Successful brands recognize that one of the keys to staying relevant and preserving a following means customer interaction not only with the brand itself, but also with each other. Online forums on Twitter, Facebook and LinkedIn, blogs, and other social media channels offer platforms for brands to provide a steady stream of content that encourages collaboration among members and builds trust and loyalty among customers, business partners and clients. Starting an online community right on your website is another option to consider.
Here are some tips for using communities to strengthen your online presence and keeping your members engaged:
1. Know Your Audience
Content creators for online communities associated with universities, non-profits, businesses and other common interest group should know their members from beginning to end. Engage as much as possible, without providing a sales pitch no one wants to hear. Be a regular participant in your community’s conversations and provide a wide variety of material that is relatable, interesting, and valuable to your target audience.
Take Gen Y, for example. This group is more highly focused on social media than any other generation. They want messages delivered concisely and as quickly as possible.
Consider your target demographic and make sure you can answer these questions:
- Why do people join your group? Find the common rationale and curate content that supports it. A great example is the medical device company Medtronic. Check out the “Community” page on the website. Medtronic’s online forums are geared towards people with diabetes. People who follow the brand do so to get updates on advancements in treatment, health tips, and to connect with others in a similar situation.
- Will this content engage your audience? Sift through the content you’ve already shared and see which posts received the most comments and/or started conversations. Follow your own trends and continue sharing the type of content that gets people talking.
- Do you have the right mix of content? Consider sharing a combination of written content such as blogs, videos, and visual information like photos and infographics. It keeps the news stream from being monotonous and entices people to click and share.
2. Set Goals
When building your community—just as you would with any organization—it’s important to strategize the desired outcome based on the metrics that are most important to you. Are you more concerned about the number of followers, types of followers, or the level of their engagement? Either way, identifying your goals and reevaluating them quarterly and/or yearly will be crucial in determining the success of your group’s social involvement.
3. Find the Middle Ground
“Too many choices can overwhelm us to the point where we choose nothing at all.” –Sheena Lyenger, “The Art of Choosing.”
Finding the happy medium for the quality of content you share will not only allow your community to grow closer with one another, but also grow in numbers. However, when there is too much content for users to look through, it can send the wrong message. Don’t over post or try to insert yourself into every conversation. Strike a nice balance between being present and not taking over the party.
For more good advice, check out this article on Huffingtonpost.com: How to Build a Community Online That Actually Cares About What You Have to Say.
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