The reasons why 2023 should be the year when entrepreneurs should build an online community
We at i-Club believe in the power of online community because we see the incredible ways it transforms Heroes business and their lives (watch the video above and check it out for yourself)!
With 41 percent of US creators running websites or blogs that reach out to their audience in addition to social media, online communities that are private can be a great next step to distinguish yourself, have more impact and increase your income.
For creators and coaches, online communities are key in diversifying your revenue while giving you the ability to control your customers' interactions and content.
Additionally, big businesses are increasingly realizing the benefits of taking an method of community-driven approach to growth, helping customers improve engagement with their company, become more adaptable, and overcome challenges more easily.
Twenty-three is expected to see this trend continue and grow, which will mean tons more options for people to pick from. Therefore, the earlier you begin creating your own community the more effective!
In this article this article, we'll discuss the reason the online community has become so popular and how you can benefit from their indisputable benefits for your business.
The growth of online communities
"To create a strong brand requires a community. Once you've got the community you need, you'll have a customer for life because they are forming relationships and establishing support structures." Dexx Williams, Author and Sales Funnel Investigator. Dexx Williams, Author of the Best-Sellers and Sales Funnel Investigator
Companies and organisations of all shapes and sizes recognize the value of building more connections with their customers and patrons. The best method to accomplish this is by utilizing communities on the internet.
In 2021, the majority of businesses believed that having a community was crucial to their purpose and 69% of them were contemplating an increase in their budget to maximize their community-building strategy. By 2022, between 79% and 95% of organizations (depending on their growth phase) had the support of a committed community staff.
In 2022, the market for creators increased to 50 million creators active with a market size estimated at $104.2 billion, more than double its value since 2019. The number continues to grow. In the wake of this increase, online communities are poised to keep increasing their popularity by 2023.
In the end: Online communities are increasing. Businesses are using them as part of their strategy for business to establish lasting connections with their clients. Content creators and coaches also use them to take control of their content as well as monetize their audiences more efficiently.
What are the benefits of online communities?
"Community is the foundation that keeps my company together. It is a joy to be part of Communities since it allows me to control everything on my site without having to use Social Media." -- Chelsie Kenyon, Marketing Specialist and Certified Coach
With dedicated communities, coaches and creators can connect with their followers and earn money from their efforts in a sustainable manner, with full control. They're also a great way to increase brand awareness and customer loyalty, maximize growth opportunities, and even scale customer support.
Private online communities can also be an alternative to social media sites which make it difficult for creators through continual algorithm adjustments and intricate and inconsistent rules.
Another problem is that social platforms can be undergoing major disruption like, for instance, Twitter, or worse, they can even crumble and collapse, like Vine. Establishing your own community helps you keep your fingers off the danger of loss of the connections and content that you've put so much effort into build.
It also causes people into distractions, and the majority of people are tired of receiving adverts. People are looking for an authentic connection instead of being sold to. That's why these communities have been growing in popularity. They're the best way to establish trusting, authentic connections between members and creators.
Bottom line: Organizations of all size and types are aware of the positive effect that community-based online interactions can have on their revenues, reputation, and impact. Communities online are also an excellent option for creatives and help them navigate the ever-changing, complex algorithms and rules of social media which result in revenues being lost.
Six advantages of online communities
Communities on the internet offer a myriad of benefits beyond connecting and engaging with your customers. Here are six of the most important advantages.
- Discover more effective ways to engage with your community. Online communities bring you more insight into your target audience than any other marketing strategy that you can use, with 86 percent of brand managers saying they've gained "deeper/richer understanding of customer requirements." 82% report that they've gained the "ability to be open and able to answer new questions," which ultimately helps in leveraging your products and enhance your relationship with your clients.
- Set yourself apart from other companies. Not everybody uses online community platforms to connect with their audience, so you'll stay ahead of your competitors when you create the space for your customers to gather, share ideas as well as interact with you and each other.
- Bring in potential members. Thriving communities possess energy and vitality that members want to share with their fellow members. If members are experiencing a positive experience, finding connections, and seeing results, they'll be more likely to recommend your community to others and aid in the growth of your business.
Summary The idea of creating an online community is a great method to engage with your customers and grow your business. It allows you to take charge of your content and your connections with customers in addition to engage your audience in a deeper and meaningful manner.
The reason Communities is key for the success of your business
Online community platforms are a great tool to make money from your followers and to connect with your audience.
Our enhanced community features allow you to connect and collaborate with your members unlike ever before. You can host and record sessions and live events and networking events to run challenges, and even make your events more gamified, provide live chat in real time, and much more. What are the new features? How do they perform? Look over Tina Tower's walk through of the updated community experience here!
You can now manage your community, events communication, as well as coaching programs, in one place, without having to rely on social media, or relying on an intricate tech stack.
"The factors that allow people to communicate with one another are built right in. It's simple, and it's fun and, when you pair it with all the ways that we can work to bring connect people in one location It's just made to allow us to have the biggest impact we can on those we help." - David Levin, Author & Founder of Raise Your Inner Game