In the world of entrepreneurship, building an audience online is often seen as the primary goal.
However, Nas.io's exploration of community versus audience sheds light on why cultivating a community yields greater rewards. Unlike passive audiences, online communities actively engage, forming deeper connections with your business that can drive growth.
In this article, we cover practical strategies for entrepreneurs to transition their audiences into communities.
Before you can transition your audience into an active community, you’ll need to know what you’re aiming for. An audience typically consumes content with minimal interaction, while a community engages in discussions, shares feedback and adds value to the community. Community members feel both a sense of belonging to the business and a connection with other members.
According to a Reddit report from 2019, in the U.S., 64% of online community visitors report frequenting online communities more often than they did just a few years prior, and 46% of users say these communities have become significantly more important to their lives over time.
We can only assume these numbers have increased greatly since the pandemic, as more people are drawn to online communities for genuine connection and self-expression
Some things you’ll notice from businesses with an active online community are:
Before you get too excited and start making the transition from audience to community, evaluate how your audiences currently engage with your brand online. What are your primary touchpoints, and how do they communicate with you?
The success of your community will depend on the participation of community members, so think carefully about how you’ll nurture authentic engagement and growth inside your community.
Community models to considerOnce you have a sense of how your audience is relating to your business online, you can take concrete steps to start planning your transition from audience to community.
Your community’s identity should be connected to your business goals and support what you’re already trying to achieve.
If your goal is to increase brand awareness then consider a brand community. This model is popular with companies ranging from major makeup companies to Canva, which brings together many of its users, from designers to teachers, and encourages them to share tips and strategies for using the app.
A learning community might be a good model if you want to tap into the passion of your audience and help them develop their knowledge and skills. Rosie Land is a knowledge-base and community for people who want to build communities.
Likewise, coffee master James Hoffman produces informative and entertaining how-to videos on all aspects of coffee and coffee making. The comments are full of viewers sharing their experiences and reactions.
There are a few other popular models for communities, including, but not limited to:
A community canvas is a helpful tool to visualize your community’s identity, the kind of experience you want to cultivate for members and the structure of the community you want to create.
Building a home for your communityThe old saying, "If you build it, they will come," is no guarantee that your audience will join or participate in your community.
Most people assume a community has to exist within a specific place—whether virtual or otherwise–but a community can thrive anywhere. Make building and maintaining an online community manageable by focusing on where you've already been cultivating your audience.
If you have an active social media presence, test out whether you can encourage UGC through posts and comments. Ask your audience to show how they use your product. Invite them to ask questions or even offer ideas for new products, features or services. Encouraging your audience to lean on one another is also a great way to start building meaningful engagement.
There are so many options for building a home for your community. Of course you can start with a private LinkedIn, Facebook or WhatsApp group, but there are also dedicated apps like Discord or Slack and community platforms like Mighty Networks or Patreon. Choose a platform that matches your capacity, both in budget and time management.
Creating a vibrant online community takes time and thoughtful planning. It should be built on genuine connections which have a higher likelihood to lead to consistent engagement.
As Nas.io's insights have shown, the rewards of community building far outweigh those of amassing a passive audience. By embracing this strategic shift, entrepreneurs unlock new opportunities for innovation, collaboration and success.
Digital Entrepreneur's editorial team includes Sharon Milone and Barrak Alzaid, with help from our friends at Redbrick, Danni Deguire and Rachel Aiken.