Best Ways to Build Online Communities for Engagement?

[Afsha]

Hi everyone,

I’m currently exploring ways to build and grow online communities effectively. We all know that engagement is key, but what are the best strategies to keep members active and involved?

For instance, WhatsApp groups have become a great tool for niche communities. I’ve seen a lot of people using them for regional networking and discussions, such as in Sri Lanka-based groups where professionals and students connect. Here’s an example: https://whatsgrouplinkspk.com/sri-lanka-whatsapp-group-links/.

Has anyone here used WhatsApp groups or similar platforms alongside Atlassian tools to drive engagement? Would love to hear your experiences and tips!

Looking forward to your insights.

Thanks!

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[Robert Ramos]

Oh wow, this was way back in March. How is your online community building going?

Without waiting for an update, what I want to suggest is that you, or anyone here with the same challenge, should first look into what platforms are allowed in your region and what your target audience/market is already in/uses.

It won't matter if a platform is great if you need to onboard your target communities into that app. It might even be that the majority of target users dislike the platform/app you think is great and they then refuse to participate on that basis.

You want to make it easy for your target audience/market to engage with you, and you always go where the audience/market is, as much as possible. If it's a platform or app they don't use or are unfamiliar with, that might make their buy-in harder, or even costlier.

I didn't even know that WhatsApp Groups is a "great tool for niche communities." Is this backed by data? The one online community tool I always see mentioned is Discord. X (formerly Twitter) or its "liberal" counterpart of Bluesky are also often mentioned.