Secrets to Building the Most Engaging Community Ever

Summary

The speaker emphasizes the importance of transforming an audience into a connected community to foster engagement and loyalty. He shares strategies like asking for the audience's input, co-creation of products, and spotlighting community members to make them feel valued. Examples from LEGO's turnaround and personal branding tactics illustrate how involving fans in the process can build a strong brand community and lifelong fans.

Takeaways

• 🗣️ The importance of transitioning from an active audience to a connected community where interaction is not just one-way but also among community members themselves.
• 🤝 The significance of community in creating a sense of belonging, where fans identify with a group and have a shared identity, such as 'Swifties' for Taylor Swift fans or 'Beliebers' for Justin Bieber fans.
• 🏫 A personal story from high school is used as a metaphor to illustrate the feeling of not fitting in and the importance of finding a community where one feels valued and included.
• 🎯 The concept that attention is the new currency online, and the need to make people feel seen and heard to build a strong community.
• ❓ Engaging the audience by asking questions and seeking answers fosters a sense of community and involvement, as demonstrated by the example of Steve Spangler's YouTube videos.
• 🧩 The story of LEGO's turnaround from near bankruptcy to a highly successful brand by engaging with their fans and involving them in product creation, showing the power of co-creation.
• 🛠️ LEGO's 'Ideas' platform as an example of co-creation, where fans can submit their designs and have a chance to see them become official LEGO sets.
• 🤳 The idea of offering 'factory tours' or behind-the-scenes looks to make customers feel special and create shareable experiences that can strengthen community bonds.
• 🎉 Organizing events, both online and offline, to bring community members together and create moments of connection that reinforce their relationship with the brand.
• 💡 Spotlighting community members and their stories can serve as powerful testimonials and create a sense of pride and achievement among the community.
• 📈 The strategy of timing content release with product launches to ensure that they support each other and create a cohesive narrative that drives engagement and sales.

Q & A

What is the significance of transitioning from an active audience to a connected community in building a brand?

Transitioning to a connected community is significant because it's where the 'magic' happens. It's not just about one-way communication but also about the audience talking to each other, creating a sense of belonging and identity as fans of the brand.

What role do community names play in the context of the script?

Community names, such as 'Swifties' for Taylor Swift fans or 'Beliebers' for Justin Bieber fans, play a role in creating an identity for the fans, which strengthens their connection to the community and the brand.

Why is it important to make people feel like they belong in a community?

Making people feel like they belong is important because it fosters a sense of identity and connection, which in turn can lead to higher engagement and loyalty to the brand.

What is the story of Pat Flynn's high school experience and how does it relate to community engagement?

Pat Flynn's high school experience of being shorter than his peers and feeling left out on the basketball court serves as a metaphor for how community members might feel if they are not engaged or given a chance to participate, emphasizing the importance of inclusion in community building.

What is the concept of 'attention as currency' mentioned in the script?

The concept of 'attention as currency' suggests that in the online world, getting people's attention is valuable and sought after, much like currency in a financial transaction.

How did Steve Spangler change his approach to engaging his audience on YouTube?

Steve Spangler changed his approach by not only presenting scientific experiments but also asking his audience for their explanations of what happened, which led to increased engagement and community interaction in the comments section.

What was the situation of LEGO in 2003, and how did they turn it around?

In 2003, LEGO was 800 million dollars in debt and almost went bankrupt. They turned it around by slowing down production and increasing engagement with their audience, listening to their fans, and incorporating co-creation in their product development.

What is co-creation, and how did LEGO implement it?

Co-creation is a process where the company and the community collaborate to create products. LEGO implemented it by inviting fans to submit their own designs on ideas.lego.com, which, if supported by enough votes, could be manufactured and sold as official LEGO sets.

What is the strategy of offering a 'factory tour' in the context of online community building?

Offering a 'factory tour' in the online context means giving community members a behind-the-scenes look at the workings of the business, which can create a sense of exclusivity and connection, encouraging sharing and engagement.

How did Pat Flynn use the strategy of putting a spotlight on community members in his podcast?

Pat Flynn invited his beta students to share their experiences and successes with starting a podcast on his podcast, which served as a powerful testimonial for his course and helped to build trust and connection with his audience.