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| Whatever pursuit that you have online, you can have your online community as your support group behind you. |
In Seth Godin's book called “Tribes”, he argued that the Internet has ended mass marketing and revived a social unit from the past that is called, well, tribes. Because of these so-called “tribes”, ordinary people were given authority and power in the online world. In his book, he urged everyone to be “tribal chiefs” of their own online communities.
What is an online community?
An online community is an established online group of people who share common ideas and interests. As a blogger, I know how important it is to belong to an online community. In my own blogging community is where I can find my most passionate readers. This is also where I can find my best critiques, friends and mentors. This is because I have the same passion that these people have-blogging. I can sincerely say that if someone didn’t invite me to belong in a blogging community a couple of years ago, I may not be the digital influencer that I am now. This blog post is dedicated to helping people discover, or even establish, their own online community.
1. Begin with an idea or interest.
As defined, an online community is an established online group of people who share common ideas and interests. In order to find one, you must first be able to identify an idea or interest that you feel strongly about. Make a list of them if you need to and then examine them carefully, one by one.
2. Look at your phone book.
Before you go searching for clues online, I highly suggest that you exhaust all possibilities that you have offline. Look at your phone. What kind of people are you in touch with? What common ideas or interests connect you with each other? Are there people in your phone book who are mountaineers, photographers and teachers? Jot all these ideas and interests and start thinking from there.
3. Tell me who are your friends.
First, look at your current friends and repeat the questions asked to you from #2. What common ground can you find with them? Second, look at the people who are adding or following you. Are there any insights that you can draw from thinking what kind of people you “attract”? Why did you think they added or followed you? Do you have common ideas or interests that connect you with each other? Think along this line. Do this to your other friends and followers in Twitter, Instagram, Pinterest, LinkedIn, Google Plus and other Social Networking Sites (SNS).
4. The people and pages that you followed.
Now this is “their” turn. Turn the table around and look at the people and pages that you added or followed. Why did you add them? What “attracted” you to them? Who are your common friends?
5. The kind of blogs and websites you love to visit or write about.
If you are subscribed to or are currently writing on a blog, this will be extremely helpful for you. What kind of topics do you love to read, think or write about? Do you love fashion, gadgets and selling stuffs? What kind of people are subscribed to your blog (read: Liked your Page, followed your blog’s Twitter and etc.).
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Whether you are a blogger, entrepreneur, marketer or hobbyist, belonging or establishing your own online community will be immensely beneficial for you. If you are a blogger, your best readers, critiques and mentors are your fellow bloggers. If you are an entrepreneur, your next business partner, investor or supplier can be your fellow online community member. If you are a marketer, your next social media campaign must be rolled out to an online niche group that you have established. If you are a hobbyist, yes, your next best buddies can be in your online community too.
Whatever pursuit that you have online, for sure, you can have your online community as your support group behind you.
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Learn from the most influential "tribal chiefs" in the Philippines-slash-people behind successful online communities such as Mommy Mundo, Mercato Centrale, PhotoMarket Philippines and DigitalFilipino.com! Join the 2nd Digital Influencers Marketing Summit. For more information, please visit www.influencersummit.digitalfilipino.com.
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Join our blog communities online!
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To get Seth Godin's book "Tribes", please click the image below.
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Mark Delgado is a Certified Blog and Social Media Entrepreneur (CBSME) who is passionate about consultative works, creative writing, events management, ideation, startupreneurship, strategic marketing and training. He founded Mediactiv8, a startup social media marketing company that advocates digital marketing education and entrepreneurship in the Philippines. To see more of his works, please check out www.facebook.com/Mediactiv8.
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