Build your Community reviewed by Khrystyna Dmytryshyn

We all know major companies like Apple that have managed build a very loyal community. Companies like lego have managed to connect to their community to generate many of their new ideas. 

In the book “Build Your Community: Turn your connections into a powerful online community” by Richard Millington is a comprehensive guide to building and managing online communities. There are a number of key principles to 

Identify a clear purpose: Before starting an online community, it is important to identify a clear purpose for the community. The purpose should be specific and focused, and should guide all activities within the community.

Define your audience: To build an effective online community, it is important to define your target audience. This involves understanding their needs, interests, and motivations, and tailoring the community to meet those needs.

Create a sense of belonging: Building a strong sense of community is critical to the success of an online community. This involves creating a welcoming environment where members feel valued, supported, and connected to each other.

Foster engagement: Engaged members are key to building a thriving online community. This involves creating opportunities for members to interact with each other, share ideas, and collaborate on projects.

Encourage participation: Participation is critical to the success of an online community. This involves creating a culture of participation where members feel comfortable sharing their ideas and contributing to the community.

Manage conflicts: Conflicts are inevitable in any community, and it is important to have a plan in place to manage them effectively. This involves establishing clear guidelines for behavior, providing mediation and conflict resolution support, and taking action when necessary to protect the community.

Measure success: To determine the success of an online community, it is important to establish clear metrics for measuring engagement, participation, and overall community health. This involves regularly tracking key metrics and using that data to make informed decisions about how to improve the community.

Overall, the book provides good framework for building and managing successful online communities, based on a deep understanding of the principles of community building and management. In the following articles I will be capturing how to apply those principles to building a community on discord