To create a successful online community, you must focus your project on providing value and benefits to your users. The best way to understand your users is if you share the same interests as them and use them to build your community. Join your users in your community and interact with them as they do with each other, be an active member of the community you create.
1. Provide a value proposition
Build your community around something of value to your visitors. Users come together into a community because they enjoy each other’s company and share a sense of ownership in something larger than themselves. Give users something that they can’t find anywhere else, or at least give them content and information in a better package than they can find elsewhere.
2. Use design effectively
As soon as users arrive at your community site they must have easy access to what you are offering and quickly understand why they should be interested in it. This is especially true for search engine traffic, which is likely arriving at your site for the first time. Use design to ensure the users can see at a glance everything your site has to offer.
3. User-created content is king
A vital step is creating a community is giving users the ability to create and interact with each other’s content. As a result, a sort of teamwork in content creation develops, creating the heart of the community. Giving users the right tools to create their own interesting content. Forums, image sharing and other communication tools are the key to your community’s success.
4. Reward your biggest fans
As your community begins to grow, you will discover that some users are taking a more active role, interacting with the community at a deeper level. When you notice this happening, make a point to let the rest of your community know that you appreciate the efforts of these special users and involve them to an even greater degree, perhaps by making them moderators or awarding them a different status.
5. Be active in your community
If you are an active member of your community, then you share the community’s desire to see it grow and you are likely to provide relevant developments and improvements that both you and your community members want to see. Being active in the community allows you to stay in constant contact with your users and understand how they are using your community.
6. Encourage feedback
Make it as easy as possible for your users to ask you questions and raise concerns. And constantly monitor feedback that your users are leaving, reacting quickly to time-sensitive issues that your community might attempt to warn you about. This tells your community that you are listening to what they have to say and that you value their feedback and opinions.
7. Provide interesting resources
Provide interesting content and resources to attract community members and keep them coming back. Communication tools such as forums and polls help users get started interacting with your site and you gain interest in your site by providing resources that are timely and interesting to your community.
8. Be patient
Sometimes vibrant communities can spring up quickly, but more often than not they take a great amount of time and energy to create. Ensure that you plan to dedicate a significant amount of time to your community and users over the long-term.
Need More Info?
Talk to us if you would like more information about building online communities. We consult with you on your business requirements and work with you to set up your community and help you get the most value from your results.
Reference: “Eight Steps to Creating a Successful Online Community” by Mack Collier, www.marketingprofs.com
