Hello there, Smart People! It’s Valentina again! Today I want to take you all on a journey towards creating your own online community. Just a quick introduction before we dive into the actual steps: my team and I have been running the biggest space-related community on social media called “VK” for more than 5 years now. We started from scratch and over time united more than 75,000 people interested in space exploration and science.

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That wasn't a "walk in the park". We've made TONS of mistakes and faced major problems, but there were always some pointers that helped us stay on track and true to our audience. I would love to help you avoid the mistakes we made. That's why I've designed this lecture with some basic steps that we recommend you follow if you want to create a successful and profitable online community! Hope you find it useful!

<aside> ☝ Remember: every community starts with a small group of people and then grows bigger. If you start with trying to find as many people as possible from the very beginning - you risk to burn yourself out. It’s definitely better to start small, find truest friends, have fun - and that will lead you to huge numbers of followers!

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Creating an online community can be a great way to build your audience, connect with like-minded individuals, and ultimately make money. But it takes careful planning and strategy to turn that community into a profitable venture. Here are some tips to help you create and monetize an online community, so you can start seeing returns on your investment:

  1. Identify your niche: To create a successful online community, you need to have a clear focus on what your community is all about. It could be anything from a shared interest in a particular hobby to a group of professionals in a specific industry. Whatever it is, you need to be able to clearly define your niche and create a community that caters to it.
  2. Choose the right platform: Once you've identified your niche, you need to choose the right platform to host your community. This could be a social media platform like Facebook or LinkedIn, or a dedicated forum like Reddit or Discourse. Each platform has its own set of features and benefits, so choose the one that best suits your needs.
  3. Establish clear rules and guidelines for members to follow. This will help ensure that your community is safe and welcoming for all participants and that expectations are clear. We also created clear rules for our team members, who are creating the content for our followers. For example, we have a clear editor’s guide on how to write & edit community posts so they can all be in the same style. This guide includes:
  1. Build a strong relationships: Once you've chosen your platform, it's time to start building your community. This means engaging with your audience, creating valuable content, and encouraging participation from your members. Also it’s really important to respond to questions and comments under your posts - this will help foster a sense of connection and community among members, as well as providing valuable feedback on how to improve and grow the community.
  2. Monetize your community: There are several ways to monetize an online community. One option is to charge a membership fee for access to premium content or features. You could also generate revenue through advertising, sponsorships, or affiliate marketing. Just be sure to choose monetization methods that align with your community's values and goals.
  3. Offer exclusive content, discounts, and rewards for members. This can help encourage members to interact more and stay engaged with your community. Additionally, this will definitely create an additional revenue stream.
  4. Utilize advertising and sponsorship opportunities. You can work with brands and companies to create partnerships that benefit both parties. This can be a great way to monetize your online community.
  5. Measure and adjust: It's important to track your community's performance and adjust your strategy as needed. Use analytics tools to monitor engagement and retention rates, and be open to feedback from your members as well. Actually, the best improvements we’ve ever made in our community were those suggested by it’s members! By continually refining your approach, you can create a community that is both profitable and fulfilling for everyone involved.
  6. And don’t forget to track revenue streams & performance of your ads/affiliate programs, so you could get a better understanding on the best ways to monetize your community. We use a spreadsheet with all the streams of revenue and spendings listed, and update them monthly. And also we track the paychecks of our employees that help us running the community.

Here’s a template for you: Click here!

Some ideas on how to monetize your community:

  1. Offer exclusive content and perks: Another way to monetize your community is to offer exclusive content and perks to your members. This could include access to private forums, member-only events, or exclusive discounts on products and services. By providing additional value to your members, you can increase retention rates and create a more loyal community.
  2. Partner with brands and influencers: As your community grows, you may have opportunities to partner with brands and influencers in your niche. This could involve sponsored content, product reviews, or affiliate marketing. Just be sure to choose partners that align with your community's values and interests, and be transparent about any sponsored content or promotions.
  3. Offer consulting or coaching services: If you have expertise in your niche, you could offer consulting or coaching services to your community members. This could include one-on-one coaching, group workshops, or online courses. By leveraging your expertise, you can generate additional revenue while helping your members achieve their goals.
  4. Expand your reach: To maximize your monetization potential, you may need to expand your reach beyond your core community. This could involve creating a presence on additional social media platforms, hosting events or webinars, or guest posting on related blogs or forums. By reaching a wider audience, you can attract new members and generate additional revenue streams.

<aside> 🌌 Stay true to your mission: Finally, it's important to stay true to your mission and values as you monetize your community. While generating revenue is important, it should never come at the expense of your community's integrity or authenticity. By staying true to your vision and goals, you can create a profitable online community that is both fulfilling and sustainable.

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