How to Build an Online Community Around Virtual Events

Virtual events have exploded in popularity, offering incredible opportunities to connect with audiences globally. But a successful virtual event isn’t just about the event itself; it’s about fostering a thriving online community before, during, and long after the last session ends. This article dives deep into event planning strategies for building a robust online community centered around your virtual events. We’ll explore why it’s crucial, how to do it effectively, and provide actionable steps and examples to get you started.

Why Build an Online Community for Virtual Events?

Building an online community around your virtual events offers numerous benefits that extend far beyond a one-time attendance boost. It’s about creating a loyal following, fostering engagement, and amplifying your event’s impact.

• Increased Engagement: A community provides a platform for attendees to interact with each other, speakers, and your brand. Pre-event discussions, Q&A sessions during the event, and post-event follow-ups keep the conversation flowing and increase overall engagement.
• Enhanced Networking Opportunities: Virtual events can sometimes feel isolating. An online community creates a space for attendees to connect, share ideas, and build relationships that extend beyond the event itself. This networking aspect is a huge draw for many participants.
• Long-Term Value & Loyalty: A community isn’t just for the duration of the event. It allows you to nurture relationships, gather feedback, and build loyalty with attendees, turning them into repeat participants and brand advocates.
• Increased Brand Awareness: An active and engaged community amplifies your brand’s reach. Members share their experiences, promote your event, and attract new participants through word-of-mouth marketing.
• Valuable Feedback & Insights: The community provides a continuous stream of feedback on your virtual events. You can learn what attendees enjoyed, what they found challenging, and what they’d like to see in future events. This feedback is invaluable for improving your offerings and tailoring them to your audience’s needs.
• Content Amplification & Promotion: Your community becomes a built-in marketing engine. Members can share event highlights, promote upcoming events, and contribute their own content related to the event’s theme.
• Deeper Learning & Knowledge Sharing: A community fosters a culture of learning and knowledge sharing. Attendees can share their expertise, ask questions, and learn from each other, enriching the overall event experience.
• Sustainable Event Model: By having a loyal community, you create a more sustainable event model. You’re less reliant on constantly finding new attendees and can focus on nurturing existing relationships.

Defining Your Community’s Purpose and Audience

Before launching your online community, it’s essential to define its purpose and identify your target audience. This foundational work will guide your strategy and ensure you attract the right members.

Defining the Purpose

• What are the core goals of your community? Are you aiming to foster networking, facilitate learning, provide support, or simply create a space for discussion?
• What value will the community provide to its members? What problems will it solve, what needs will it meet, and what benefits will members receive?
• How will the community support your virtual events? Will it serve as a platform for pre-event promotion, during-event engagement, or post-event follow-up?

Examples:

• Purpose: To connect professionals in the marketing industry, facilitating networking and knowledge sharing before, during, and after our annual Marketing Summit virtual event.
• Value: Members can connect with peers, learn about the latest marketing trends, access exclusive content, and find career opportunities.
• Event Support: The community will be used to promote the Summit, host pre-event webinars, facilitate live Q&A sessions during the event, and provide a space for post-event discussions.

Identifying Your Target Audience

• Who are your ideal community members? Consider their demographics, interests, skills, and professional goals.
• What are their pain points and challenges? How can your community address these issues and provide valuable solutions?
• What are their preferred communication channels? Where do they spend their time online? Which platforms are they most likely to engage with?

Examples:

• Target Audience: Marketing managers, digital marketing specialists, and marketing executives with 3-7 years of experience.
• Pain Points: Staying up-to-date with the latest marketing trends, connecting with experienced mentors, and finding reliable marketing tools and resources.
• Preferred Channels: LinkedIn groups, industry forums, and email newsletters.

Choosing the Right Platform for Your Online Community

Selecting the right platform is crucial for building a thriving online community. Consider your community’s purpose, target audience, and budget when making your decision.

Platform Options:

• Dedicated Community Platforms: These platforms are specifically designed for building and managing online communities. Examples include:
  • Circle.so: A modern, customizable platform with features like member profiles, forums, events, and courses.
  • Mighty Networks: Ideal for building branded communities around specific topics or interests, with features for courses, events, and memberships.
  • Discourse: An open-source forum platform that’s highly customizable and scalable.
• Social Media Groups: Platforms like Facebook, LinkedIn, and Twitter offer group features that can be used to build communities.
  • Facebook Groups: Easy to set up and widely used, but can be challenging to manage and may not be ideal for professional networking.
  • LinkedIn Groups: Best for professional networking and industry-specific discussions.
  • Twitter Chats: Great for real-time discussions and quick engagement, but not ideal for long-term community building.
• Forums: Traditional forum platforms offer a structured way to organize discussions and share information.
  • phpBB: A free and open-source forum platform with a large community and extensive customization options.
  • vBulletin: A popular commercial forum platform with advanced features and a user-friendly interface.
• Slack Channels: Slack is primarily a team communication tool, but it can also be used to build communities around specific topics.
• Discord Servers: Popular among gamers and younger audiences, Discord offers voice and text channels for real-time communication and community building.
• Online Learning Platforms: If your virtual events include workshops or courses, consider using an online learning platform that offers community features.
  • Teachable: Allows you to create and sell online courses and build a community around your course content.
  • Thinkific: Another popular platform for creating and selling online courses with built-in community features.

Factors to Consider When Choosing a Platform:

• Features: Does the platform offer the features you need to achieve your community’s goals, such as member profiles, forums, events, messaging, and content management?
• Ease of Use: Is the platform easy to use for both administrators and members? A user-friendly interface is crucial for encouraging engagement.
• Customization: Can you customize the platform to match your brand’s identity and create a unique community experience?
• Integration: Does the platform integrate with your other tools and systems, such as your CRM, email marketing platform, and event management software?
• Scalability: Can the platform handle your community’s growth without performance issues or limitations?
• Cost: What is the platform’s pricing model? Does it fit within your budget?

Creating Engaging Content for Your Online Community

Content is the lifeblood of any online community. To keep members engaged and coming back for more, you need to create high-quality, relevant, and engaging content.

Content Types:

• Articles & Blog Posts: Share valuable information, insights, and tips related to your event’s theme.
• Videos & Webinars: Create video tutorials, interviews with speakers, event highlights, and webinars on relevant topics.
• Infographics: Present complex information in a visually appealing and easy-to-understand format.
• Polls & Quizzes: Engage members with interactive content that encourages participation and provides valuable insights.
• Discussion Forums: Create forums for members to ask questions, share ideas, and connect with each other.
• Q&A Sessions: Host live Q&A sessions with speakers, industry experts, and your team.
• Challenges & Contests: Organize challenges and contests to encourage participation and reward engagement.
• User-Generated Content: Encourage members to share their own content, such as blog posts, videos, and photos.
• Behind-the-Scenes Content: Give members a glimpse behind the scenes of your virtual events and your organization.
• Exclusive Content: Offer exclusive content to community members, such as early access to event tickets, discounts, and bonus materials.

Content Strategy Tips:

• Know Your Audience: Tailor your content to the interests, needs, and skill levels of your target audience.
• Be Consistent: Publish new content regularly to keep members engaged and coming back for more.
• Promote Your Content: Share your content on social media, in your email newsletters, and on other relevant platforms.
• Encourage Interaction: Ask questions, solicit feedback, and encourage members to share their thoughts and ideas.
• Repurpose Your Content: Turn blog posts into videos, webinars into infographics, and so on to maximize your content’s reach.
• Use a Content Calendar: Plan your content in advance to ensure a consistent and well-rounded content strategy.
• Track Your Results: Monitor your content’s performance to see what’s working and what’s not. Use this data to refine your content strategy.

Example Content Calendar:

Date	Content Type	Topic	Platform(s)	Goal
Oct 26, 2023	Blog Post	“5 Ways to Maximize Your Virtual Event ROI”	Community Platform, LinkedIn	Drive traffic to the platform, educate members
Oct 28, 2023	Video	Interview with Keynote Speaker	Community Platform, YouTube	Promote speaker, generate event excitement
Nov 1, 2023	Q&A Session	Live Q&A about Marketing Automation	Community Platform	Answer member questions, build engagement

Fostering a Positive and Inclusive Community Culture

A positive and inclusive community culture is essential for creating a welcoming and engaging environment for all members.

Key Principles:

• Respect: Treat all members with respect, regardless of their background, opinions, or skill level.
• Inclusivity: Create a community where everyone feels welcome and valued. Actively seek out and amplify diverse voices.
• Empathy: Be understanding and supportive of members’ needs and challenges.
• Constructive Criticism: Encourage constructive feedback and avoid personal attacks.
• Positive Reinforcement: Recognize and reward members for their contributions and engagement.
• Clear Guidelines: Establish clear community guidelines and enforce them consistently.

Strategies for Fostering a Positive Culture:

• Lead by Example: Set the tone for the community by being respectful, inclusive, and engaging.
• Moderate Actively: Monitor the community and address any inappropriate behavior promptly.
• Promote Positive Interactions: Highlight positive contributions and encourage members to support each other.
• Celebrate Successes: Recognize and celebrate community achievements.
• Solicit Feedback: Regularly solicit feedback from members on how to improve the community.
• Create Sub-Communities: Allow members to create sub-communities based on shared interests or goals.
• Encourage Mentorship: Facilitate mentorship opportunities between experienced members and newcomers.

Promoting Your Online Community

Building a great online community is only half the battle. You also need to actively promote it to attract new members and keep existing members engaged.

Promotion Strategies:

• Promote on Your Event Website: Make sure your community is prominently featured on your event website.
• Email Marketing: Include information about your community in your email newsletters and event promotions.
• Social Media: Promote your community on your social media channels.
• Incorporate into Virtual Events: Dedicate time during your virtual events to promote the community and encourage attendees to join.
• Guest Blogging: Write guest posts on relevant blogs and include a link to your community.
• Partnerships: Partner with other organizations to promote each other’s communities.
• Word-of-Mouth: Encourage existing members to invite their friends and colleagues to join the community.
• Offer Incentives: Offer incentives for joining the community, such as exclusive content, discounts, or early access to event tickets.
• SEO: Optimize your community platform and content for search engines.

Promoting During Virtual Events:

• Mention the Community in Opening & Closing Remarks: Briefly introduce the community and highlight its benefits.
• Dedicate a Session to Community Building: Host a dedicated session on how to get the most out of the community.
• Use the Chat Function: Encourage attendees to connect with each other in the chat and join the community.
• Promote the Community on Slides: Include a slide about the community in your presentations.
• Send Follow-Up Emails: Send a follow-up email to attendees after the event, reminding them to join the community.

Measuring and Analyzing Community Success

It’s essential to track your community’s performance to see what’s working and what’s not. This data will help you refine your strategy and maximize your community’s impact.

Key Metrics:

• Membership Growth: Track the number of new members joining the community over time.
• Engagement Rate: Measure the level of activity in the community, such as the number of posts, comments, and likes.
• Active Members: Identify the percentage of members who are actively participating in the community.
• Retention Rate: Track the percentage of members who remain active in the community over time.
• Website Traffic: Monitor the amount of traffic your community is driving to your website.
• Event Attendance: Track whether community members are more likely to attend your virtual events.
• Member Satisfaction: Survey members to gauge their satisfaction with the community.
• Brand Sentiment: Monitor online conversations about your brand and community to see what people are saying.

Tools for Measuring Community Success:

• Platform Analytics: Most community platforms offer built-in analytics dashboards that provide insights into membership growth, engagement, and other key metrics.
• Google Analytics: Use Google Analytics to track traffic to your community platform and see how members are interacting with your content.
• Social Media Analytics: Use social media analytics tools to monitor engagement with your community on social media channels.
• Survey Tools: Use survey tools like SurveyMonkey or Google Forms to gather feedback from community members.
• Social Listening Tools: Use social listening tools to monitor online conversations about your brand and community.

Learn Business: Your Partner in Event Planning Success

At Learn Business, we understand the challenges of event planning and online community building. We offer guidance, templates, and resources tailored to your specific business needs. From crafting compelling event marketing strategies to creating engaging community content calendars, we provide the tools you need to succeed.

We provide comprehensive templates for event planning including:

• Event Budget Template: Create a detailed budget for your virtual events, tracking expenses and revenue.
• Event Marketing Plan Template: Develop a comprehensive marketing plan to promote your events and attract attendees.
• Social Media Content Calendar Template: Plan your social media content in advance to ensure a consistent and engaging presence.
• Community Guidelines Template: Establish clear community guidelines to foster a positive and inclusive culture.

Learn Business is committed to helping you build a thriving online community around your virtual events, transforming attendees into loyal advocates and driving long-term success.

Conclusion

Building an online community around your virtual events is a powerful strategy for increasing engagement, fostering loyalty, and amplifying your brand’s reach. By defining your community’s purpose, choosing the right platform, creating engaging content, fostering a positive culture, promoting your community, and measuring your results, you can create a thriving online space that benefits both your attendees and your business. Embrace these strategies and watch your virtual events transform from one-time occurrences into enduring connections within a vibrant and engaged community. Remember to leverage resources like Learn Business to gain access to invaluable templates and guidance that will streamline your event planning process and maximize your community building efforts.