How do you try new ideas and formats for your online community?

Knowing where your audience is and what makes them engage is key. It never hurts to try something new though. I started a LinkedIn business page for Colonial Wine & Spirits. I felt that it was a great platform for the business, although I had no idea how it would be perceived on LinkedIn. The page is getting tons of followers and engagement! If you are ever unsure of an idea, just try it.

When you are trying new ideas and formats, it's important to remember who you are doing it for. It's for your audience! So ask yourself, does this speak to THEM. Is it relevant / helpful / inspiring / engaging for your client persona? If your content is created with your brand in mind, you'll miss the point. Keep your audience at the heart of what you do, and your messages will hit home, no matter what the format.

First, we need to know what we want and who our community is. Do we want more people to know about us, or do we want them to buy something? We also need to understand what our community likes and how they use social media. By knowing these things, we can try ideas that match our goals and make sure people will like them. This way, we can keep our community interested and happy!

Keep your message brief and on point. Never stray from the one core message. What do you want the audience to hear and then what do you want them to remember? Do that well and you will get all of the information you need.

Carefully consider whether or not a specific trend or post style will benefit your audience and your marketing goals. Memes and digital marketing trends come and go, but your brand and voice must remain consistent and authentic. Choosing to jump on a trend for easy likes and interaction may be tempting. But if it detracts from the messaging and goals you've set, it's a temporary boost at best and a brand breaker at worst.

First, think of what you want and who's reading. Then, get creative and do some research. Look at what others are doing and ask your group what they like. You can try things like live videos, contests, quizzes, or funny pictures. When you try new stuff, you'll see what works best for your group and what they like the most.

I have found that the best research is to simply let it fly and see what happens. Sure, you can look at similar businesses that have done similar things and get an idea how it may go over. You’ll never truly know until you implement. So, I say run with it. I prefer being a trendsetter over being a follower.

When brainstorming for content ideas, think of ways you can add value. What is a problem that your followers face, and how can you address it?

When brainstorming and researching new ideas and formats for your online community, consider a mix of creativity, competitive analysis, industry trends, and existing data and feedback. Engage with your community and ask what they would like to see. Explore formats like live videos, user-generated content, podcasts, infographics, quizzes, e-books, and memes to add diversity and interest to your community content.

Absolutely, I agree. Sometimes it's as simple as asking your community members what they would like to see more of. Even though the goal of the community may be to fill your lead funnel, if members are not receiving value, they will lose interest. Asking members also confirms your desire for dialogue and that their interests or pains are important.

Don’t be afraid to fail! During Destiny’s so-called “content drought” in 2015, we needed something to keep the subreddit from turning on itself, so I came up with the Destiny Summer Showdown, a series of challenges to test different skills in the community. We had a MS Paint meme challenge, a Sparrow racing around the Hellmouth challenge, a largest in game explosion challenge, a creative writing challenge, etc. It was a huge success, but we were talking a risk it could completely flop and we’d be accused of trying to shield Bungie from criticism.

Testing and fine-tuning emerge as stars of the show. As you compile a list of fresh concepts, the testing phase takes center stage. A/B testing, a method of comparing two versions of content with different elements, helps gauge effectiveness. Metrics, like reach, impressions, and clicks, quantify the impact, while surveys unveil the community's verdict. Optimization bridges the gap between idea and success.

Testing and optimizing are like fine-tuning a musical instrument – it's all about hitting the right notes for success. Let's explore how this process helps you refine your content strategy. 1. Test for the win. A/B testing lets you compare variations to find out what resonates best with your community. 2. Optimize for impact. Keep an eye on key indicators – reach, impressions, engagement, clicks, conversions, and retention. 3. Listen to your audience. Surveys and feedback open a window into your community's thoughts and preferences. 4. Iterate and evolve. The insights gained from testing and optimization are precious seeds for future growth. They spark fresh ideas and formats, ensuring your community stays dynamic and engaging.

Now that social media has been around 20 years, many of us have seen and used various platforms that we tested and know, will or will not work for our brand. Some social channels to me are not worth my time or attention, nor are my audience. Many platforms are full of obnoxious and hateful users who have nothing else to do but troll you no matter what article, or angle you arrive with. So being selective has lightened my work load.

Testing and optimization are key when trying new ideas and formats for your online community. Use A/B testing to compare content variations, and track metrics such as reach, engagement, clicks, and retention. Seek feedback from your community members to understand what resonates with them. These insights will help you refine your ideas and formats to better meet your community's needs and preferences.

Consistency is the thing that most businesses struggle with. You have to show up day in and day out in order to get results. Being real and authentic is extremely important as well. We live in an age where people are looking to build genuine relationships with the pages they follow. If you are not being authentic people will see right through it.

Stay consistent and keep showing up. A fellow marketer shared a lovely perspective the other day. While you may be disappointed in only getting XX likes or comments, you are still connecting with a group. In fact, you would be overwhelmed if that many people showed up in your living room or at a meeting to chat with you. Don't get so obsessed with metrics that you forget to connect and cultivate the community that is showing up! They like what you are sharing, so keep going. Stay consistent, and don't give up!

While it's important to try new ideas and formats to keep your online community engaged, remember to stay consistent and authentic to your brand. Avoid changing your brand voice, values, or message too often or too drastically, as this can confuse or disappoint your community. Create content that not only resonates with your audience but also reflects who you are and what you stand for. Being true to your brand will strengthen your community's trust and loyalty.

In my experience, I found that being human and engaging with members goes a long way. It is also a good idea to message active members from time to time to thank them for their engagement and strike up a conversation.

As someone who works in B2B marketing, I understand the difficulties of promoting complex products and services. However, I believe that challenges can be turned into opportunities to stand out and innovate. It's important to come up with creative solutions that can capture attention, drive results, and engage both customers and employees. When creativity is combined with corporate strategy, magic can happen.

Go for it! That's what I advise when analysing a new format. While analysing audience and demographics, sometimes simply posting a new format will give you all the information you need. Finally, at the end of the month, analyse your insights across each platform. Here you'll be able to find top performing posts based on likes, engagement etc.

Experimentation is the only true way to learn what works and what doesn't for your business. All the projections and data in the world doesn't matter, when you haven't tested those theories with real people in the real world.

When it comes to nurturing your online community, one fundamental principle stands out – experiment and learn. This approach isn't about an instant fix but a continuous evolution. Let's dive into the essence of this mindset. 1. Embrace the journey of discovery. Flexibility and adaptability are key – what works today might need adjustment tomorrow. 2. Stay curious and open. Be open to feedback – it's a valuable tool for understanding what your community truly wants. 3. Evolution, not permanence. There's no one-size-fits-all formula for community success; the landscape evolves, and so should you. Remember that experimenting with new ideas and formats isn't a one-time endeavor. It's an ongoing process of growth, adaptation, and learning.

It's all about trying and learning. Finding the perfect recipe doesn't happen in a flash, and that's okay. Stay open to change and new things. Being curious and flexible helps improve your content and community. Remember, feedback and even mistakes are chances to get better. Trying new ideas is a journey of exploration and creativity, not a quick fix. So, embrace the journey and let your community thrive!

Consistency is key - try new things and keep on trying. Just because something doesn't work, doesn't mean the next thing won't. Schedule trials and testing into your social media calendar and make it an integral part of what you do - it's a science experiment, and you're in charge! Enjoy it.

Don't overthink it. Experimentation is the name of the game, so let your creativity run wild. ??Look at trends.co, explodingtopics.com, and Google Trends for inspiration ??? Ask your community for suggestions and feedback ?? Use ChatGPT or other AI tools to help inspire or refine your ideas ?? A/B test different concepts and formats to see what your audience likes best Ideate ?? Create ?? Iterate ?? Publish ?? Repeat

Play the long game. Consistent engagement and growth doesn't happen overnight, so your content strategy should be long-term, always on, and relevant to your audience. Keep them at the heart of everything you do and you won't go far wrong.

When engaging with others, remember they are human beings at the other end of the 'conversation'. They have their own life stresses, dreams, goals, or challenges. Speak to the person, don't give a copy-and-paste or AI-type reply in engagement.