Have you ever thought of turning your own community into a 6 figure side hustle?

Melissa started a local community Facebook group to help locals find out what's going on in town, recommend businesses to each other and work on initiatives together. This community group now provides her with a full time income and the flexibility to work when and where she wants.

You'll love that story.

We also chat about...

How to monetize a Facebook group
What to charge and to whom
The emotional side of being a group admin
The pros and cons of managing a community
How to stay on top of content

Enjoy this chat with Melissa, and please subscribe to us in iTunes if you enjoyed it!

Show notes and links from today's episode

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Key takeaways from our chat with Melissa
1 - A Facebook town group is essential for every community
Melissa believes every community should have a Facebook group with business recommendations, town information and events. She started her group 6 months before being laid off, and quickly realized she could turn this into a full time income. The group is linked to a website, has a daily e-newsletter and a business directory. The biggest bonus? Everyone in this group is a pre-targeted and interactive audience, a perfect location for businesses to advertise.
2 - How Melissa monetizes her group
Melissa started by offering listings for free, if a business is then interested in upgrading their listing, they can do so for an annual fee. She also has traditional web ads and sponsored stories. Her ad customers range from anything local, to people with side gigs, to realtors and anyone looking to help out. A sponsored story pays her $250, and with 20 stories a week, it's easy to see how this can quickly grow into a full time business.
3 - How you can get started too
Melissa had little Wordpress experience - she says that if you can navigate Google, you can set up a community Facebook group too. She recommends hiring help to manage the admin, and to have the right processes in place. Not all groups have to be local - pet and mom groups can be very successful too. If there already are Facebook groups in your area, assess them and see if you can add a bit more value. It does take time to build a community, but if you keep adding content and providing value, it can quickly blossom.
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