Does your online community care? One of these three thoughts instantly crossed your mind. It was either:
- I don’t have an online community
- Of course, they love me
- No, they don’t and I forgot the passwords anyway
None of these thoughts will lead to a engaged online community, so let’s begin with the first one.
“I don’t have an online community”
If this is you, then make it a top priority to get one going as soon as possible. Even if you think your business doesn’t need a social media presence or a blog or a website, it does. Building an online community means identifying, reaching out to, and entering into relationships with the online component of the diverse pieces that compose the sphere of your business. This will not only build your brand and widen your reach, but it will help fulfill the purpose your company set out to accomplish in the first place.
“Of course, they love me”
How do you know? This might burst a few bubbles, but thousands of friends don’t mean a thing in the social media world. The average Facebook user is shown 1,500 pieces of content out of the thousands of posts they have liked, commented on and people they follow. The chance that you are making a real connection to everyone on your friends list is very unlikely and even if they do see it, the chances of them actually commenting is even bleaker. To truly discover how well you are doing, make sure you are using the correct tracking/data collecting tools and that your content is genuine and thoughtful.
Related Article: How to Turn Your Best Customers into Referral Machines
“No, they don’t and I forgot the passwords anyway”
This is a clear indication that your digital marketing needs to be revisited and revamped. A thriving online community is not merely a large quantity, it is superior quality that drives people to your social media and eventually to be loyal customers. You need to identify your audience, listen to what gets them excited and then build a significant presence. An absent, abandoned account might actually be worse than not having one at all. Treat it just as you would for any other part of your marketing plan—it is just as important.
Hopefully, after carefully rethinking the approach to your online community, the only thought you have now is, “I care about my online community and I will consistently strive to make it the best it can be.”
