The How and Why of Building Micro-Communities on Social Media
Nikki Carlson, ChicExecs Marketing Agency’s Co-Founder/Co-President, shares what you need to know about micro-communities and three ideas for starting a branded one on Forbes blog.
Today’s social media users tune out branded messages and promotions. Instead, they crave safety, privacy, community and connection. Social media users — and especially people under the age of 35 — want to relate to other people with similar interests and hobbies.
Social media mimics the real-world process of relationship-building, so it’s only natural that users want to join engaging communities.
As users change their behaviors, you have to change your behaviors as a business, too. By all means, continue posting to your Instagram account, but your team should also create micro-communities around your brand.
What are micro-communities?
Social media is crowded. Everybody has something to say, and it’s easy to feel lost in anonymity on these platforms. Your customers want online spaces where they can be raw and connect with others.
That’s precisely what happens in micro-communities. These exclusive online spaces bring your customers together for a shared purpose. For example, Glossier has a private Slack channel just for its top 100 customers.
If the time has come for you to create a micro-community, follow these three best practices to move forward in a genuine way:
1. Know your audience. Community-building starts with understanding the people you want in that community.
2. Choose the right platform. There are so many platforms available for your micro-community. To choose the right platform for your community, consider how your customers consume content.
3. Share experiences and stories. One of the best ways to create community is to invite your customers to a shared experience.
Read Nikki Carlson’s full blog for more on micro-communities and three ideas for starting a branded micro-community.
