With the best online Community Platforms, you can create authority and build through online communities to your audience. If you are doing online business, you can bring your geographically scattered audience through popular ways such as online conferences, social events, and others. But nowadays, online communities are experiencing a boom. These online communities aim to bring people together worldwide with mutual interest rates. Organizing your customers leads to the productivity of your business.
So, are you searching for affordable community platform software that offers outstanding features that enhance your brand’s engagement? Then, you are at the right junction; experience the readings beneath and search out the best online community platform software to elevate your organic customer’s growth.
Nevertheless, there is countless online community software in today’s market for commercial purposes, and we elaborate top ten community platforms per the expert’s remarks. It is incredibly arduous to pick one software from a heap of products, so this post is for your convenience.
Top Three Pick:
After many hectic hours browsing and researching thousands of web pages online, we present the top-suggested community software. Mighty Networks is the top-in-the-line online community platform that is best for content creators and edupreneurs; also available at affordable prices.
The second top-notched product in our recommendation list is Thinkific. It has powerful community capabilities and is the best option for creating, designing, and selling online courses. There are well-built templates; you can customize them with a drag-and-drop editor.
The Tribe is another excellent community platform in our suggestion list. This no-code software lets you build a strong community and customize a perfect venue for your brand promotion.
These three community solutions mentioned above are low in price, top-notch, and provide you with the comfort you wish while creating communities. The existence of any one online community platform among these will help you develop active participation in your brand, improving engagement and boosting your brand awareness.
List of Top10 Community Platforms:
In this modern technology generation, the best online community platforms are available at variable prices, which lets you boost your reputation, drive engagements, and grow your audience. Not all software contains the best community features, but some have decent building and managing membership features.
Undoubtedly, many dedicated platforms provide robust tools for creating communities you can run with your online course business. These communities are a great way to humanize and boost your brand. You can share your targeted information with these communities and create deeper customer connections.
Sorting them for an ideal software takes too much time, labor, and effort. However, you are at the right junction, and all the professional work done here is especially for you. Let’s jump into the list of top-suggested platforms.
List Here:
- Best Overall Community Builders Platform: Mighty Networks
- Best Powerful Community Platform For Content Creators: Thinkific
- Best Community Platform For SaaS & Software Companies: Tribe
- Best For Collecting Online Communities: Reddit
- Best Gaming Community Platform: Discord
- Best Community Platform For Employee Engagement: Slack
- Best Corporate Forum-Only Platform: Vanilla Forums
- Best Open-source Community Platform: Discourse
- Best WordPress-based Community Builder Platform: BuddyBoss
- Best Community Software For Building Professional Networks: Hivebrite
Best Community Platforms Reviews:
These Community Platforms are excellent in every aspect. Whether you need these platforms for creating communities or managing community membership, these top-quality solutions can provide you with the maximum comfort you require while driving engagement, showcasing your brand, and building your brand’s reputation.
We, as experts, investigated numerous software products and found the ten best Community Platforms during their investigation period. In addition, we provide details of every Platform referred to in this article so that you can pick the one per your requirements.
Mighty Networks
Mighty Networks is an online community platform allowing individuals and businesses to create and manage online communities, courses, and membership programs. It offers customizable community profiles, integrated payment processing, content management tools for creating and organizing content, and analytics and insights to track community engagement.
Additionally, Mighty Networks provides tools for community members to interact with each other, including messaging, discussion forums, and events. The Platform aims to provide a single destination for professionals and individuals to build and grow their online communities and monetize their content and offerings.
Key Features of Mighty Networks
Here are the key features of Mighty Networks:
- Customizable Community Profile: Allows users to personalize the look and feel of their community to match their brand.
- Integrated Payment Processing: Allows users to sell memberships, courses, and other products directly through the Platform.
- Content Management: Users can create, publish, and organize content, including text, images, and videos, within their community.
- Community Interaction: Users can engage with their community members through features like messaging, discussion forums, and events.
- Analytics & Insights: Mighty Networks provides insights and analytics to track community engagement and measure the success of its online offerings.
- Member Management: Users can manage member accounts, subscriptions, and payment information within the Platform.
- Mobile App: Mighty Networks has a mobile app that allows users to access their community and content from their phones.
- Community Guidelines: Allows users to set and enforce community guidelines to maintain a positive and productive environment for members.
- Custom Domain Name: Users can use their custom domain name for their community instead of a Mighty Networks subdomain.
- Automated Emails: Mighty Networks offers automated email features to keep members engaged and informed, including welcome emails, renewal reminders, and more.
Pros
- Ability to create Quick posts, courses, articles
- Provides data privacy and security
- Create targeted landing pages
- Offer free trial
Cons
- Difficult to engage members
Thinkific
Thinkific is an all-in-one Community platform for creating, marketing and selling online courses. It offers a range of features, including, Customization, third-party integrations, and many more.
Thinkific is a cloud-based solution that allows users to create and sell courses from anywhere and is suitable for individual instructors, businesses, and organizations. This software integrates with tools like Zoom, Slack, and Mailchimp for enhanced functionality.
Key Features of Thinkific
Thinkific has the following key features:
- Course builder: An intuitive drag-and-drop course builder that makes this software so easy to create and manage engaging online courses, with options to add multimedia content, quizzes, assignments, and more.
- Customizable course pages: It can design and customize course landing pages and websites to match a brand’s aesthetic, including options for customizing the look and feel of checkout processes.
- Marketing tools: Built-in marketing tools, including email marketing and integrations with popular marketing platforms, to help drive course sales and promote courses to a broader audience.
- Student management: Features for enrolling and tracking students, including certificates of completion, analytics, and reporting, to help measure course success and keep students engaged.
- Payment processing: Options to process payments through various payment gateways, including PayPal and Stripe, and support for multiple currencies.
- Content hosting: Secure all course content, including videos, audio files, and documents, with options to password-protect content or limit access to specific students.
- Collaboration tools: Collaboration tools for instructors and students, including discussion forums and the ability to create groups and communities, foster a sense of community, and encourage student engagement.
- Mobile compatibility: Responsive design that allows students to access courses from any device, including smartphones and tablets.
Pros
- Enables users to deliver courses fastly
- Provides unlimited hosting for videos
- Host all your web pages
- Easy-to-use Platform
- Provide clean navigation
Cons
- No integrated email marketing
- No chat support
Tribe
The Tribe is a Community platform that provides tools for virtual collaboration, communication, and events. It allows users to host, attend, and engage in live and pre-recorded events, facilitating community communication and collaboration. The platform features include live-streaming, interactive chat, screen sharing, and document collaboration.
In addition, It is commonly used for remote work, remote learning, virtual events, and online communities. Tribe aims to create an immersive and engaging virtual experience for its users, mimicking the feeling of being in a physical space. The Platform is accessible through web browsers and mobile devices.
Key Features of Tribe
Tribe software offers a range of features to support virtual collaboration, communication, and events. Some of the key features include:
- Live streaming: The Platform allows users to host and attend live events, such as webinars, conferences, and town hall meetings.
- Interactive chat: Tribe offers real-time chat and messaging capabilities for users to engage with each other during events and in community groups.
- Screen sharing: The Platform enables presenters to share their screens and multimedia content with the audience during live events.
- Document collaboration: Tribe allows users to collaborate on documents in real-time, making it easy to co-create and edit content.
- Recording and playback: The Platform records events and makes them available for later viewing, so attendees can revisit the content or catch up on missed sessions.
- Community groups: Tribe enables users to create and participate in online communities to share information, collaborate, and network.
- Mobile app: The Platform is accessible through a mobile app, allowing users to attend events and participate in communities on the go.
- Custom branding: Tribe allows users to customize the look and feel of the Platform to match their brand.
- Analytics and reporting: The Platform provides data and insights on event attendance and engagement, allowing users to measure the impact of their events.
These features make Tribe a comprehensive solution for hosting, attending, and engaging in virtual events and communities.
Pros
- A most accessible self-service community platform
- Excellent Platform for connecting with customers
- Available at affordable price
Cons
- The charge subscription fee for monetization
- No method to create landing pages
Reddit is a social media and discussion platform that consists of thousands of communities (known as “subreddits”) centered around various topics, from politics and news to hobbies and interests. Users can submit content (text posts, links, images, videos) to a subreddit, and other users can upvote or downvote it, determining its visibility and popularity.
The most upvoted content rises to the top of the subreddit. In addition to upvoting and downvoting, users can also comment on submissions, starting discussions and debates. Users can also create and join communities, follow and interact with other users, and customize their profiles. Reddit is known for its openness, diverse user base, and “ask me anything” (AMA) sessions where famous people answer questions from the community.
Key Features of Reddit
- User-generated content: Reddit is a platform where users can submit content in text, links, images, and videos, which can then be upvoted or downvoted by other users. It creates a community-driven platform where the most famous content rises to the top of each subreddit’s homepage.
- Subreddits: Reddit is organized into thousands of communities known as “subreddits,” each focused on a specific topic or theme, such as politics, technology, or funny videos. Users can subscribe to any subreddit they find interesting, and all content and discussions within that subreddit are centered around that topic.
- Posting capabilities: Reddit allows users to post different content, including text, links, images, and videos. Posts can also be edited or deleted by the original poster, and each post can include a comment section where users can start discussion with others.
- User account creation and Customization: Users can create their account on Reddit, which allows them to customize their profile and subscribe to subreddits, participate in discussions, vote on content, and send private messages.
- Commenting and messaging system: Reddit has a robust commenting system where users can reply to posts and engage in discussions. The Platform also includes a private messaging system, where users can directly send messages to other users.
- Karma points: Reddit assigns “karma” points to users based on the upvotes and downvotes they receive on their posts and comments. It serves as a measure of the user’s contribution and participation within the community.
- Ad-supported business model: Reddit operates as an ad-supported platform, allowing brands and businesses to target specific audiences through native ads and sponsored content. It will enable Reddit to generate revenue while maintaining a free platform for its users.
Pros
- Business-friendly forum
- It enables you to build traffic easily
- Promote open discussion
Cons
- Allow you to post anonymously
Discord
Discord is a Community Platform for instant messaging and voice chat apps specially designed for gamers. It provides many facilities to create and join servers, essentially chat rooms, to communicate with other users through text messages and voice chats. Discord also supports file sharing, live streaming, and screen sharing.
Furthermore, the app features customizable emotes and permissions for server administrators and integrates with other apps and services. Discord is available on desktop, web, and mobile platforms and is free to use, with optional premium upgrades.
Key Features of Discord
Discord offers a range of features that cater to its user base of gamers and other communities:
- Text and Voice Chats: Users can join and participate in text and voice chats in real-time through public or private channels within a server.
- Server Management: Server administrators can manage member roles and permissions, control the server’s appearance, and set up various moderation tools to keep the chat environment friendly.
- File Sharing: Users can share images, videos, and other files within a server.
- Integrations: Discord integrates with various other apps and services, such as Spotify, Twitch, and YouTube, allowing users to share their music, streams, and videos directly from within the app.
- Emoji and Customizable Reactions: Discord supports custom emojis and allows users to react to messages with various emojis or create custom reactions.
- Screen Sharing and Live Streaming: Discord supports screen sharing and lives to stream, allowing users to show their screens or broadcast their gameplay sessions to other server members.
- Direct Messaging: Users can send private messages to each other, one-on-one or in small groups, and participate in public chats within a server.
These features make Discord an effective platform for communication and collaboration among communities of all types, including gamers, artists, educators, and more.
Pros
- Allow you to communicate through audio, video, and text option
- Screen sharing option is available
- Manage all learning material in one place
Cons
- Limited channel library
- Broken notification system
Slack
Slack is a cloud-based Community Platform that allows team members to communicate and work together in real-time. It offers instant messaging, file sharing, voice and video calls, and integration with other tools and services. Slack also has a searchable archive of all communications, making it easier to find information and stay organized. Moreover, it simplifies communication and enhances productivity within incredibly remote teams. Slack is available on desktop and mobile platforms and offers free and paid plans with various functionalities.
Key Features of Slack
Slack offers a range of features that make it a comprehensive collaboration tool for teams, including:
- Instant Messaging: Team members can send instant messages to each other, either one-to-one or in group channels.
- File Sharing: It allows users to easily share files, including images, videos, documents, and more.
- Voice and Video Calls: Slack offers voice and video calling capabilities, allowing team members to hold virtual meetings and connect face-to-face.
- Integration: Slack integrates with various third-party tools and services, including Google Drive, Dropbox, Trello, and GitHub.
- Searchable Archive: All communications on Slack are searchable, making it easy to find information and stay organized.
- Customization: Slack allows users to customize the interface with themes, emojis, and other elements to match their team’s style.
- Mobile App: Slack is available on iOS and Android platforms, making it accessible.
- Notifications: Slack offers customizable reports to help users stay on top of important updates and messages.
- Security: Slack prioritizes the protection of user data and offers various security measures, such as encryption, to protect user information.
Pros
- Excellent for team collaboration
- File sharing
- Automate communication process
Cons
- Limited customization options
Vanilla Forums
Vanilla Forums is a free, open-source, customizable online Community Platform. It enables community building and social networking by allowing users to engage in threaded conversations and share media. Vanilla offers a range of features, including user profiles, private messaging, email notifications, gamification elements, and a robust moderation system. Vanilla is known for its flexibility and ease of Customization, making it a popular choice for communities of all sizes, from small niche communities to large enterprise organizations.
Key Features of Vanilla Forums
Vanilla Forums provides a range of features for community building and engagement, including:
- Threaded discussions: Users can participate in conversations by posting replies to threads, starting new discussions, and upvoting/downvoting posts.
- User profiles: Each user can build his profile page to display information about themselves, their interests, and their contributions to the community.
- Private messaging: Users can send personal messages to other community members, enabling direct communication between individuals.
- Notifications: Vanilla provides email and in-app messages to inform users of new community activity, such as further discussions and replies.
- Gamification elements: Vanilla offers multiple gamification elements, such as reputation points and badges. These elements encourage users to participate in the community and positive behavior.
- Moderation tools: Vanilla provides a robust moderation system, including tools for flagging inappropriate content, banning users, and managing discussion categories.
- Customization options: Vanilla is highly customizable, allowing administrators to alter the look and feel of the Platform, add custom plugins, and extend its functionality.
- Mobile optimization: Vanilla provides a responsive design, making it easy for users to participate in discussions and engage with the community from their mobile devices.
Pros
- Ability to create unique space for business
- Provide customer support
- Provide multiple gamification features
Cons
- Costly for small business
- The customization process is too technical for non-coders
Discourse
Discourse is an open-source online community platform supporting discussions and community building. It provides features such as forums, real-time conversations, private messaging, and user profiles, allowing users to engage in conversations, share knowledge and collaborate with others in a structured and organized manner. Discourse integrates with other web services and can be extended through plugins and custom themes.
In addition, Discourse has a modern and user-friendly interface and aims to promote healthy and productive online discussions. It has moderation and spam control tools and customizable notification settings, and users can like a flag and reply to posts. Discourse also strongly emphasizes mobile accessibility and responsive design, allowing users to participate in discussions from any device.
Online communities, forums, and discussion boards often use Discourse to provide users with a more engaging and interactive platform. It is also used by businesses and organizations to support customer support, knowledge management, and team collaboration. With its features and customization options, Discourse offers a flexible and scalable solution for online communities and discussion-based websites.
key Features of Discourse
Discourse is a feature-rich online community platform designed to support and facilitate discussions. Some of its key features include:
- Forums: Discourse provides a modern and user-friendly interface for platforms, allowing users to create and participate in discussions on various topics.
- Real-time Conversations: Discourse supports real-time conversations, allowing users to instantly engage with others and receive real-time notifications for new activity.
- Private Messaging: Discourse provides personal messaging capabilities, allowing users to communicate securely with others.
- User Profiles: Discourse provides user profiles, allowing users to personalize their presence on the Platform and share information about themselves with others.
- Moderation Tools: Discourse provides tools for moderation, allowing administrators to manage the content and behavior of their users.
- Customization: Discourse offers a range of customization options, including the ability to customize the Platform’s appearance through custom themes and plugins.
- Mobile Accessibility: Discourse is designed to be accessible from any device, including mobile devices, providing a seamless experience for users on the go.
- Analytics and Insights: Discourse provides analytics and insights, allowing administrators to monitor and evaluate their Platform’s activity and make informed decisions.
- Integration with Other Services: Discourse integrates with other web services, allowing administrators to extend its functionality and combine it with other tools and platforms.
These critical features of Discourse are designed to support and enhance online discussions and community building.
Pros
- Built-in spam protection
- User-friendly and intuitive interface
- Support anonymous posting
Cons
- No native online course capabilities
- Administers can access private messages between members.
BuddyBoss
BuddyBoss is a top-notch Community Platform that provides tools and services for creating social networks and online communities. It is built using the WordPress CMS and offers features such as custom profiles, forums, groups, and member directories.
In addition, BuddyBoss also provides customization options such as themes, plugins, and add-ons to help users design and personalize their online communities according to their specific needs. The Platform aims to provide solutions for online communities, making it easier for businesses, organizations, and individuals to build and manage their online presence.
BuddyBoss is commonly used for creating niche communities, such as those for alumni, hobbyists, or professionals. It can also make and manage member-based websites for clubs, associations, or subscription-based services.
In summary, BuddyBoss is a platform that offers many tools and services for creating and managing online communities, designed to be flexible and customizable to meet the needs of various users.
Key Features of BuddyBoss
BuddyBoss is a comprehensive platform for building and managing online communities, and below are some of its key features:
- Member profiles: allows members to create and customize their profiles, including custom fields, profile photos, and cover images.
- Social activity streams: members can post updates, photos, and other content to a centralized activity stream, allowing for real-time collaboration and engagement.
- Forums: provides a platform for members to participate in discussions, ask questions, and share knowledge.
- Groups: enables members to create and join groups based on shared interests, topics, or activities.
- Member directories provide a directory of all members, including search and filter options for easy navigation.
- Private messaging: allows members to send personal messages to one another, enabling secure and confidential communication within the community.
- Notifications: members can receive notifications of new activity, such as posts, comments, and messages, to keep them engaged and informed.
- Customization options: BuddyBoss provides customization options such as themes, plugins, and add-ons, enabling users to personalize their online community according to their needs.
- Analytics and reporting: it provides insights and data to help understand and improve community engagement, including detailed statistics and metrics.
- Mobile-friendly: the Platform is designed to be mobile-friendly, allowing members to access and engage with their community from any device.
These are some key features BuddyBoss offers to help build and manage online communities effectively.
Pros
- Fully customizable with WordPress
- Support membership plugin
- Support extensive Customization
Cons
- It doesn’t provide free packages
- Not compatible with non-WordPress websites
Hivebrite
Hivebrite is a cloud-based community platform that provides tools and features for building, managing, and engaging online communities. The Platform offers customizable profiles, events management, discussion forums, private groups, and content management. Hivebrite aims to help organizations and groups build stronger relationships, foster collaboration and communication, and increase member engagement through its community platform. It is used by various organizations such as universities, non-profits, associations, and companies.
Key Features of Hivebrite
Hivebrite has several key features that make it a comprehensive community platform:
- Customizable Profiles: Allows members to create personalized profiles that include information about themselves, their interests, and their connections within the community.
- Events Management: This feature enables users to create and manage events, send invitations, and track attendance.
- Discussion Forums: This feature allows members to participate in open discussions, ask questions, and share information.
- Private Groups: This feature enables members to form smaller, intimate groups within the larger community for focused discussions and collaborations.
- Content Management: It enables users to create, publish, and manage various types of content, including articles, blog posts, and multimedia.
- Member Directory: Hivebrite provides an overview of all members in the community, including their contact information and activity.
- Analytics and Insights: This software provides metrics and insights into community engagement, member activity, and platform usage.
- Custom Branding: This Platform enables users to fully customize its appearance to match their brand, including logos, colors, and fonts.
- Mobile-Responsive: It ensures the Platform is accessible and functional on any device, including smartphones and tablets.
These features help organizations and groups build solid and engaged communities, facilitate collaboration and communication, and foster a sense of belonging among members.
Pros
- Provides professional tools for connecting with partners
- Offer integrated email marketing tools
- Built-in monetization tools
Cons
- A little bit costly
Before Buying the Best Community Platform, what factors must You consider?
There are various online Community Platforms available in this modern technology era. When it comes to selecting the best solution, there are some essential characteristics that you need to consider. Here is a detailed list of these factors, so read them with utmost care as they will assist you in making the right decision. Let’s dig out the details;
User Experience
It is a crucial factor to consider before selecting a community platform because it directly affects the engagement and satisfaction of your users. A good user experience means that users can easily find what they need, participate in discussions, and connect with others naturally and intuitively.
By considering user experience, you can ensure that your community platform is accessible, easy to use, and provides a positive and enjoyable experience for your users. It can increase engagement, higher participation rates and better community growth.
Cost
Before selecting the best community platform, the cost is essential because it affects your budget and resources and can significantly impact your bottom line. Establishing a community platform that is too expensive can strain your budget and divert resources away from other important initiatives. On the other hand, choosing a too-cheap platform may not provide the features and support you need to grow and maintain your community effectively.
Also, It’s important to balance cost and value and consider factors such as the Platform’s features, user experience, security, and support. By viewing the price, you can ensure that you select a community platform that provides good value for money and fits within your budget. MoreoThis can help you maximize your resources and avoid financial strain while providing the tools you need to create and manage a thriving community.
Customization
Before selecting the best community platform, it is essential because it allows you to create a unique and personalized experience for your community members. Customization options allow you to tailor the Platform to match your brand’s style and aesthetic and align with your specific needs and goals. Furthermore, It can help you create a cohesive and recognizable online presence for your community and increase brand recognition and loyalty among your members.
Customization can also allow you to add specific functionality and features tailored to your community’s needs. For example, you may need to add custom fields to user profiles, create custom forms, or modify the Platform’s workflows to better match your community’s processes.
Customization options can help you create a community platform tailored to your unique needs and provide a better experience for your members. Furthermore, This can lead to increased engagement, higher satisfaction, and better growth for your community.
Security
Security is critical before selecting the best community platform because it protects your community members’ sensitive information and data.
By considering security, you can ensure that the Platform you select implements robust security measures, such as encryption, authentication, and authorization protocols, to protect sensitive user information and data. Also, It can provide peace of mind to your community members and help maintain their trust in your brand.
Moreover, compliance with data protection regulations, such as the EU’s General Data Protection Regulation, may also be a consideration in choosing a community platform. A platform compliant with such regulations can help you avoid legal and financial consequences associated with non-compliance.
In summary, security is essential to protect your community members’ sensitive information and data, maintain their trust in your brand, and ensure compliance with relevant regulations.
Scalability
It is an important consideration when selecting a community platform because it determines the Platform’s ability to handle growth in terms of the user base, content, and functionality. A scalable platform will be able to accommodate an increasing number of users, content, and features without becoming slow or cumbersome.
Moreover, It will ensure that the Platform remains reliable and efficient even as the community grows, avoiding potential issues such as downtime, slow performance, and loss of user engagement. By considering scalability early on, organizations can only switch platforms later on as their community grows, which can be costly, disruptive, and result in data loss and user engagement.
Moderation Tools
Moderation tools are essential when selecting community software because they allow administrators to manage the content and behavior of users within the community. They provide tools for removing harmful or inappropriate content, enforcing rules and policies, and promoting positive member interactions.
The availability and effectiveness of moderation tools can significantly impact a community’s safety, security, and overall user experience. By carefully considering these tools before selecting community software, administrators can ensure that they have the means to effectively manage their community and maintain a positive and engaging user environment.
Integration
Integration with existing systems is essential before selecting a community platform because it helps ensure a seamless user experience and reduces the effort required to manage multiple systems. Integrating the community platform with existing systems such as CRM, marketing automation, or customer service tools helps avoid duplicated data and manual processes.
Also, it helps to consolidate all customer interactions in one place and provide a complete view of the customer. Failing to consider integration can lead to inefficiencies, data inconsistencies, and a suboptimal user experience for both customers and internal users.
Frequently Asked Questions About Community Platforms
While buying the best online Community Platforms, we may have some questions that need answers. We have done deep research for hours across the web and found some most repeatedly asked questions regarding online community platforms. In this post, you will get the answer to these questions from experts.
Q: What is a Community Platform?
Ans: A community platform is a software or online space where individuals can interact socially, share information and collaborate on common interests and goals. It can include forums, social networks, discussion groups, marketplaces, and more. The goal is to facilitate communication and collaboration among members and provide a platform for members to build relationships, share knowledge, and exchange resources.
Q: what is the difference between a community and membership platforms?
Ans: Community and membership platforms are similar because they aim to unite people online and facilitate communication and collaboration. However, there are some critical differences between the two:
- Purpose: A community platform fosters social interactions and facilitates discussions and exchanges among members. On the other hand, a membership platform is more focused on providing exclusive access to content, resources, or benefits to paying members.
- Content and Access: Community platforms often have open access to content and discussions, while membership platforms restrict access to certain content, features, or benefits based on the level of membership or payment.
- Revenue Model: Community platforms may be free to use or monetized through advertising or sponsorships. Membership platforms generate revenue through the sale of memberships or access to premium content or benefits.
In short, a community platform brings people together and encourages social interaction, while a membership platform provides exclusive access and benefits to paying members.
Q: Why are online community platforms important?
Ans: Online community platforms are essential for several reasons:
- Connecting people: Community platforms bring people from all over the world, connecting them with others with similar interests, experiences, or goals. Moreover, it helps to build relationships and foster a sense of belonging and community.
- Sharing information: Community platforms provide a platform for members to share information and knowledge. It can lead to exchanging new ideas, perspectives, and resources and help drive innovation and progress.
- Building communities: Community platforms allow members to interact socially and collaborate on shared interests and goals. It helps build strong, supportive communities and increases members’ engagement, motivation, and loyalty.
- Providing support: Community platforms can serve as a source of support for members, providing a space where they can ask many questions and receive help from others.
- Improving business outcomes: For businesses, community platforms can provide a space to engage with customers and stakeholders, gather feedback and insights, and build brand awareness and loyalty.
In short, online community platforms are essential because they connect people, build communities, share information, provide support, and improve business outcomes.
Q: What are different ways to brand a community?
Ans: Branding a community can be achieved through various methods, including:
- Naming: Choose a name representing the community’s values, goals, and culture.
- Logo and visual identity: Develop a logo that symbolizes the community and its goals.
- Content creation and distribution: Produce and share high-quality content (e.g., blog posts, videos, social media posts) that reflects the community’s values, goals, and culture.
- Community events and activities: Organize events and activities that unite members, reinforce community values and help build a sense of belonging.
- Member engagement and interaction: Encourage members to engage with one another and participate in community activities. It can build a sense of community and strengthen the brand.
- Collaboration with key stakeholders: Work with stakeholders, such as businesses, organizations, and influencers, to further build and promote the community’s brand.
- Consistent messaging: Ensure that all communications (e.g., website, social media, member interactions) align with the community’s brand values and goals.
Q: How can you build community engagements?
Ans: There are different methods to build community engagement. Some practical ways include hosting meetings and events, creating valuable content, creating a gamification community, and many others.
Q: What are the uses of online communities in marketing?
Ans: You can use Online communities in marketing for various purposes, such as:
- Customer engagement and feedback: Companies can engage with their customers, gather feedback and address customer complaints through online communities.
- Brand building: Online communities can help companies build brand awareness, reputation, and loyalty by providing a platform for customers.
- Influencer marketing: Companies can identify and cooperate with influencers in their niche to promote their brand’s products and services through online communities.
- Content marketing: Online communities can create and distribute valuable content to attract and engage target audiences.
- Market research: Companies can use online communities to gather insights about their target audience, such as their needs, preferences, and opinions.
- Lead generation: Online communities can provide a platform for companies to generate leads and convert them into customers.
Q: Can I brand and customize with my Mighty Networks?
Ans: Yes, you can brand and customize your Networks. You can create your online community. It provides various customization options to help you make it your own.
Q: How many courses can you create from the Thinkific Platform?
Ans: The number of courses you can create on Thinkific is unlimited. So you can create multiple courses. You can get its members to sell online courses to audience and grow your digital business. Whether you’re a teacher, coach, expert, or business owner, Thinkific provides the tools and resources you need to create and sell online courses that are engaging, effective, and profitable. However, you can build up to three systems with a free plan.
Q: Is Tribe Platform social free?
Ans: Tribe Platform offers free and paid versions of their social media management platform. The free version is limited in features and functionality. The paid version offers more advanced features and capabilities for managing and growing your social media presence.
In the accessible version of the Tribe Platform, you can set and manage many social media accounts, schedule and publish posts, and collaborate with your team. However, you may need to improve the number of social accounts you can connect, the number of posts you can schedule, and the level of analytics and reporting you can access.
If you need more advanced features and functionality, you may need to upgrade to the paid version of the Tribe Platform. It will give you additional tools and resources to help you expand your social media presence.
Conclusion
This guide deeply discusses every aspect that helps you make incredible decisions while buying the best community platform. We have also spoken about merit and demerits. These community platforms will boost the productivity of your business by providing tools that enhance the engagement and reach of your brand.
We are damn sure that one of the software will certainly meet your demands not only in terms of budget but also will have qualities which well-suit your business. By utilizing the information present in the buying guide section of this article, you can choose the best online community solution within your range.
In addition, we have arranged a top-grade comfort station for customers’ convenience, hunting the top-notch community platform software among numerous products in today’s online market. The three top recommended platforms include;
- Mighty Networks
- Thinkific
- Tribe
Possessing any of this software will help you own such cost-effective community platforms and provide you with numerous advanced and robust tools to build your brand reputation. Anything you were troubled about is solved now. In addition, the valuable information in this write-up will assist you in selecting the best to best Platform.
The characteristics present in these top-rated platforms are barely present in others. Thus, this post will remain advantageous while purchasing the best online community solutions.