You may have heard the term “tribes” which Seth Godin coined in his book of the same name. He speaks of Tribal Management and mentions, “What people really want is the ability to connect to each other, not to companies. So the permission is used to build a tribe, to build people who want to hear from the company or cause because it helps them connect, it helps them find each other, it gives them a story to tell and something to talk about.” This is the essence of an online community.

What Is An Online Community?

An online community is similar to the tribe concept as it is a place for a group of people with similar interests to congregate, share and learn from one another, but especially to grow as a result of the community. It is a place where a brand can connect with their existing clients, build relationships and brand loyalty. It can also be an engaging platform to introduce prospects to your business products and services. Or a community designed by a business for employee training and updating on company developments and giving employees a voice in various discussion forums. Another use could be for non-profits to enliven a community and organize grassroots activities. A musician could leverage a community to nurture their fan base and share exclusive songs and videos for members only. As you can see the list of possibilities is as endless as one’s imagination.

Elements of a Effective Online Community

A robust online community should include:

•   a blogging platform

•   email marketing

•   discussion forums

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