#117: Build Your Community

Introduction

The past few episodes we have been talking about something that most of us have a love-hate relationship with: social media.

In Episode 115 we talked about how social media can really expand your reach and in Episode 116, guest LinkedIn Expert Shaily Hakimian shared how to maximize your profiles to make it simple for people to find you.

Today, we are going to continue the conversation about social media but with a different spin. The underlying theme is still simplicity, after all Episodes 113 and 114 were all about leaving behind the hustle and grind. We even heard from a business coach, Dr. Vic Manzo, about how he did just that and now has plenty of time for his family.

So what is today all about? Community in social media. It is all about engagement and building a community who supports you and whom you support.

Build Your Community

I’m going to keep this episode short because I want you to spend time on social media this week exploring what people are doing. Yep, I want you to do a bit of reconnaissance, but I’ll give you some guidelines.

Social media was first created as a way to connect with your friends and family. Do you remember MySpace? I didn’t even know it was still around until I did a quick google search when getting my notes ready for today’s show. But I digress.

Social media has its foundation in connection and community. As the platforms have grown so has our ability to connect outside our direct circle of friends and family. We can now meet and connect with people around the world, which has benefits and drawbacks.

First the drawbacks, because we can’t ignore the elephant in the room. You can get some strange connection requests. Let me say this to everyone. You don’t have to accept the strange, unwelcome friend requests on any platform. Just say no.

Another drawback is that social media can quickly consume your life. I invited Instagram expert, Kendra Swalls, to share more about how to make the most of your time on social media with a data driven approach. You’ll be able to learn more on Thursday so I’ll just keep going for now.

Now for the positives, we can create a true supportive community with the platforms that are available today. When you are able to connect with potential clients, business partners, collaborators, and mentors your business will take a leap forward. You will no longer be alone in the journey and your motivation, inspiration, and progress will benefit.

The way that community is created is through quality engagement. Here are three tips you can implement today and then I’ll get back to your action item:

1. Be Authentic and Consistent: People follow social media accounts that they feel they can trust and rely on. Being authentic and consistent with your message, tone, and values is crucial in building a community. People want to engage with content that resonates with them and speaks to their interests. Consistency in posting and responding to comments and messages shows that you are active and engaged with your community.
2. Encourage User-Generated Content: One of the most effective ways to build a community on social media is by encouraging user-generated content. This could be as simple as asking your followers to share their own photos, stories, or experiences related to your brand or industry. This not only creates engagement but also fosters a sense of community among your followers.
3. Use Social Listening: Social listening is the process of monitoring social media channels for mentions of your brand, industry, or relevant topics. By using social listening tools, you can identify opportunities to engage with your followers and provide valuable insights or resources. Responding to comments and engaging in conversations shows that you are invested in your community and willing to listen to their feedback.

Now that all sounds nice, but what does it look like in real life?

Action Item

This brings us to our action item for today. Research. I want you to go out to social media and scroll through some profiles that you tend to watch, learn from, and engage with. For me, I love looking at Jasmine Star, Amy Porterfield, and Stu McLaren for research purposes. They have large followings, great engagement, and you can see what they do in the comments to continue encouraging that.

Take a few notes. What posts were most interactive? What did the person do to help build community? 

Then apply one thing you’ve learned to a post of your own and then tag me in the comments. If you are on Instagram or Facebook you can tag me @entrepreneursinflow and I’ll be able to see your post and comment.

Conclusions

That’s it for today. Like I said, I wanted to keep it short and give you time to head over to social media and learn from the masters. Explore what they are doing and what pieces you can incorporate into your own routine on social media to build a strong community based on connection.

And then come back here on Thursday for an episode filled with ideas on maximizing your time on Instagram. And you can find out once and for all if you have to dance on Instagram Reels to create powerful and memorable content. Join me to hear Kendra Swalls take on all things Instagram and mom life.

So I will see you back here on Thursday for another episode of the Entrepreneur Mindset Podcast, where a focus on mentoring, community, and implementation removes the overwhelm of building your successful and profitable business and adds in a dose of momentum.

Until next time, have a healthy, safe, and happy week.

Show Resources

Check out Episode 85: Review: Social Curator for details about Jasmine Star’s Social Curator membership designed to simplify your social media experience.