Sorry, you’re late.
The time to benefit by starting an online community first has passed.
Your target audience already participates in other communities.
Yes, they haven’t seen a community by you before. But, honestly, what unique thing are you bringing to the table? Another forum, group, or mailing list isn’t going to work anymore.
The only new online communities that will truly thrive tomorrow are those which can redefine their field. This means breaking new ground and not building just another community.
Figure 1, Kaggle, Indie Hackers, WeLoveYourSongs, and ProductHunt weren’t just another community.
They had a unique concept. Something so different and so powerful from what’s out there before that it naturally sucked people in.
Be honest with yourself. Do you honestly have that? If you test it in a content piece, offline webinar, or meet up – do people flock to it and share it?
Here’s a simple test. If you are truly building something unique, you should be pushing boundaries. You should be worried that your concept is so daring, controversial, or difficult to pull off that it might not work. You should be worried that the potential interest market size isn’t big enough to make it work.
Please, don’t build just another community. Time is just too short and people are just too busy.
Thanks, Rob.