Let’s explore this trend in customer support, as well as other possibilities that virtual communities offer.
When we talk about communities, what are we talking about? Essentially, a community is a group of people united by something in common and that lives off the exchange of experiences, sharing of knowledge, mutual help and a sense of belonging.
Take the pulse of the public.
Control the positioning.
Produce the right content.
Increase engagement and loyalty.
Customer support and teaching resources.
Increase confidence and authority.
Constant communication.
Spontaneous feedback.
Conclusion
Communities in the virtual and business context can take many forms, but the principles are also the same. Think of LinkedIn groups , Github , Stackoverflow , subreddits , forums like Zwame or TugaTech , and so on.
In the context of IT companies, creating a community is about creating an ecosystem in which all stakeholders benefit. But how exactly do communities help IT companies?
Take the pulse of the public.
Communities are made up of a subsection of your target audience, so they are a good sample of what is going on with your general audience.
Control the positioning.
When the community is managed by the company, it begins to be part of the conversation, can assess its position and intervene, through content, when negative or erroneous conceptions arise that need to be corrected.
Produce the right content.
Armed with first-hand, spontaneous data, the Marketing team can draw up a content plan aligned with the information needs they have identified. This content energizes the community and makes it more attractive, leading to the acquisition of new members and potential customers.
Increase engagement and loyalty.
As organic reach on social media declines, many businesses are turning to communities. Exclusive events, early access to new products, targeted content, and showing that you value the investment and dedication of your members are all ways to increase engagement with your audience across channels and build brand loyalty.
Later , a social media management app, has a virtual community to discuss and suggest new features for the app. When a suggestion is accepted (and then launched) by the thailand telegram viral development team, the user is notified. This kind of care brings the company and customers closer together, generating more loyalty and even brand advocacy.
Customer support and teaching resources.
These communities often streamline customer support. One of the best examples we know of is Shopify ’s forum , which provides technical support from “Shopify Gurus” – independent experts who can be outsourced. Project management software Podio combines its community with knowledge bases , tutorials and webinars.
Increase confidence and authority.
We all recognize the importance of customer support and onboarding when it comes to the technology industry. Having good technical support, resources, and a community to help overcome challenges is a great way to build the trust and authority needed to drive purchase.
Constant communication.
At the Marketing level, communities are a channel that enables the company to constantly communicate with the public, educate and convert at a higher rate.
Spontaneous feedback.
One of the great advantages of having a community is that you can launch products, services or updates and receive spontaneous and immediate feedback. This allows you to quickly take action on areas that fell short of expectations.
But, as we’ve said, communities aren’t strictly for support. When you create a community , you should think about your goals. Based on these and the personas you want to attract, define your values and mission, as well as the format that best suits you.
There are brands that build a community centered around their products and services, but this isn’t always the ideal format to achieve their goals. That’s why more and more companies are creating communities based on a broader topic.
For example, the Content Marketing Institute’s LinkedIn group is about content marketing, not the brand or its courses. Rockcontent has created a community that aims to help copywriters in Latin America develop their skills and find work. In doing so, it indirectly introduces thousands of copywriters to its content management products.
Conclusion
Whatever the end goal or format, there are aspects of community management that don't change.
It is necessary to ensure alignment between members, that is, members must have at least one interest, need or motivation in common. This is essential to ensure that the community has legs to stand on and remains active.
You should also be clear about the problem you want to help solve. On the flip side, you need to align the company with the members and be transparent about what you want from the community: map out dissatisfaction? Collect suggestions? Provide technical support? Communicate news and make the community feel unique?
Ultimately, the community is an extension of your business, so it must respect a certain mission and values and have a voice/personality similar to that of other channels.