joinhampton.com - How to Build Community on a Membership Platform
Mar 28, 2023
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Tim Stoddart, a community-building guru, joins Ethan Brooks to dive into the art of fostering connections on Hampton. They discuss the unpredictable nature of social media and how viral moments can shape engagement. The duo shares strategies for building a founders' community, balancing automation with personal touch, and reducing loneliness among members. They also cover tools like Thredo for authentic communication and highlight the importance of storytelling in forging deeper community ties. Tune in for valuable insights on navigating the community landscape!
Social media engagement can be unpredictable, as demonstrated by a viral tweet that gained unexpected traction without a strategic plan.
Persistent content creation is crucial for online success, as initial silence from the audience can turn into positive responses over time.
Proactive community management through daily interactions and personal connections fosters a vibrant environment, enhancing member engagement and trust.
Deep dives
The Unpredictability of Viral Success
Social media success often comes without foresight or preparation, as demonstrated by a recent viral tweet about Tom from MySpace. The post, made without any expectation of impact, garnered significant engagement, highlighting the unpredictable nature of social media interactions. This incident exemplifies that success on platforms like Twitter is not always tied to a well-crafted strategy or extensive planning; sometimes, the simplest posts resonate most. Consequently, this unpredictability encourages individuals to continue sharing content freely rather than being overly strategic about each post.
The Importance of Consistency and Production
Maintaining an active presence on social media requires consistency and relentless content creation. The discussion emphasizes that creators should persist in producing material, as the public can respond to content in surprisingly positive ways after an initial silence. Encouragement comes from shared experiences where initial posts may seem unnoticed, but later gain traction and popularity unexpectedly. This underscores the need to keep producing and sharing, as the timing of audience engagement can vary widely.
Community Engagement Strategies
Building a thriving online community relies heavily on proactive engagement from the community manager. Tactics such as daily interactive posts, welcoming new members, and fostering connections through tagging promote vibrant discussions and a sense of belonging. Maintaining communication channels where members receive recognition for contributions reinforces relationships within the group, driving participation. Developing these conversational environments requires intentional effort to ensure that members feel valued and immersed in the community dynamics.
Leveraging Tools for Community Management
Using tools like Zapier and Thredo can enhance the management of community engagement and communication. These platforms allow for automation of welcome messages and streamlined tracking of member interactions, which can be essential as communities grow in size. With effective organization, community managers are better equipped to nurture relationships among members and offer personalized interactions. Automating certain tasks not only reduces manual workload but also helps in maintaining a dynamic and engaging community atmosphere.
Creating Value Through Vulnerability
Presenting personal experiences rather than generic advice helps establish a deeper connection within a community. This vulnerability allows members to relate more openly to shared challenges and successes, encouraging honest interactions. By emphasizing real stories, communities can differentiate themselves from others that may lack authenticity. Ultimately, this approach fosters trust and rapport among members, enhancing the overall cohesiveness and value of the community.
On this week's episode, Tim Stoddart (@timstodz) and Ethan Brooks (@damn _ethan), talk about what Ethan has been working. In this episode, Ethan goes into detail about how he has been building community at one of Sam Parr's newest ventures, Hampton.