Facebook, Instagram and Twitter are failing. Platforms that started out as a place for keeping up with each other's lives and sharing each other's personal moments, have evolved into ad-filled, sales and promotion spaces. Social media isn’t very ‘social’, and more people are taking notice. With an increasing number of people growing tired of the underwhelming nature of the social media landscape, a new wave of online platforms geared at solving this problem are becoming popular. 

Digital communities are on the rise. 

Now, you might be thinking how different these are from the already present social media platforms at hand. 

Well,

Digital communities are online destinations that cater to a niche group of individuals who are looking for places to interact and engage with one another over topics, activities and discussions that focus on particular aspects of the human experience and the Internet of Things. 

Before the days of the internet, kids used to gather and play in the playground, adults would share beers at their local pub or do group training sessions at their local gyms. Though these activities still take place, there is a growing space for them to be moved onto the internet.

We are spending so much of our time online, and more people are realising they don’t have to spend it aimlessly consuming content they don't care about just because that’s what's presently available. There are other platforms out there that will give you a better return on your time. Take for example Clubhouse, Discord and Reddit.

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Facebook and Instagram have been great thus far, but due to the nature of their new ad-focused business model, most people's feeds are becoming less personal and more commercial. Because of that the resurgence of chat- room platforms is on a high. Apps like Clubhouse with live, interactive features are taking people by storm. Coupled with the impact of covid-19 and the global lockdown, people are online more than ever, and they are looking for meaningful, value-additional spaces and content to spend their time on.

As we see more and more of these communities popping up here’s what to expect:

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High Engagement and Communal Support

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These platforms are designed with the core needs of their members in mind. They know you are not looking for another ad filled feed or influencer focused story. Community focused platforms equip themselves with tools and structures that help members gain the most benefit from being in the same place at the same time. 

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Take for instance a community for runners, the platform is likely to add runner-focused features such as individual running times and records, frequencies and route updates. If it is a stock market focused group it could incorporate a weekly trivia feature for members to collectively participate in in-real-time competitions centred on stock market knowledge.

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Whichever the case, these platforms are built to serve niche needs, and because of this members are likely to pay whatever the price to get a chance to build meaningful connections and have quality interactions.

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User Input Governance

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Each member brings something unique to the table, and online communities grow because they aren’t driven by one specific authority or governing voice. They have a set of values and beliefs they are founded on, but these work as a foundation for incoming members to build on and collectively grow the platform into something every member can be proud of having a hand in. Everyone brings their unique perspective and collectively grows the bonds, features, and structures that make the community a space worth spending your time in.

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Growth from a shared purpose

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Online communities attract like minded individuals, and this is because they have a set goal and intention from their inception. Digital communities are a meeting space for people who want to share ideas and learn from one another over a specific topic. If the Platform can accurately pinpoint and build on the needs of its users, the rest of the growth will happen organically as more like-minded people gravitate towards and grow the platform.

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Thoughtful Moderation

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The uniqueness of each individual is a double edged sword. Even though each member brings something good to the table, they are likely to bring some bad too. It’s just unavoidable.

So, the best digital platforms will master the art of controlling conversations, contributing in a manner that keeps things fresh, and gives its members the floor to add to the conversation in a way that is empowering, without allowing for hateful or destructive speech or actions to transpire. 

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The times are changing and the digital experience will no longer be governed by platforms whose interests are disjointed from those of the public. The power is falling back into the hands of the people. Before we know it the internet will be populated with thousands of close-knit communities that are built for the people, by the people. Better start looking for yours.

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