Communities on the internet and their messaging demonstrate a new way for people to connect, collaborate, and trust each other digitally, and serve as examples of how loyalty, influence, and long-standing relationships can be built through digital platforms. There are many types of communities on the web, ranging from those formed around a brand to those created by content creators or influencers; therefore, the definitions of loyalty, influence, and future engagement have been shaped by them.
The main principles behind developing an online community are building it intentionally, encouraging members to engage digitally on an ongoing basis, and managing it with a well-thought-out strategy. When a user joins a new online community, they will have formed an opinion about the community's value in the few seconds after joining, or they will have decided it was something they would likely forget.
The Community Reviews book explains in detail what a thriving online community is, the key components of creating one, and how current platforms can deliver long-term success through effective community building and expert community management.
Examples of online communities are places, usually on the internet, where people with the same interests or shared identities come together. Unlike a social media feed, an online community is designed to create a conversation, a sense of community, and long-term participation.
Online communities with the highest strength feature the following:
The best examples of online communities can be found in forums, among application developers, or on private sites. However, the most successful online communities are designed with purpose rather than by accident.
Today, Physical Networking, Customer Service, and Professional Development have all been replaced or augmented with Online Communities or Examples of an Online Community. People are looking for more than just Content; they are looking for Connection.
Reasons why Online Communities and Examples of an Online Community are Increasing...
Companies, Creators, and Organizations that develop and promote a Successful Online Community are doing better than those that use One-Way Communication.
In all cases, thriving online communities share similar characteristics, although they may be in different niches. Reviewing examples of thriving Online Communities reveals several recurring factors. For each flourishing Online Community, focused Community Building is a critical step. Each member of a flourishing Online Community should know the community's purpose and the benefits it offers.
Successful Digital Community Engagement comes from engaging Members of a Digital Community in a two-way manner, not just communicating an announcement. Information flow, such as Polls, Live Discussions, Challenges, and Feedback Loops, facilitates increased Member activity.
Engagement in thriving Online Communities results from intentional management efforts by Online Community Managers; Management includes moderation, onboarding new Members, and planning for future engagement.
Communities that lack any of these components will ultimately fail to remain active and thriving, regardless of how well they were designed and implemented.
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We can explore a few examples of effective online community-building and engagement.
1. Reddit - Reddit is probably the best-known example of an online community globally. Each subreddit is distinct, revolves around a specific interest, and includes peer-created and managed, organised online communities.
2. Discord - Discord is now firmly established as a platform for creating online communities and socialising and interacting with people through video games, education, and creative activities. Online community engagement through real-time text chat enables substantial interaction within the digital community.
3. Many brands, such as Adobe and Nike, have established customer communities. Businesses like Adobe and Nike create and manage online communities to support, educate, and advocate for their customers.
4. Professional Learning Communities - Platforms such as indie hackers show how online communities and examples of online communities can support professional growth through the exchange of ideas and shared responsibilities among peers.
Every one of these communities demonstrates that successful online communities are not created by accident.
Community Building is the Core of all Online Communities and Online Community Examples; it describes how members interact, contribute, and remain engaged.
Components that support an effective community are:
a) Clear Onboarding Journey's
b) Defined Rituals and Norms
c) Recognition Systems
d) Membership Led Contributions
If there is no foundation to develop Strong community-building communities, it can be challenging to achieve thriving Online Communities, even on a well-established / busy platform.
User behavior is influenced by how well a community has been developed, particularly in relation to digital engagement. By designing your engagement strategy methodically, you will effectively create users who become engaged participants rather than just lurkers. Best practices for creating impactful digital community engagement strategies include:
The most consistent and effective way to foster a sense of belonging and connection among members of a Digital Community is through sustained digital engagement.
Strong online community management establishes rules for member conduct to maintain equality among members, ensuring fair enforcement through professionally conducted, unbiased moderation that encourages open disagreement, whether between members or between members with different outlooks on an issue.
Thriving online communities implement strategic planning for online community management rather than simply being reactive.
Why do online communities create trust? Online communities focus more on dialogue than advertising. Members get to know each other and create mutual trust (between each other) before getting to know a brand through an ad.
When companies build communities and engage with digital communities, they receive:
Online communities will outperform traditional marketing methods.
Lack of strategic alignment can lead to failure as well as success, even in very well-funded online communities. Some common mistakes in building online communities include weak community-building foundations, inconsistent digital engagement, reactive management, and a lack of leadership or purpose for the community. If you want your online community to grow sustainably and successfully, it is important to avoid these pitfalls.
The online communities of tomorrow will see a trend toward personalization, privacy, and connection based on value. As users lose faith in algorithms, they are moving away from algorithmically generated information and are increasingly searching for curated, human-centered spaces.
Some of the trends in the future of online communities include:
Organizations that prioritize community building today are the ones that will lead the way forward tomorrow.
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Digital communities and examples of digital communities have transitioned from "side projects" to strategic assets for your brand, movement, learning platform, etc. Therefore, if you want to build successful and thriving digital ecosystems for your organisation, the best way to do so is through purposeful community development, ongoing support for digital community engagement, and the establishment of professional digital community management processes that create a sustainable, stable digital ecosystem over time.
Thriving online communities and examples are built on a foundation of strong community development, active digital community engagement, and ongoing community management that establish value, build trust, and promote meaningful interactions among members.
Community Development establishes community structure, belonging, and purpose to online communities and provides examples so that members feel a sense of community and are motivated to participate long-term.
Digital Community Engagement inspires member participation, encourages interaction among members, builds community loyalty, and enables online communities and examples to sustain consistent member activity and long-term member retention.
Community Management is responsible for fostering healthy interactions among all members by moderating content, facilitating the scalable growth of thriving online communities, and ensuring members trust and engage with one another.
Yes, small brands can build thriving online communities by effectively building them, intentionally engaging their digital communities, and proactively managing them.
This content was created by AI