Building an Online Community: Beyond Social Media Groups

In today’s digital world, social media groups on Facebook, LinkedIn or Reddit are common for businesses to connect with their audience. While these platforms are a great starting point for online community building, they come with limitations: algorithmic control, data ownership issues and noise of competing content. For Western Australian businesses looking for deeper connections, richer insights and more control over their brand experience, the power lies in building an online community beyond the confines of third-party social media platforms.

An owned online community – hosted on your website or a dedicated platform – turns passive followers into active participants, creating a sense of belonging, shared purpose and direct access to your brand. This strategic shift moves you from renting space on someone else’s platform to owning your digital town square, allowing for unparalleled customer engagement, genuine brand loyalty and valuable direct feedback. This article explores the reasons why WA businesses should invest in building their own online community and how to do it.

For many Western Australian businesses, digital marketing is all about social media groups. While platforms like Facebook, LinkedIn and Instagram offer broad reach and easy entry points, they often fall short when it comes to building deep connections, gathering proprietary data and truly nurturing brand loyalty. The smart WA business knows that true online community building goes beyond the rented space of social media to creating a dedicated, owned digital hub. This strategic move gives you total control, deeper customer engagement and a direct line to your most passionate advocates, driving long term digital success.

Moving beyond generic social media groups allows you to create an exclusive, branded environment where your community can thrive, share and connect directly with your brand and with each other.

Why Your Business Needs an Owned Online Community

The benefits of having a dedicated online community platform are many:

1. Brand Loyalty & Advocacy

An owned online community creates a sense of belonging and exclusivity. When customers feel part of something special, their loyalty deepens and they become active brand advocates who promote your business organically (Higher Logic).

2. Direct Customer Insights & Feedback

Unlike the filtered data from social media platforms, your own community gives you unfiltered, actionable insights into customer needs, pain points and preferences. This direct feedback loop is gold for product development, service improvements and refining your business strategy.

3. Customer Support & Self-Service

A community forum can be a powerful customer support channel. Members often help each other, answering questions and providing peer-to-peer support, reducing the load on your formal support team (Verint). This encourages self-service and empowers customers.

4. Control & Data Ownership

You own the data, the platform and the rules. You’re not subject to algorithmic changes that could suddenly reduce your reach, nor are you competing with endless distractions on public social media platforms. This control means a consistent brand experience.

5. Website Traffic & SEO Benefits

An active online community generates fresh, user-generated content which can improve your SEO rankings by telling search engines your website is a valuable, dynamic resource. Regular engagement also drives repeat website traffic (Search Engine Journal).

6. Monetisation Opportunities

Beyond direct sales, an engaged community can open up premium content, exclusive events, membership tiers or early access to products, creating new revenue streams.

Choosing the Right Platform for Your WA Business

The right platform depends on your needs, budget and level of customisation.

1. Forum Software (e.g., bbPress for WordPress, Discourse)

• • Pros:  Highly customisable (especially WordPress integrations), good for discussions, Q&A and knowledge sharing. You own the data.
  • Cons:  Requires more technical setup and maintenance than hosted solutions.
  • Best for:  Businesses with an existing WordPress website looking for integrated forums or those needing high customisation.

2. All-in-One Community Platforms

These are purpose-built solutions for online community building, often with many features.

• • Mighty Networks:  Good for courses, memberships and content-rich communities. Has groups, events and flexible monetisation options.
  • Circle:  Clean, modern design for niche communities, direct messaging, private spaces and integrations.
  • Kajabi / Thinkific / Teachable:  Primarily for online courses but often have community features for student engagement.
  • Tribe Community Platform:  Fully customisable, white-label community solution focused on discussions and Q&A.
  • Pros:  Feature-rich, easier setup, provider handles ongoing maintenance.
  • Cons:  Subscription costs, less control over core infrastructure compared to self-hosted.
  • Best for:  Businesses looking for ease of use, lots of features and scalability.

3. CRM-Integrated Communities

• • Some advanced CRM platforms (e.g., Salesforce Experience Cloud, HubSpot Community) have community features built-in.
  • Pros:  Customer data integration, personalisation.
  • Cons:  Often more expensive, for larger businesses with existing CRM investments.

Strategies for Building a Thriving Online Community

Building the platform is just the beginning; engagement is key.

1. Define Your Purpose & Niche

What is the core reason for your community? Is it for customer support, product discussions, industry networking or shared interests? A clear purpose attracts the right members.

What unique value will your community offer that isn’t available elsewhere?

2. Start Small and Nurture

• • Don’t expect thousands of members overnight. Start with your most loyal customers, brand advocates or a select group of beta testers.
  • Personally invite initial members and actively engage with them in the early stages.

3. Consistent Moderation & Guidelines

• • Establish clear community guidelines to ensure a safe, respectful and productive environment.
  • Actively moderate discussions, address conflicts promptly and enforce rules fairly. This is crucial for long-term health (ModSquad).

4 Provide Exclusive Value

• • Exclusive Content:  Share sneak peeks, behind-the-scenes content or early access to new products/services.
  • Direct Access:  Offer members to directly interact with brand leaders or experts.
  • Special Offers:  Provide community-exclusive discounts or promotions.
  • Events:  Host webinars, Q&A sessions or virtual meetups for your community members.

5. Encourage User-Generated Content (UGC)

• • Ask open-ended questions.
  • Run contests or challenges that encourage members to share their experiences, photos or tips.
  • Highlight and celebrate member contributions.

6. Foster Peer-to-Peer Interaction

• • Design your platform to enable member connections (e.g., direct messaging, member directories).
  • Encourage members to answer each other’s questions.

7. Cross-Promote

• • Promote your online community on your website, social media channels, email marketing campaigns and even in your physical store.
  • Highlight the benefits of joining to your existing audience.

8. Measure & Adapt

• • Track engagement metrics (active users, posts, comments, retention rates).
  • Gather feedback from your members.
  • Evolve your community based on what resonates with your audience.

The Future of Brand-Customer Relationships

For WA businesses, an online community beyond the fleeting nature of social media groups is a long-term digital investment. It’s about moving from broadcasting messages to building relationships, from renting digital space to owning your brand’s home. An active, engaged online community creates brand loyalty, provides rich insights, simplifies customer support and supercharges your online presence. Get on this customer engagement journey and turn your customers into a network of advocates who will take your WA business to new levels.