Are you looking for a way to generate more leads? Do you want to grow your social media following? Have you been struggling with how to create an online community that people will be interested in and engaged in the content on your site? You're not alone.

If you're considering building an online community, we've covered everything you need to know.

What is considered an online community?

To help build an online community, let's review what an online community is. An online or virtual community is no different than a "real life" community away from your phone or computer. It's a shared space where people come together to share common interests, learn from one another, and find kinship. 

Communities need to be inclusive: they're built by people with diverse opinions who are willing to work together for a common goal or purpose. The better an online community reflects that diversity in opinion, experience, and perspective amongst its members, the stronger it will become over time.

What are examples of online communities?

- Forums

Community forums are online platforms with the ability to post and reply to threads.

- Social Media Platforms

Social media platforms, such as Facebook or Instagram, are online communities that allow members to communicate with each other via posts.

- Blogs

Blogs consist of ongoing conversations about a topic on the blog's website. Posts usually have comments enabled, so people participating in the community can interact with others' thoughts.

- Chat Apps

Chat apps offer different ways for their users to chat with one another privately or publicly through live chats, video calls, and messages.

- Online Dating Sites

Online dating sites are online communities that connect people for the purpose of finding romance.

How do you build a strong community online?

- Start by building a platform where people can have meaningful discussions on topics that interest them.

- You want to make sure you're giving your community the opportunity for in-depth conversation and allowing everyone to share their thoughts, opinions, beliefs, questions, and ideas - no matter how different they may be from one another's.

- Set up groups or communities around specific interests so people who are interested in those same subjects can connect with each other more easily. These smaller areas within your online space will also help keep conversations focused only on certain topics if needed.

- Make your community interactive and encourage people to share their opinions.

- You want to provide an environment where it's okay for everyone, no matter what they say, to feel respected and valued - even if there are some disagreements.

* [Tip] One idea is to use a public forum or chat room as the entry point so new members can get comfortable before diving into more serious discussions in other areas of the site.

- Create a forum that's easy to use and navigate.

* [Tip] For example, you can provide full-text search capabilities or tags so members can find what they're looking for quickly. And if there are too many posts in one area, consider adding sorting features like date of post, title, subject matter, etc.

- Give members the tools to stay connected, such as forums where topics are constantly updated with new content; member activity feeds which show recent posts by other community members right on your dashboard - even mobile apps that help keep conversations going while away from home or at work!

What are the benefits of online communities to entrepreneurs?

• Networking opportunities

• Learning from success stories and failures 

• Access to resources, support, and knowledge.

• Inspiration

• Get feedback on ideas, products, and services.

• Connect with people who are going through the same things as you. 

• Share your ideas and own lessons in a supportive environment.

Why should entrepreneurs build an online community now?

Here are the top five reasons:

1. It's 2021- The world's gone digital and we're all living in at least one online community. More than 80% of people are online and, according to recent studies, 72% of them spend their time on social media and other apps like Facebook or Twitter.

2. The benefits of building an online community for your business outweigh the disadvantages because it can be accessed anywhere at any time with the use of smartphones, laptops, or tablets.

3. You'll find that you are able to communicate more effectively with your customers through an online community as opposed to social media platforms such as Facebook or Twitter.

4. Your business will benefit from increased brand equity by having loyal followers who feel like part of your team and want to help you succeed.

5. Building an app is a great way for entrepreneurs in 2021 not only to create this type of community, but also to make their business more accessible to customers.

What makes an online community successful?

What makes an online community successful? There's no one answer but here’s what I think:

1) Community Guidelines

Having clear guidelines in place from the start can help prevent group members from becoming disengaged when others break some kind of rule (even if they don't realize it). It may sound less interesting than saying 'Be nice', however, practical advice like setting up rules such as "only post once a day" can help keep the community focused on that one thing.

The only post once a day

No spamming or self-promotion

The list goes on and it's up to you what your rules will be, but just make sure they're clear from the start so everyone knows where you stand.

2) Designing for the web behavior of your audience

A successful internet commune is one that can maintain and foster engagement. This means designing for your audience's web behavior, with thoughtful prompts to keep them from getting bored or frustrated during their visit to your site.

There are many aspects you will need to consider, such as:

• post frequency, number of posts per day/week;

• content management tools like tags and categories, so users can find relevant information easily;

• commenting functionality which facilitates discussion among members without relying too heavily on emailing back-and-forth; and

• reputation systems that allow posters to be recognized by other contributors in order to promote constructive dialogue while discouraging harassment towards anyone involved in discussions about any topic.

3) Security and privacy features

Security and privacy are critical for the success of any online community.

Safety is key when you're on the internet; no one wants their confidential data like credit card information or passwords being hacked into by criminals! Most people would rather not share too much about themselves either, so it's important for them to feel in control of who has access to what private information they choose to disclose.

4) A moderation system that allows you to remove disruptive or abusive content

Otherwise, your online community will be bombarded by these types of messages that can make it difficult for people who are trying to communicate their thoughts or feelings in a safe space.

5) Live chat with a real person, not just an automated bot

It's not just about chatting with a bot, it is also very important to have someone at the other end that can help you out when necessary. People need interactions and conversations - two-way ones.