The word 'community' is often misused by communications professionals, many of whom fail to grasp the fundamental nature of community and how to leverage it. But when deployed strategically, with a clear purpose and focus on the members not the administrator, online communities can provide huge business value.

In this episode of the Digital Download podcast I talk to Gemma Went, a digital strategist who has built a successful mentoring business by building a vibrant online community. We discuss what role communities can play in the marketing process, how much time and effort it takes to build and maintain a valuable online community, how being true to yourself and vulnerable builds intimacy, and ultimately how to monetise a community.

Here's what we discussed in this episode:

What the reasons are for building an online community
Why it's good to be real and vulnerable inside of your community
Why self-doubt is a natural part of building a community
Why choosing the right platform for your community is so important
The value of Facebook Groups
How to grow a Facebook Group
Why 1000 is the magic number for communities
How being present and being yourself drives intimacy and sales
What role Facebook Pages now play in marketing communications
How advertising supports Facebook communities
How to identify and activate superfans
Why you only need a few superfans to be successful
How to use funnels and lead magnets in combination with online communities
Why community building is a long term activity not a quick fix
How to use your community to grow your community!

 
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