One key piece of advice we keep hearing lately is, build an online community if you want to reach more prospects and grow your business. Which made us start to wonder, is the way that people interact with each other online and particularly on social media beginning to change? And it turns out that the answer is yes! According to stats from RescueTime, the average smartphone user generally spends an average of three hours and 15 minutes on their phones every day, with the top 20% of smartphone users spending up to four and a half hours per day. These stats come as no surprise because we already know that people still choose to spend a lot of time on their smartphones browsing the internet every day, but here is the key takeaway, it’s the way that they are choosing to spend their time online that is different from the past.
Some recent evidence below suggests that the way we are choosing to interact online and on social media as a society is changing.
So what is causing this shift? Or rather who is causing this shift? Younger audiences according to Harvard Business Review. They say that “after years spent constructing carefully curated online identities and accumulating heaps of online “friends,” they want to be themselves and make real friends based on shared interests. They’re also craving privacy, safety, and a respite from the throngs of people on social platforms — throngs that now usually include their parents.”
After reading that statement, it’s fair to assume that there is a felt need for change concerning interactions among younger people on the internet which caters to more privacy and intimacy. Evidence suggests that they are also keen to create connections that are more authentic and relatable in nature. So if this is where the trend is heading, it makes sense to start rethinking current approaches around attracting prospects and leads in order to attract a new, younger audience. To get started, one would need to gain a deeper understanding of how these more closed, more private online spaces work.
So let’s review the basics.
What is an online community?
An online community is a space where people who share common interests can gather to build relationships, share advice and form a general discussion. They exist in many forms like comment sections of social media and blog pages, online forums and basically anywhere that provides a safe, inclusive environment where people’s thoughts and feelings can be shared.
According to FastCompany, 63% of people prefer sharing and talking about content in private channels, and further claims that the trend only stands to accelerate in the year 2021, which is an interesting titbit to note and serves as more evidence that suggests that people are looking to shrink their online circles.
Why should I create an online community?
1. It magnifies your brand
The main benefit is that it puts your brand at the centre. If you invest time in growing your community and provide helpful answers to people’s questions, your members will feel valued and begin to respect you as an industry leader. They will be encouraged to spark and continue the conversation on your group and may even choose to invite others to join to become new members. Later on, you will see that your group will start to gain some momentum and begin to grow on its own, and at that point, you can step back to fulfil a more managerial role, by monitoring discussions and so on, if you choose.
2. It offers valuable insights
In an online community, people will often share their, needs, interests, demographics, pain points and concerns, etc. all the time on groups, which is good news for your brand because it means that you can benefit from the helpful insights. These insights are indeed priceless because you can use them to refine your offering if needed. They can also answer more detailed questions like, What could I do better in my business? And how could I refine my product or service to better suit my customers or clients? Owning a group allows you to easily use qualitative data to improve your overall business model if that is the goal.
3. Enables free promotion, retention and loyalty
Word of mouth is arguably one of the most valuable marketing tools out there and when you build an online community, that’s just what you will get! A bunch of like-minded fans who will gladly talk about and share your group with others because they find value in your content and contributions and appreciate the fact that your brand cares and takes the time to answer their burning questions while providing value along the way. If you manage your online community well and treat people with kindness and respect, your group will grow and flourish.
