13 Ways To Build Legacy & Lead Powerful Communities in The Digital Era!

Building a purpose-driven community using social media has now become the norm for leaders aiming to make a change within organizations, communities or cultures.

Leaders are now connected to one another through today’s social media platforms more than ever.

In 2020, building trust within your community comes first. 

I’ll never forget the time I went to a conference where a keynote speaker said the rules of building a community never change—the tools do. It’s all about using “old school rules with new school tools.” Fundamentals never change in building powerful communities.

So let’s get right to it. 

These are ways we can leverage the digital tools of the 2020 decade to build resilient communities that will inevitably breakthrough today’s noise - once pursued consistently.

1. Start a Podcast For Your Cause.

There are over 500 million blogs available on the Internet.

By contrast, Google claims to have indexed two million podcasts, and in 2018 Apple claimed that there were 525,000 active podcasts. 

Would you rather try to be noticeable in a room of 500 people, or a room with two?

Build anticipation around your cause.

Podcasts are on the rise.

Use your "show notes" on your podcast to direct traffic. 

If your podcast idea is novel enough that you could even reach out to potential partners who align with your mission and sell them on advertising space. That obviously requires gyou pitch your prosperous potential, and prove why you’re the one who’s got the secret sauce over that subject matter.

I.e. What gives you the credibility to have X number of people potentially tuning in? Do you have any affiliations, previous projects/success worth noting?

C’mon, you know the drill. You got this.

2. Host a Monthly Event of a Minimum of 10 People.

Stand out by bringing everyone who cares about yourr cause out — regularly.

Even if it’s once a month, consistency is key.

Even though having an online presence is essential, backing it up by on-ground presence and having your community use your cause's hashtags across social media during meetings / events is just as important.

Real events 10x the difference to your presence on social media allowing you to maximize the power of leveraging the digital space. 

Kindly note: You become more credible with every successful value-driven live event you host for your community.

People are always watching. Oh… and judging.

That’s how you build anticipation and hype.

We all want to be part of a real life event with great online presence.

3. Plan a Weekly Live Instagram With a Member(s) of Your Community.

Empwr your followers.

Make them feel heard.

Allow them the opportunity to join the conversation around your cause.

Once you bring someone live with you, they will never see your icon as an emblem ever again. You will stand out as the leader who to lets his pack lead with him.

Do that often and eventually you build a group of superfans which will be your street team and your word of mouth ambassadors.

What more can you ask for?

4. Create An Online Community/Mastermind Group With Other Purpose-Driven Entrepreneurs on Facebook/Linkedin.

There is tremendous power in collaboration.

Support and share their content and get familiar with their initiatives.

Go an extra mile and create a Google excel drive with your community members occupation and skill-sets alongside their contact info to allow cross-collaboration between your members, well beyond the purpose of your mission. 

Make your members feel they belong. It’s really that simple, when you lead with empathy and understanding through such a simple mindful act.

Your cause is only as powerful as your community's collective network. 

Pay your dues first before expecting anyone to support your cause.

5. Seek Out The Region’s Most Relevant Conferences on Your Purpose, Cause or Simply on Entrepreneurship. 

Be at the places where you’ll find people constantly reversing and breaking the status quo.

Do everything you can to surround yourself around the dreamers that walk the walk.

Never forget: Most of your breakthroughs will happen via personal interactions.

Successful social entrepreneurs take initiative going to events to meet like-minded changemakers at anticipated community events and conferences.

I met the President-Elect of The World Federation for Mental Health at a conference I went to at Harvard in April 2019.

In two months, he not only became a mentor, but a father figure.

Put it that way: We now Facetime at 2 a.m.

That's the power of being where the action happens.

You don’t want to miss out.

Open up Google in another tab, and type:

"(your mission) Conferences in (your region). " Do it now and email me at [email protected] with your results.

6. Create Purpose-Driven Content at Scale.

Use Canva or Pablo to design professional shareable educational content.

Cross-pollinate your platforms using different creatives around the same message.

I highly advise you to always spice things up. 

Build anticipation.

Don't forget to ask your audience to hit that “turn on post notifications,” button.

You’ll know your content’s highly valuable when your community responds to your postings rapidly. 

Yes, notifications suck, but some actually are ones we anticipate for a headrush.

Be that good.

Make your purpose your members’ drug. (That's a good type of drug! haha)

It’s so obnoxious of me saying this, but I know you’ll take it the right way forward.

7. Leverage Linkedin / TikTok's platform for organic and viral growth.

They're simply where attention is undervalued. 

Both platforms are the only ones now that now allow organic viral reach. 

Utilize that to your advantage. Learn the ins and outs of which platform you'd like to focus on according to your target demographic. I'd personally pick one of the two.

However that's due to my limited resources. 

Do you have what it takes to build a community on both?

Be quick.

Find where your audience is.

Test different types of content. 

Measure results. 

Stick with what works. 

YouTube has great videos on how to create viral content on LinkedIn / TikTok. ie. What works! My friend Stephan Brown, living out in Los Angeles, is a Growth Strategist at TikTok managing a roster of viral creators.

Email me at [email protected] if you'd like me to intro you to Steph.

The reality is very simple. Get there first: Be social, active and engaged with others before expecting others to return the love.

Make sure to leverage this platform(s) underpriced attention now.

8. Reward Your Most Engaged Community Members "followers" With Exclusive Access to Your Social Cause's Offerings.

Gamify it. 

Who's your Changemaker/Advocate of the Month?

What are they going to get to want to be your special member?

How are you going to get a little more closer to those who are most engaged with you?

Will you record a personal thank you as the CEO of the organization?

It’s incredible how little things can mean a hell of a lot to some people.

Imagine if your favourite brand’s CEO sends you a 15-second video saying:

“Hey Layla, I just wanted to say thank you for showing us your genuine love and support. We are always listening to you. Keep being the awesome person you are. Sending you all our love and appreciation. Have a great day!” 

I’d jaw drop if I get that in a Direct Message from a brand that I highly respect, like KOTN by Rami Helali. 

9. Own Your Dot Com (or) Dot Org For Your Social Cause.

Make sure you're always driving traffic to a unique exclusive on your website.

Remember, it could also be an online store.

Solidify your existence online. It’s only about $15/year. 

Nothing is worse than having a purpose-driven mission only on social media.

YOU WILL NOT OWN YOUR DATA BY ONLY HAVING SOCIAL MEDIA ACCOUNTS.

Social Media Platforms are tools. You are the product. If you're finding trouble converting a high following to a customer base, email me.

Here's the thing. If we only depend on social media - in the unlikely event that facebook dies, we're screwed.

10. Create an Offline Database of Your Community. (SMS or Mailing Lists)

This is crucial.

Don't rely on any platform's algorithm.

We have no control over their agenda and the algorithm's manipulation.

The way to avoid any letdowns = make sure you own your CRM.

A Customer Relationship Management Tool is a database containing all your community members’ contact information.

Try to get as personal as possible with your community.

If you're comfortable asking for their cell numbers do it!

SMS marketing is what this next decade is heading towards. 

Email marketing is now oversaturated.

That’s why apps like Community are thriving.

They get it.

11. Partner Up with Local Businesses/Creators in Win-Win Deals.

Support your local business with more awareness via your mission driven cause.

I did just that with award winning filmmaker JR Alli, producing a viral video promoting Egypt. 

We got a million views in under a week. VisitEgypt is also one of the companies I co-founded, in 2019.

Partnerships like these are always a no brainer win-win.

Track your results.

Time capped giveaways are excellent.

Include limited time coupon codes.

Use your results to target bigger sponsors. 

Use local results to win bigger deals.

12. Gain Weekly Feedback: Overdeliver Above & Beyond in Value.

There's nothing like caring about a cause and being fed content that isn't unique.

Ask your community what they like to see more of on a continuous basis via:

Short 1 minute Google forms or even through personal 15-second videos or voice-notes via chat on your Instagram Direct Messaging platform!

My entire Mental Health Advocacy started by having this form below go viral. I was in the midst of my clinical depression diagnosis when I asked everyone in Egypt if they felt they wanted to share any of their "stories" anonymously.

In my experience launching the Middle East's Mental Health Magzine, EMPWR MAG, winning Harvard's Top 7 Most Impactful Social Initiatives in the MENA Region, asking engaged community members for feedback via DM video & voice-notes on Instagram allowed 10x deeper personal connection. 

Nothing quite builds loyalty and affinity between you and your members as much as human interaction or personal and intimate ways of engagement.

13. Document the Journey. YouTube is Only Going to Get Bigger.

Gary Vaynerchuck taught me that in today’s digital age, whether we like it or not, we’re not only brands: We are all media outlets.

Creating content that documents the journey allows the community to feel like they're part of the journey — live and in action!

Here’s one way to do it:

1. Weekly action vlogs on your progress. 
2. Sequence them like a reality TV show.
3. Write short and concise descriptions to direct traffic to your platforms.

I hope this article was of use to you! I'm @allysalama on Instagram. Feel free to reach out via DM's to say hi. For other inquiries kindly note that I separate both aspects of my life. Let's always talk biz off of social at [email protected]

All Smiles,

Ally Salama, The Middle East's Mental Health Ambassador.