If you're not getting the same results with your marketing – and that includes your social media marketing – you might want to think about building or being involved in an online community.

Online communities are a great way to connect with people who share interests, learn new things, and be able to visit with others. It's not so threatening to get involved with an online community because you can control your involvement and conversations. And it's not a sales-driven forum, either.

You might want to consider some of the benefits of starting an online community:

• Build a community of like-minded people: Online communities can help you connect with people who share similar interests. This can be a great way to make friends, learn new things, and get support.
• It can be a trusted source of help and support: Online communities can be a great place to get help and support. If you're struggling with something, you can ask for help from other members of the community.
• Share your knowledge and expertise: If you're an expert in something, you can share your knowledge and expertise with others in the community. This can be a great way to give back and help others.
• Get feedback: Online communities can be a great way to get feedback on your work or ideas. This feedback can help you improve your work and make better decisions.
• Promote your business or organization: If you have a business or organization, you can use an online community to promote your products or services. This can help you reach a wider audience and generate more leads.

If you're thinking about starting an online community, here are a few things to keep in mind:

• Start with a clear purpose: What do you want your community to achieve? Who is it for? What is the value of the community? Once you know the answers to these questions, you can start to create content and activities that will help you achieve your goals.
• Make it easy to join: create a visible presence and an inviting process to sign up. Promote your community through your website, social media, and other channels.
• Be active and engaged: Respond to questions, participate in discussions, and share content. This will show people that you're committed to making the community a success.
• Moderate effectively: Set clear rules and guidelines for behavior, and enforce them consistently. This will help to create a safe and welcoming environment for everyone.
• Provide additional, consistent value: give them content which is more than what they expect.  Provide in-person events, engaging online-based sessions, and even offer some giveaways!

Starting an online community can be a lot of work, but it can also be a lot of fun. If you're willing to put in the effort, it can be a valuable asset for you and your community.

Here are some additional tips for starting an online community:

• Choose the right platform: There are a number of different platforms that you can use to host an online community. Choose one that's right for your needs and budget.  If you need help finding the right one, let us know here at OnlineAdvisor by messaging us or emailing us at info@onlineadvisor.com.
• Promote your community: Once you've created your community, let people know about it. You can promote your community through your website, email blasts, social media, and other channels.
• Be patient: It takes time to build a successful online community. Don't get discouraged if you don't see results immediately. Just keep working at it and you'll eventually see success.

If you need help building a great online community, contact us at info@onlineadvisor.com.  We have some powerful resources, including courses, webinars, service providers and strategic partnerships, which will make your experience a great one!