10 Alternatives to Online Forums for Community Building

Exploring alternatives to online forums for community engagement, we’ve gathered insights from founders to CEOs, distilling their experiences into ten unique strategies. From hosting online workshops and classes to nurturing interactive Facebook groups, these leaders provide a spectrum of options to foster meaningful connections beyond traditional forums.

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Host Online Workshops and Classes

Instead of using online forums to build a community, you can hold online workshops or classes. This has worked well for us. We set up monthly online talks where we share tips on marketing with data. This provides something useful to our community and shows that we know our stuff. These talks, where people can join in, build stronger ties than regular forums.

Nicolas Garfinkel, Founder, Kixely

Combine Online Groups With Live Events

I’ve found online communities like Facebook groups and Slack teams to be highly effective for building connections. For example, the private Facebook group we run for our online course has over 2,000 active members. By fostering discussion and accountability within the group, members strengthen relationships and achieve better results.

Our annual live events are another alternative that builds community. We’ve hosted entrepreneur conferences for over 1,000 attendees, featuring speakers like Daymond John. At the events, lifelong bonds form between members as they network, learn, and celebrate wins together in person.

For myself, high-level masterminds have been key for finding community. The small, curated groups of seven-figure business owners I participate in meet regularly to strategize, get advice, and gain accountability. Over time, meaningful friendships develop in these tight-knit circles. While online forums have value, face-to-face and live interaction can create much deeper connections.

Will Mitchell, Founder, StartupBros

Organize Offline Meet-Ups

Offline meet-ups offer many advantages over online forums for community building, particularly for brands looking to foster deeper connections and engagement. Face-to-face interactions allow community members to build personal connections and rapport, which can strengthen loyalty to the brand. These discussions and activities during offline meet-ups are immediate and impactful, allowing for more dynamic exchanges of ideas and experiences over simply having an online forum or community.

I also find that offline meet-ups can create memorable experiences for attendees, leaving a lasting impression that enhances brand perception and leaves more of an impression for brands as well. You also tend to remember people better and can turn community members into brand advocates who are more likely to share positive experiences and recommendations with others.

Offline meet-ups also create a sense of exclusivity and belonging among attendees, reinforcing their connection to the brand and community.

Danielle Hu, Founder, The Wanderlover

Leverage Webinars and Local Events

We build communities among customers and internal experts through webinars, live streams, and in-person events. We often partner with local marketing agencies for local events to open up networking opportunities for our customers and endorse knowledge sharing so our customers can get even more out of our products. This type of community building works well for us because our customers are business owners in HVAC who rely on local communities for their businesses to succeed.

Chris Hunter, Director of Customer Relations, ServiceTitan

Create Paid Private Communities

Something I’ve seen pop up a lot recently, especially among creators, are paid private communities. Platforms like YouTube allow subscribers to pay for exclusive private content where they can comment and interact with other superfans. When you have a paid community, you are interacting with superfans daily. They are the ones who will continuously support your brand and advocate for it. It’s important to identify them, whether paid or unpaid, and give them a space to interact in person or online.

Qetsiyah Jacobson, Social Media Community Manager

Build a Discord Community

Get rid of the never-ending forum scrolling! Creating a vibrant community on Discord seemed like a breath of fresh air to me. Discord has a more clubhouse-like vibe than forums. We have voice conversations for in-the-moment discussions (think video game techniques!), channels specifically for various interests, and even movie nights where everyone watches together. It’s an excellent blend of synchronous and asynchronous communication, encouraging a real-life relationship that extends beyond writing on a screen.

Fahad Khan, Digital Marketing Manager, Ubuy India

Facilitate Local Tech Meetups

One specific alternative to online forums for community building is hosting local meetups or events.

In my experience, attending a local tech meetup was incredibly beneficial. It was a group focused on coding and software development. These meetups provided a platform for like-minded individuals to gather, share knowledge, and network in person.

Unlike online forums, these in-person interactions allowed for deeper connections and more immediate feedback. I met several mentors and collaborators through these events, and the face-to-face interaction significantly strengthened our professional relationships.

Additionally, the real-time problem-solving and brainstorming sessions were invaluable, creating a dynamic and supportive community.

In conclusion, this alternative is more impactful than virtual interaction as it breeds stronger professional relationships among members.

Peter Bryla, Senior Community Manager, Resume-Now

Conduct Regular Virtual Meetups

Virtual meetups are a great way to build a community. If you are a brand or organization looking to build or strengthen your audience, these meetups are an excellent way to collaborate with your audience and see what you can build and improve upon. Regular meetings like this can help you get to know your audience and what they like to see from you as a company. Those who attend these meetups regularly can also get to know each other well and create bonds with one another.

Rubens Basso, Chief Technology Officer, FieldRoutes

Engage Through Interactive Webinars

While online forums have been a priority in community building for years, interactive webinars and live Q&A sessions offer a more dynamic and engaging alternative.

At Donorbox, we’ve successfully leveraged this approach to foster deeper connections with our user base. Unlike forums, webinars allow for real-time interaction, enabling us to address questions immediately and build a stronger sense of community. By incorporating polls, surveys, and live chat, we can gather valuable insights and tailor our content to specific audience needs. 

Additionally, webinars can be recorded and repurposed as valuable content assets, extending their impact beyond the live event. This strategy has helped us drive engagement and loyalty significantly more than traditional forum-based communities.

Raviraj Hegde, SVP of Growth & Sales, Donorbox

Nurture Interactive Facebook Groups

One effective alternative to traditional online forums is creating and nurturing a Facebook Group. Unlike a typical page, a Facebook Group fosters a more interactive community where members can engage in discussions, ask questions, and connect over common interests. 

By actively participating and maintaining a spam-free environment, we’ve seen our audience become more engaged and loyal.

Amar Ghose, CEO, ZenMaid

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