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TheBigK

At what point in your business journey, do you think about building a community?

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They can steal your features; but they can't steal your community. Having spent over a decade building online communities; I can tell you - nothing really beats the RoI from community. I strongly feel every business should build a community around their business and have a platform where their users can freely talk, exchange ideas and offer feedback. I wish to know - at what point in your business journey do you think about building a community?

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George B. Aleesu
I agree totally. We are building out community along! We hope it brings in high ROI for our project.
TheBigK
@rhexai - Perfect! Can I take a look at your community? I've been building community for over 15 years and can discuss a few growth strategies for your community.
George B. Aleesu
@thebigk Absolutely! We have a community on whatsapp for now. I'll contact you via LinkedIn so that I get you in!
Umair Zubair
Early Stage Vision: From the outset, consider how your business could benefit from a community. Even in the early stages, envisioning the type of community you want to build and its potential role in your business can shape your strategies and decisions.
TheBigK
@umair_zubair1 - Interesting. I firmly believe that community building should start even before you build your product or service. What do you think is the biggest obstacle in starting a community at early stage of your business?
Markk Tong
Building a community around a business is indeed a powerful way to connect with users and create a loyal following. In my experience, I believe that thinking about building a community should start from the very beginning of the business journey. It's essential to consider how to engage and connect with users right from the early stages, as this can have a significant impact on the long-term success of the business. By creating a platform for users to freely communicate, share ideas, and provide feedback, businesses can foster a sense of belonging and ownership among their users. This not only enhances the overall user experience but also provides invaluable insights for product improvement and innovation. I'd love to hear more about your experiences and thoughts on building communities around businesses. It's always inspiring to learn from others who have dedicated themselves to this important aspect of business growth. Looking forward to exchanging more ideas with you!
TheBigK
@markk0217 - I agree 100%. How did you select the platform for your business? Would love to know the thought process that went into picking up the platform for your business.
Rick Fan
Yes, we should build a community. Different types of products will lead to different kinds of communities, and there will be differences between solo development and team collaboration. Generally speaking, in the early stages of a product, the focus should be on the product itself and the community should mainly collect feedback. Once the user base reaches a certain scale, we can appropriately increase user engagement activities.
TheBigK
@rick_fan - That's an interesting take. I like having a razor sharp focus on building product and building a community to collect feedback. How are you building a community for your brand; and how do you motivate users to provide feedback? Is there any special tool you are using to build your community?
Rick Fan
@thebigk I'm more inclined towards social platforms like Reddit, Discord, or Twitter, as they can help garner more attention. To motivate users to provide feedback, the most important thing is to offer immediate responses and serve them with an honest and positive attitude, making them feel valued and helping them realize that their feedback is effective for the product.
TheBigK
@rick_fan - I'm working on a community platform that combines multiple user engagement tools like: discussions, feedback, changelog, blog, events on one platform. Do you think it's something you might want to consider for community building? Let me know.
TheBigK
@rick_fan - thank you for replying. The tool is more like twitter + reddit + userVoice [+ blog, events, changelog etc.] combined under one roof but for your own domain and users. You can white-label it as well. It can be used to offer support for your product and facilitate discussions around your niche. Plus, it naturally builds on strong SEO foundation; and you own the experience you wish to offer to users. Can we connect over LinkedIn or Twitter? I can show it to you and get some feedback.
Vincent Delitz
@thebigk I wish I would have started earlier with building a community and really helping people solve their issues - often the real solution to their problem comes only through community interaction.
TheBigK
@vdelitz - Interesting. You are absolutely right. What kind of community are you building, what are your biggest challenges in growing your community? Would love to know.
Vincent Delitz
@thebigk I'm building a community around passkeys (new form of authentication). Biggest challenge is actually keeping the community members engaged. What are yours?
TheBigK
@vdelitz - I'm guessing passkeys.com? I'm currently building a community around SaaS business; and I'm at a phase where I'm building traffic to community. The challenge #2 will be working on engagement. It's easy when you have some traffic and eyeballs on the community. I typically go in phases, when building a community. It's a slightly longer process; but ensures community success. Would love to share a few ideas around keeping users engaged. Feel free to connect with me over LinkedIn or Twitter (@thebigk)
Vincent Delitz
@thebigk Haha that's a competitor's website actually. I'm building a passkeys community on Slack I've added you on Twitter :)
TheBigK
@vdelitz Oops! Thank you. Let's connect and chat because I think Slack may not be a long-term community solution for you.
I used to think about features/code first. Now I think about distribution aka community first. Lesson learned the hard way :(
TheBigK
@jgani - Yep, I think most of us have learned it the hard way. How are you approaching community building for your business?
TheBigK
@jgani - that's interesting. Any thoughts on building a community on your own platform?
William Davis
Product Development: As you develop your product or service, think about the user experience and how a community could enhance it. Seeking feedback from potential users or customers can aid in understanding their needs and desires, laying the foundation for community-building efforts.
TheBigK
@william_davis16 - I've spoken with a few product developers. It's hard to convince people to join your community when you are very early in the product development. What do you think is the best way to handle this problem?
Aryan Kohli
It's a continuous journey, keep evolving and adapting your community to ensure its long-term success.
Cavan
Focus on value first, build genuine connections, and the community will grow organically.
Fitz Dupuy
Don't be afraid to experiment, try new things and see what resonates.
Judith Clary
of course if u want to make your business bigger you need community
Ioannis Tsiokos
"community building" is like my 2024 resolution. I am working on starting youtube+tiktok to share all the things I am working on. Here is my thinking: with AI enabling any of us to become solopreneurs, and with AI gradually diminishing our "brain value", there are only a few safe things we can invest in and keep to ourselves like land and humanity. The later includes friends and community. Good luck to us all :-D
TheBigK
@ioannis_tsiokos - haha; yeah. In the world of AI, communities will keep humans intact. Any thoughts on building a community on your own, whitelabel platform?
Ioannis Tsiokos
@thebigk that's another point (whitelabel platform), I think that, to maximize the chances of success (or survival) we have to focus on building platforms as tools, or platforms around tools, not just tools.
Ghost Kitty
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TheBigK
@zackary_mendez - Wow, that's even better. Do you recommend setting up a community platform or building it on existing social networks like FB or Twitter?
Ghost Kitty
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TheBigK
@samber_samsa - I agree. Do you think it's better to host your community on your own domain or build it on a social platform? My opinion is that you need to own your community and not be bounded by the rules and policies of social media platforms. Would love to know your thoughts.
Sandhana Arkish
Brand Building: A community can significantly contribute to your brand's strength and recognition. Invest in building a community that aligns with your brand values, fostering a positive reputation and increasing brand loyalty among customers.
TheBigK
@sandhana_arkish - That's totally true and I've experienced the benefits of community building. One common problem is that it's difficult to get first few users to your community. How do you solve that problem for your business?
Ghost Kitty
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TheBigK
@sandra_addison - Indeed; continuous user feedback is the backbone of successful product building. Do you have an existing community? Would love to know how are you approaching community building for your business/brand.
Sansa Grey
Long-Term Sustainability: Building a community is a long-term investment. Continuously nurture and grow it by providing value, fostering meaningful interactions, and empowering members. As your business evolves, so should your community strategy to ensure it remains relevant and supportive.
TheBigK
@sansa_grey - Very valid and interesting point. Yes, community is a long-term investment. However, it's difficult to build a successful community because the RoI isn't immediate. Are you actively building a community? What are the top challenges you are facing in building your community?
Remember, community is more than just numbers, it's about genuine connections and shared values.
TheBigK
@amy_g_debnam - I agree. Do you think the choice of platform is important in building a community where people feel connected and have a sense of purpose and shared values?
Kane
Launching soon!
Of course. So where should we build?
TheBigK
@blueeon - There are several tools available to build a community. I generally recommend building a community open to public. I'm not a big fan of building a community on slack or discord.
Christin Koehler
Don't be afraid to say no, protect your community from negativity and toxicity.