Online communities are some of the most powerful tools available to creators and businesses today. They’ve become so important that many now see them as not just something to tack on to their communication strategy but something that’s essential and can become a standalone product with a bit of care and guidance.
Part of the reason so many different online communities are now becoming so popular is that the pandemic forced many to embrace a more digital lifestyle. However, the need was always there. Don’t believe us? Just look at Facebook or Instagram.
Humans are hardwired to be social creatures. Online communities just scratch that urge and provide people with more benefits than simply keeping them up to date with what a friend from high school is up to.
Instead, these different online communities bring together like-minded people that might never have had the chance to come across one another in the real world. There are online communities for side hustles, wellness, and just about any type of lifestyle you could think of.
There are so many different types of online communities that there’s really something for everybody. But we will cover some of the most popular and various aspects of each.
Types Of Online Communities
As we mentioned above, there are many different types of online communities, with more being made every day, but these are just some of the more common. It’s also good to keep in mind that not every community fits into just one category. There are many that blur the lines and could be considered two or more communities in one.
Group Coaching Community
Online communities dedicated to group coaching are some of the most popular out there. A group coaching community is simply a coach-led community that seeks to better themselves in one way or another.
These types of communities can include everything from fitness to career coaching communities. However, they’re usually led by one coach, who works with an entire group as opposed to working one on one with clients. In addition, community members can also benefit much more from one another in a group coaching community than they would if they took one-on-one classes.
These types of communities are also some of the easiest to format and offer courses supplemental courses for. However, they don’t work for everyone. Some people still prefer traditional face-to-face coaching.
If you’re a creator, it’s essential to think through and clearly understand what you would offer your community as a group coach. How would you facilitate community conversations? What could you offer that nobody else could? And how will your coaching structure work? These are all things a coach should think about before starting a group coaching community to ensure it thrives.
Characteristics & things to keep in mind
- Group coaching communities are led by one coach
- These communities must offer some kind of coaching service or courses
- Coaches work with a group of clients and facilitate conversations among the community
- It’s important to clearly think through and understand what you could offer people that nobody else could
Masterminds Community
A masterminds community is much less nefarious than it sounds. In fact, it’s probably one of the most helpful types of communities out there. These are basically communities of like-minded people that come together to share advice and discuss a specific topic. The term was first coined in 1925 by someone studying the success of business owners like Henry Ford.
Think of these sort of like a place where you can go to meet all of those important mentors and contacts you were supposed to meet during university. Mastermind communities were formed to target things like business and entrepreneurship, but other mastermind communities have been popping up lately, focusing on just about anything.
Instead of having a leader that teaches the entire community, like in a group coaching community, online mastermind communities are more of a community endeavor. The host might work to facilitate conversations, but at the end of the day, the community members are the one’s reaching out to make connections, give advice, offer support, brainstorm answers to a topic, and ultimately learn from one another.
Characteristics & things to keep in mind
- Online mastermind communities are groups of like-minded people that get together over a topic and offer support, connections, and ideas.
- Community members are responsible for coming up with and engaging in conversations
- One of the biggest advantages of a masterminds community is the ability to learn from many different people
Content Community
Content communities are basically exactly what they sound like: places for creators to share their content with one another. When you think of something like this, you might think of traditional social media, but that’s not always the case.
For example, a site like Facebook can have an online group where people practicing in a particular medium, let’s say writers, meet up to share and get feedback on their work. However, Facebook itself is not a content community. These types of communities also benefit from hosts or community managers who work to create an inclusive environment.
Online content communities can exist to bring together people practicing a certain medium, like photography, or people interested in a specific subject, like landscape photography. The most important aspect of these online communities is that creators are there to learn from one another, share their work, and explore the ideas of others.
Characteristics & Things To Keep In Mind
- Content communities for creators of all types, whether they work with text, photography, video, or audio
- Members of these communities join to learn from one another, share their work, and get feedback
- Hosts can help facilitate conversations, but content communities work off the energy of community members, similar to mastermind communities
- An inclusive and open atmosphere is doubly essential in content communities
Online Forum
Odds are, most people out there are already familiar with online forums. Think platforms like Reddit and sites that allow people to talk and share photos about fixing cars or men’s style. These are all considered online forums.
The main purpose of these types of online communities is to provide a place for people to gather and share their love for a topic. That can take the form of sharing expertise, asking questions, or just having a chat about something.
While Reddit is probably the most popular online forum, there are thousands of smaller forums out there. For example, you’ve probably asked a question using Google and found an answer through an online forum before. There are online forums about nearly everything out there.
Aspects of forums are often found in other types of online communities, as well. For example, pretty any community that provides members with a place to ask questions or share their love for a brand could technically be considered to have a forum. At the end of the day, it’s people’s love for something that brings them to online forums, where they meet with others who have the same interest.
Characteristics & things to keep in mind
- Online forums are places where people gather to discuss and share experiences about pretty much any topic
- People who join forums, big or small, join because they care about a specific topic
- Many different online communities share aspects of online forums
Event Community
When we say online event communities, we’re not talking about an exclusive site that tells you about all the local parties happening over the weekend (though that’s not a bad idea). We’re talking about virtual conferences. That might not sound as exciting as a party, but it’s actually a pretty powerful tool.
Think about it for a second. For all its ills (no pun intended), the pandemic has changed conferences for the better. Now, instead of being held in one place, they can be held online, where anyone with interest in the topic can join. There’s also no longer any reason the conversation can’t continue after the conference officially ends.
For example, creators and businesses that host online event communities can now follow up with attendees, and attendees can do the same if they have a question, want to continue the discussion, or just want to reach out for a contact they forgot to take. Platforms also provide event communities with a place to store all of their resources.
It’s important to remember that online event communities can be large or small. They also usually include a live streaming portion and can involve networking sessions, forums, and other side events.
Characteristics & things to keep in mind
- Event communities are basically places to host virtual seminars
- These communities bring together small or large groups of people to network and discuss different fields, products, or topics
- Online event communities produce value by allowing conversations to continue long after a live event has ended
- There is no single format for online events, and they can resemble anything from a traditional panel discussion to lectures and Q&As
Conclusion
There are tons of different types of communities out there, each specializing in something just a little bit different. However, they all need to provide their members with a platform that meets their needs and provides them with value.
That’s why Nas has built a platform from the ground up with communities in mind. The platform gives hosts and their communities access to things like built-in payment features, tailor-made resources, Nas Academy courses, expert advice, and a whole network of other like-minded creators. No matter what type of online community you want to start, Nas has you covered.
