Building a CARING community on LinkedIn. The what, why & how

In my recent conversations with clients the questions “Who’s your tribe? Who’s your community?” came up quite often. Especially for those who left their country of birth and started a new life the UAE, Thailand or somewhere else on this planet. Frankly speaking, I wasn’t surprised why this question was raised so often.

We human beings are interconnected social beings, wired for connection. And in times of turbulence, which we currently find ourselves in, the “art” of authentically relating to others, of maintaining resp. building a community is a skill many of us seem to have forgotten - or maybe never learned.

Not only in our private lives but also in business. That’s why I wanted to write about it today.

In this article I’ll focus on genuine, "free" online communities, esp. the lessons learned I’ve gained from building a tribe of 110.000+ wonderful beings - not merely followers (more about that in a bit) - on LinkedIn. So, grab your fave tea, a pen and your “ideas note book” and let’s go.

What a caring online community is

To me a caring online community is a group of likeminded individual who share similar values and interests, a similar perception of the world and similar sense of humor. They also have a shared goal. For example becoming a truer, more aligned version of themselves.

They help each other, open doors for each other, share recourses, exchange their insights, have mature discussions, collaborate, learn, talk about the community and with that expand the community.

The difference between (random) followers and a caring online community

People who “think followers” in my experience are not genuinely interested in getting to know their audience, the real human beings behind the screen.

“Follower fanatics” are primarily interested in raising their numbers, to look good, impress others and nourish their fragile ego. Maybe even hope to get the approval of others.

No judgment here. Just an observation. As you may know, I believe in the go(o)dness of humans. And that we do our best with the resources, emotional maturity and awareness level we have.

A caring online community in contrast is a chosen family. A "safe space" where likeminded people can mingle, network, connect, learn and express themselves. There’s an interaction beyond the social media platform. People might catch up for a virtual coffee or meet in person, maybe even become business partners or friends. You won’t believe how many loving private messages, posts and pictures I was gifted with over the last nine years, which said something along the lines of:

“Thanks, Nat. Here's a photo of XX and me. We met under one of your posts 5 years ago and catch up whenever one of us is in town. Thank you for doing what you do and for being who you are. Bless you..” -> PRICELESS

Why you “need” a caring online community

Besides the already stated reasons, the following facts might change your perspective on building and maintaining a (caring) online community.

• a community is a great source of feedback. Ask the “right” questions and receive incredible answers
• for change to happen on a bigger scale you "need" people who follow your lead
• reading success stories from your tribe is heart-opening and boosts your happiness
• your loyal "fans" are some of the best brand ambassadors you can wish for
• a community is a great container to share your gifts/skills and giving back
• some of the comments and messages can be turned into fantastic content pieces
• in case you’re going through a low, your community will have your back
• an engaged, real community gives you credibility as a thought leader resp. topic expert
• a part of your community will turn into paying clients (more often than not these are your "dream customers")
• (big) brands with similar values as yours will approach you for collaboration purposes and/or projects

How to get started

If you’re now thinking “Ok, great. Got it. What do I have to do to get this off the ground?” I recommend you start with the following steps

1. Get clarity

If you haven’t answered the following questions yet, this is an invitation. Who are you? What do you stand for? Which problem do you solve? For whom? Who’s your ideal audience? And why? What’s the end result they can expect? What makes you YOUnique? The clearer you are within yourself, the higher are the chances that the “right” people will understand you and join your community.

2. Live by example

You’re the leader of the community, so write, speak and behave like one. Be the role model, the mentor your younger self wished to have by their side. Especially during challenging and difficult times. Don’t be afraid to show your human side. Share your stories to inspire and empower. To lead the way and give hope.

3. Consistently add value

Content is crucial. So, collect your content ideas. Listen to what people say. Allow life to inspire you. Then build a content calendar. Plan your posts in advance and implement all of that. Post for your community. Not your ego.

If you want to know more about the last two steps, which a lot of people either massively underestimate resp. never heard of, join me on the 26.03.2024 at 10:55am MEZ at the Macherreich-Legenden-Dienstag.