Social media has changed the way people interact and connect. Today’s platforms love the idea of crafting communities that thrive, fostering a sense of belonging and shared experiences.
But as technology advances, the way we build communities changes.
In this post, we will delve into the future of community building on social media, exploring emerging trends, potential challenges, and different strategies that will help you succeed in building an active community.
The Evolving Landscape: From Followers to Members
Those of you who used social media platforms many years ago know how they focused on the follower count. To reach their potential audience, brands used to strive for the largest follower base.
However, today, the focus has shifted to building genuine connections and encouraging the feeling of belonging to a community.
These days, what most users care about is authenticity and interaction, looking for platforms that facilitate meaningful interaction and shared experiences.
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This shift is driven by several factors:
Algorithm changes: There are so many brands that post on social media regularly, and the algorithm has made it almost impossible to reach many people organically. Users are bombarded with content, and only the most engaging posts rise to the top of the feed.
Communities are a pretty new way brands can bypass algorithms and connect directly with people with specific interests.
People looking for niche communities: People are increasingly looking for communities that resonate with their interests, even very specific ones.
The desire for authenticity: Your eyes are used to skip inauthentic posts automatically when scrolling the feed. Consumers look for communities built on shared values and experiences that offer a space for genuine connection and trust.
The Future Trends of Communities
Several trends are shaping the future of community building as social media platforms adapt to user demands:
Change in content consumption: Many platforms change the way users consume content and focus on ephemeral content that disappears after a set time.
More live interactions: Live streaming has become very popular on platforms like Twitch, YouTube, and more.
Integration of Augmented Reality & Virtual Reality: Even though these technologies are still in their beginning, we can expect them to thrive in the future of connection and shared experience.
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Challenges and Considerations
The future of community building holds exciting possibilities, but there are also challenges to overcome. If you want to build a thriving online community, consider these considerations:
Focus on authenticity: Build trust with your community members and be transparent with them. That’s the key to creating engaging conversations.
Not letting toxicity win: Larget communities tend to have more toxic members. It’s important to fight the phenomenon with clear rules and community guidelines.
Content diversification: People want to see different content. To keep the community as engaged as possible, use different post types like videos/images/polls/live posts, events, and more.
Building a Thriving Community: Strategies for Success
What are the steps to building a successful social media community? The following are some practical strategies to consider:
Find the right niche: Define your target audience and their specific interests. Create a community that would contribute to them.
Choose the right platform: Creating a community can be done almost on any platform, so it’s important to choose the right platform where most of your target audience is.
Offer something different: What makes your community special compared to others? Emphasize it in your branding and content.
Focus on engagement: The most important thing is to have a high engagement rate. It’s better to post less content when it is highly engaging instead of posting a lot of content that nobody views.
Celebrate your members with a personal touch: Members are people, so treat them as real people by celebrating them and interacting with them personally.
Host events and activities: Such events contribute a lot to the feeling of belonging to the community. Create those events around specific topics your community members are interested in to increase responsiveness.
To conclude
The future of community building is fueled by many trends and technologies. However, the most important thing to remember is that people look for communities where they receive value and feel a part of it.
So what are you waiting for? It’s time to create your community 🙂
