Your next customer likely belongs to a digital community—more than three-quarters of global internet users participate in online forums, blogs, and vlogs. It’s easy to understand why. By participating in online communities, users engage in lively group discussions, share interest-specific content, and interact meaningfully with people from across the globe.
If you run a business and are looking to tap into that organic enthusiasm, it may be time to focus your content strategy on building and nurturing these communities. It takes work to foster a community around your brand, but in the long run, it’s worth it to stay on top of customer satisfaction and deepen your brand-consumer relationships.
What is an online community?
An online community is a group on the internet, formed around common interests or goals, whether that’s networking for business or bonding over a shared hobby. Online communities gather in virtual environments like online forums, social media platforms, and other online spaces to share knowledge, offer support, and seek advice from each other.
The size of these communities varies. On social media platforms (like Instagram or Facebook), online communities can host millions of users, while a micro-community on an online forum (like Reddit or Quora) may have only a few dedicated members. These digital spaces let members offer personal advice and share experiences, stepping in when search engines or traditional methods for research don’t provide satisfying answers.
7 types of online communities
- Brand community
- Learning community
- Local community
- Event community
- Support community
- Fan community
- Networking community
As a business owner, tapping into successful online communities can help you connect with new audiences and expand your reach. But knowing where to look for social communities can be overwhelming at first. Here’s a look at various types of online communities to get you started:
1. Brand community
Brand communities form around a shared passion for a company and its offerings. An online brand community often takes shape on a social media platform where the company shares content that fosters engagement and connection. A thriving online community can go a long way to generate brand loyalty.
Katie Welch, chief marketing officer of cosmetics brand Rare Beauty, has extensive experience cultivating communities. She built Rare Beauty’s community on TikTok, held Zoom events for connecting members, and developed her own online community with a personal TikTok account dedicated to helping others in their beauty industry careers.
“We spend a lot of time on our own channels,” Katie explains. “We are engaging on social a lot, whether it’s TikTok, Instagram, Twitter, and that makes a difference.”
2. Learning community
Learning communities, also known as insight communities, explore specific topics or skills in areas like art, handiwork, or mechanics. These groups facilitate knowledge exchange and provide a space for members to share ideas and inspire one another. For instance, language learners might use an online space to practice speaking with other community members and motivate each other.
One popular knowledge-sharing community is MasterClass, which offers a range of digital courses and videos on various topics. Learners can meet other passionate members in online forums that function as support groups, and subscribers can attend online events to deepen their learning journey.
Another example is Shopify Community, where Shopify merchants can come together and share advice, ask questions, and get support in their entrepreneurial journeys.
3. Local community
You no longer have to hit the local coffee shop or community center to connect with your neighbors. Local communities gather in many types of online spaces, from Facebook groups to Craigslist pages. These virtual communities can be a valuable resource for sharing knowledge about the area, organizing community-building events, or finding folks nearby with a shared interest in in-person activities.
Nextdoor is a well-known community platform for connecting with people who, well, live next door. The app connects local communities by address, enabling residents to create online private communities to share relevant news, events, updates, and other local happenings.
4. Event community
Online event communities share an interest in a specific event, whether in-person or online. Event organizers typically form event communities to help attendees connect and share relevant information.
During peak pandemic, as quarantines kept people isolated indoors, Rare Beauty started an event series called Rare Chats. Participants could join a Zoom room for informal conversation, connecting and building relationships with others in the community.
“They say Gen Z is the loneliest generation,” Katie says. “If we were able to make two friends amongst our community, that in my mind was powerful.”
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5. Support community
Most support communities are types of online groups where individuals facing similar challenges or pursuing personal growth come together. Support communities live on any community platform where users can form an emotional connection with others in a similar position or working on personal development. Members often exchange advice, emotional support, personal stories, and resources.
The Dinner Party is a successful online community for people in their 20s and 30s who’ve lost a parent, sibling, spouse, or loved one. Originally centered around in-person dinner gatherings, the community shifted to virtual events because of the pandemic.
6. Fan community
Fan communities gather over shared interests like movies, TV shows, books, or franchise media, but even a community with a deep love of pizza qualifies.
For businesses, these niche fan groups and micro-communities can offer immense value and be worth a significant investment.
“I was just listening to this incredible marketer the other day talk about the subculture of #CleanTok on TikTok,” Katie says. “Lo and behold, there is a whole community of people who are obsessed with cleaning.”
7. Networking community
Networking communities are online forums that help professionals within the same industry connect, build relationships, and share valuable insights. A networking community can double as a group-coaching community, offering support with interview preparation, job opportunities, and industry knowledge. These business networking communities enable relationship building without geographic limitations.
Katie remembers kicking off Rare Beauty’s marketing during the TikTok Renegade dance craze.
“Was I dancing? N-O. Heck no, but I was watching it,” she says. “I loved the creativity.”
She began creating content focused on her expertise: guiding others in discovering career paths within the beauty industry.
“It evolved to career advice, interview advice, marketing advice, all sorts of stuff,” she says. “I’ve done Zoom one-on-one sessions where I’ve reviewed people’s résumés, and helped them prep for an interview.”
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Types of online communities FAQ
What is an online community and its types?
An online community is a digital space where users with similar interests converse and share knowledge. These include learning communities, support groups, fan bases for specific media, and various other online communities that work together toward common goals.
What are examples of virtual communities?
One network of virtual communities is Reddit, an online forum where users can join subreddits (text-based threads) based on their interests. Other examples include Facebook groups, ResetEra, and Nextdoor.
What are the biggest online communities?
The largest online communities in terms of registered users are Facebook and Instagram. Others include the professional networking site LinkedIn and the language-learning app Duolingo.
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