Creators are leveraging a community
At a time when the job market is fierce and so many people are leaving corporate life to begin a new journey in the creator economy, it’s no surprise that 15 percent of creators left their full-time roles in the past year.
A new report from ConvertKit shares this in the 2023 Creator Economy Report. Not only did so many individuals decide to pursue their passions and hobbies as a business, but the survey revealed that 85 percent of digital content creators have grown their audience in less than five years.
80 percent of creators expect to make more from their business this year than last, and that level looks like it will continue to grow. But they aren’t using social media to build their business as much as email marketing.
In addition to email, community memberships, and paid subscriptions are the new income streams most likely to be incorporated by creators in 2023, right after selling digital products.
“Overall, only 22% of creators ranked collaborations and partnerships as a primary income-generator last year. Full-time creators have been more likely to use the method, with 27% of creators who earn over $100,000 a year citing it as their preferred way to network and build community.”
The potential for growth to build an audience off of social media and in email conversations has led to creators experiencing a better engagement rate than any social media channel. While an email doesn’t connect the individuals that read it to each other, the opportunity is for the creator to build a relationship with each individual, and then offer a shared experience in a membership.
Tiago Forte, Founder of Forte Labs says “Our email subscribers are the only people who I consider dedicated followers. Social media is great, but it’s so easy to follow someone, that connection isn’t strong – for that reason, I’ve always considered email central to our business and will continue to do so.”
Creators are leveraging a community
Creating an experience for growth in your community
Creators are leveraging a community
As a community host, leader, or manager, it’s your job to facilitate your members’ experience. Don’t expect them to jump in on their own; you need to show them what to do and how to do it. Onboarding is the first experience your members will have with the community, so you want to ensure that they aren’t left with more questions than answers.
It is traditional to start an onboarding process by inviting new members to join via email and encouraging them to introduce themselves and read the rules of the group. This is something you’ve likely seen in Facebook groups.
The problem with this is that it isn’t how we experience onboarding in real life. When you join a new in-person community, before you introduce yourself, you likely learn what the community is about, who attends meetings, and why it’s essential to participate.
Start with the purpose of your community, and let members know why you’ve invited them to take this journey with you. Guide them on how to experience the community and get the most out of their time here.
On your own or with your team, think about drafting a roadmap for your members’ journey, from where they start to where you want them to end up. Then, for any stage of the journey relevant to your community, lay out how you will support them along the way.
As you do, it’s also important to be upfront about what your space can’t or won’t do. If it supports people struggling with anxiety, but you aren’t a trained mental health professional, then say so. Make sure members know if they have specific issues, this may not be the right place to discuss those health challenges.
Maybe you are a coach and want to help others feel healthier and happier. Finding the right home for your coaching materials, videos, and documentation is critical so that members adopt the content and don’t get stuck on unfamiliar technology.
For example, many people choose to create a Facebook group because many Gen X and Millennials are familiar with that platform, so there are fewer barriers to your content and resources. Over 30 percent of those who were surveyed in the report are investing in software subscriptions to build their content on a platform they own no matter if that is a website, podcast, book, course, or newsletter.
Creators are leveraging a community
Utilize a Platform that You Can Control
Creators are leveraging a community
Social media has many challenges, and as I’ve discussed, you don’t own your content. So, choose the software you purchase – popular course platform software includes Teachable, Kajabi, Thinkific, Maven, or Podia. If you are only interested in hosting a self-study course with no member-to-member connection, these platforms might be a good fit.
While these solutions are great for teaching individuals, however, they don’t help us implement what we learn. The community component makes a difference in taking ideas and putting them into practice.
Robyn Conley Downs found this out the hard way after trying to add a community component to her course platform and discovering it was not the seamless experience that she wanted to offer her members. She sought out a cohesive platform that offered members both step-by-step guides and a place to connect with one another.
Robyn reached out to me after being referred to Mighty Networks and listening to an episode of my podcast because she learned about Mighty Networks and wanted to combine her content and community on the platform. She had worked with clients in her coaching practice and has since designed a certification program based on her proven methods.
Serving members where they are at on their journey
Creators are leveraging a community
The experience for members in her online community differs depending on where they are in their wellness journey. Since Robyn has a broad audience, members might join for various reasons.
As you probably discovered when investigating communities you’ve liked as a participant, there are many ways to provide an experience. Experiences can be ongoing or timed, short or long. Deciding on the frequency, level of content, and time commitment will help you identify the best structure for your community with your current resources.
Maybe you dream of launching an 8-week program. Are you ready to facilitate that right now? If not, be honest with yourself and your team. Just because you don’t have time now, doesn’t mean it won’t happen; but you certainly don’t want to overcommit and under-deliver.
As you prepare, make a list of the most important action steps to meet your goals. Prioritize those from most important to least important. Once your priorities are clear, you’ll see the best structure for your community based on your needs, lifestyle, goals, and vision.
Send an email to Deb@FindCalmHere.com for questions or comments.
Creators are leveraging a community
Community Builders with Purpose is opening soon
Community Builders with Purpose is an online community for community builders launching an online course, coaching program, challenge, group, or membership. It doesn’t matter if you’ve launched already and are struggling with engagement (very common) or have never hosted a community – you are invited to join the Advanced Reader Cohort.
This is more than just a “book club” – a space to ask and answer questions and build relationships with your peers. The Creator to Community Builder Advanced Reader Cohort is an exclusive community only for those who want to read an early copy of the Creator to Community Builder Book BEFORE it’s published in exchange for giving feedback, reviews, or testimonials.
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Have a guide to help you figure out your community concept
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Understand the difference between an audience and a community
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Weekly live “Ask Me Anything” calls
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Connect calls with peers, including other community builders and entrepreneurs
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Weekly audio excerpts of the book shared via The Community Strategy Podcast
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Monthly group coaching with Deb (through The Network Incubator)
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Monthly consulting group access with Deb (through the Community Consultants Collective)
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Bi-weekly fun activities, book giveaways, prizes, and more!
To sign up for the waitlist, click here, and you’ll receive an email when we are ready to start!
Email: Deb@FindCalmHere.com
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