the next step is identifying your target audience. Alyssa Martin, Community Manager at HeyOrca, stresses the importance of fully understanding who your community is before you even begin. “Figure out what they’re passionate about and find out what their challenges are,” she says. This insight is vital because it shapes everything from the tone of your communication to the type of content you create.

Immersing Yourself in Their World

To truly understand your audience, immerse yourself in their world. Join the platforms they frequent, participate in discussions, and observe their behavior. Whether it’s Facebook groups, Reddit, or industry-specific forums, these spaces can provide invaluable insights into the challenges, interests, and desires of your potential community members. As you gather this data, focus on demographics, psychographics, behaviors, and needs. This holistic understanding will help you tailor your community to fit them like a glove.

Rallying the Troops: Identifying Key Stakeholders

After getting a grip on your audience, it’s time to identify the key players within your organization who will help bring this community to life. These stakeholders fall into three categories: those managing the community, those impacted by it, and those overseeing the process. For instance, your marketing team might handle the community’s day-to-day operations, while upper management ensures alignment with broader business goals.

Choosing the Right Team

Having the right stakeholders on board is crucial for the success of your community. They’ll be the ones driving engagement, moderating discussions, and ensuring that the community stays true to its mission. Make sure these individuals are not only skilled but also passionate about building and maintaining strong relationships with your community members.

Measuring Success: Identifying Key Metrics

Success in community building looks different for every organization. It’s not just about growing numbers; it’s about achieving specific business goals. Sowyrda highlights the importance of aligning your success metrics with what the business cares about. For example, if your goal is to increase brand awareness, you might track the number of followers or engagement rates. On the other hand, if you’re focused on customer satisfaction, metrics like CSAT (Customer Satisfaction Score) or NPS (Net Promoter Score) could be more relevant.

Establishing Clear KPIs

Different teams might have different definitions of success, so it’s important to establish clear KPIs for each group involved. Whether it’s marketing, customer service, or product management, everyone should know what they’re working towards and how their efforts contribute to the community’s overall success.

Choosing the Right Platform: Where Will Your Community Live?

With your goals, audience, and stakeholders in place, the next big decision is choosing the right platform for your community. Christina Garnett, CCO of Founder and Fractional and Pocket, advises against rushing this decision. “Don’t choose your community tech stack until you understand what behaviors you want community members to do and what metrics you want to track,” she says.

Public vs. Owned Platforms

The platform you choose will depend on several factors, including your audience’s preferences, your community objectives, and the level of control you want. If you’re looking for a public, easily accessible space, social media platforms like Facebook or LinkedIn might be ideal. However, if you want more control over the community’s features and data, an owned platform like a dedicated forum or website could be a better fit. Starting with public channels can also be a smart move, as it allows you to build credibility and gather insights before expanding to a private or owned space.

Setting Up: Laying the Foundations

Now comes the nitty-gritty of setting up your community. Whether you’re creating a forum, a social media group, or an entire online platform, the setup process is critical to your community’s success. Start by defining roles within your community. Who will be the administrators, moderators, and super members? Assigning clear responsibilities and permissions will help maintain order and ensure that your community runs smoothly.

Integrating Your Brand

Don’t forget to integrate your brand into every aspect of the community, from the visual theme to the tone of communication. Your community should feel like an extension of your brand, offering a cohesive experience that resonates with your members. Also, test everything—sign-up processes, spam controls, and crisis plans—before going live to avoid any hiccups.

Promotion Plan: If You Build It, They Won’t Just Come

Building a community is one thing; getting people to join it is another. Jenny Sowyrda’s advice here is golden: “If you build it, people won’t just show up. You need to find the right folks, introduce the value to them, and then really double down on building trust with them.” A well-thought-out promotion plan is essential to attract your first members and kickstart engagement.

Leveraging Existing Channels

Leverage your existing channels—your website, email newsletters, social media, and even word of mouth—to spread the word. Consider partnering with influencers or related brands to tap into their audiences as well. The key is to create a buzz that makes people curious and eager to join your community.

Soft Launch: Testing the Waters

Before you go all-in, consider a soft launch. This step allows you to test your community with a smaller, more manageable group of users. It’s an opportunity to gather feedback, fix any issues, and refine your approach before opening the doors to everyone. A successful soft launch, like BigFish Games’ approach with their Dungeon Boss game, can set the stage for a smooth and successful public launch.

Preparing for a Full Launch

Your community should be launch-ready by the time you conduct a soft launch. Use this phase to remove test content, resolve known issues, and pre-populate your community with quality content that will spark discussion. The goal is to ensure everything runs smoothly before going public.

Ready, Set, Launch!

When it’s time to launch your community, make sure everything is in place. Use your promotion plan to drive traffic to your community and watch as the first members start to join. Engage with them, encourage discussions, and create an environment where they feel valued and heard. Building your community’s first 100 members might take some time, but with persistence and the right strategies, it will grow.

Stay Flexible: Adapt and Evolve

Finally, remember that building an online community is an ongoing process. You’ll need to remain adaptable and ready to pivot as you learn more about your members and their needs. As Sowyrda suggests, “Be willing to pivot. Your community may change as you get to know your members and what they want/don’t want. Be open to adapting to meet those needs, as the end goal should always be your members’ success.”

Creating an online community is no small feat, but the rewards—deep connections, loyal members, and a thriving space where your brand and your audience can grow together—are well worth the effort. Ready to start building? Go on, take the plunge—you’ve got this!