Don’t target the entire audience you want to reach. By far, it’s easier to start a community with a precise target audience.
If you want to build an online community for teachers, target a very precise group of teachers first. Perhaps Maths teachers in California.
Facebook was supposed to be for Harvard college students. It outgrew that audience and expanded. Outgrowing your audience is the best way to grow.
Many communities launch with too broad a target audience. It’s impossible to build up any pressure. Your audience has less in common. If you fail with one slice of your total audience, you can target another, and another.
Wont this take longer? No. You will build a tighter community at high speed. Facebook certainly aren’t complaining.
Such great advice, but so hard to advocate for!
As far as outgrowing your audience, I definitely agree. But can you think ahead to a strategy for that growth, or should you take it as it comes? I'm all for strategy and anticipating needs, but it could mean spending a lot of time and resources planning for an audience that never comes. A lot of dollars marketing to people who aren't natually joining in.
When instead, if you can be flexible enough to grow into the audience that evolves, you can be more effective and get a dab of innovation in the mix.
Thanks for the great insights. Lots to think on here.
Also, a question: What about internal communities? How does this advice apply when you're creating a space for a specific audience?
Posted by: Tiffany Monholllon | Tuesday, 11 August 2009 at 14:29