Online community building activities play a major role in increasing community engagement as they help people relax and start conversations with each other.

But wait - there is more!

Not only will they help in increasing engagement, but online community building activities will also make the members feel more connected with the brand. That, in turn, will help increase your brand awareness.

Before we go any further:

If you're in search of a platform that can help you in better monetization of your online community, then LikeMinds is the key to all your monetization woes!

So now, do you want to learn about some fun online community building activities and how to execute them?

Then keep reading this blog, because, in this blog, we are going to tell you:

• How to build a self sustainable active online community?
• How do you make a virtual meeting fun?
• What are the best online community building games?

So, let us get started!

Online Community Building Activities For A Self Sustainable Active Online Community

Yes, you read that right!

Organizing online community building activities is an effective way of ensuring that you are creating a self sustainable active online community. As the pandemic has got anything and everything to move online, so has our brand communities. And to ensure that these become self sustainable active online communities, including community building activities in your plan is a must.

Having online community building activities will boost the morale of your community members. That is a sure-shot way of ensuring a loyal customer base as you can make your customers feel more involved in the brand through these online community building activities. You can create excitement and enthusiasm amongst the customers via these online community building activities.

Not only that, but you will also give the community members a way to socialize with each other. And with the onset of the pandemic, no one can underestimate the importance of socializing. Online community building activities also increase the chances of people starting a conversation amongst themselves in the future.

That means, once people reach the stage where they are comfortable enough to start a conversation on their own, your brand awareness will increase rapidly.

So what are you waiting for?

Start planning your next online community building activity if you want to stress yourself less as a community manager in the future.

Make A Virtual Community Meeting Fun With Bingo

Bingo Maker will act as your go-to website when it comes to making a virtual community meeting fun. This is an application that allows up to 2k people to participate in a single session.

Now, the question is: How do you use this application?

Let us explain:

This application provides an option to create your custom-made bingo cards. You can use either numbers, words, or phrases to make these cards.

So, you can always use the words and phrases option to create different bingo cards for the various products and services you provide.

For example:

If you are a brand that sells beauty products, then you can create a bingo card based on your skincare products. Just think of all the words and phrases that are related to your skincare section and, boom! You are there.

See?

It is that simple!

This is an easy-breezy way of making a virtual meeting fun. You can make this meeting either a weekly event or a monthly event at your convenience. If your online community is of more than 2k members, then you can host multiple bingo sessions on one day, having different topics.

This way, your community members will feel more involved in the whole event as they have options to choose from here.

Also, if you're a brand for which numbers play a key role like a financial institution, then you can play around with the numbers option of Bingo Maker and create a custom Bingo Card for your online community.

Also Check Out : Online Community Building: What Is It And How To Build One?

10 Best Online Community Building Games

1. Creative Virtual Icebreaker

Start a discussion thread by simply asking a creative virtual icebreaker question. For example: 'If you were an X Pvt. Ltd. (insert your brand name here) product or service, which one would you be?'. Not only will it get community members to engage with each other, but you'd also get to know what people think about your products and services.

2. Photo Of Your Life Challenge

You can ask your community members to click a picture with any of your products that they find good or have a memory with. Also, ask them to write a small explanation of why they find that product good or what's the story behind it. This activity will work as a great way of making community members feel more personally associated with your brand.

3. Time Traveler

Time Traveler is another fun online community building activity that you can host. Mention a random era or a famous event from the past, and provide your online community members with a specific product or service of yours. After this, ask them how that product would have been used in that particular era or event. You can also give rewards to the top 3 most creative answers here.

4. Online Pictionary

Who doesn't love playing a game of Pictionary? So, use this game to build a self sustainable active online community. A great tool for the same is Brightful. Here, you'll have 2 variants of Pictionary to choose from, named: 'Draw It' and 'Draw & Tell'. Up to 200 people can play a single game, and the concept of points in Draw It will also serve as a reason for people to participate.

5. Trivia

Trivia's are always a great idea for building a self sustainable active online community. To create fun trivia for your online community, you can use Sporcle. Here, apart from classic trivia, you can also create a grid, slideshow, multiple-choice, picture box, map trivia, etc. Once you've created your trivia, all you need to do is share the link in your online community.

6. Never Have I Ever

Another classic is 'Never Have I Ever'. There are 2 ways of hosting this game: you can either post about your products and services or about industry-specific statements that are not directly related to your brand. In this game, the users of that product can suggest to others why they should use that product or service if they haven't already.

7. Things

This is a simple game but provides a lot of benefits. All you have to do is post a statement, and the only rule is: it has to start with the word 'things'. For example: 'things we want to do during our next community event' or 'things we wish we could do on the LikeMinds app'. Not only will this get people to talk to each other, but, will also provide you with user-generated ideas for your brand.

8. The GIF Game

This one will act as a cool way of gathering feedback on your products, services, feature updates, etc. from time to time. Select a product or service on which you want feedback and then assign a theme to it, say, 'movies'. Then ask your community to tell what they think about a specific service or how did they find the new feature by posting a movie GIF in the comments section.

9. Meme Challenge

In this game, you can ask the community members to describe your industry, domain, or things related to the same via a meme. They need not create memes of their own. All they need to do is to use the ones that are already out there to describe things. You can also add a reward for higher engagement and feature the top 3 memes on your social media accounts.

10. Fun Polls

Polls can serve as a fun online community building activity. Choose a product of yours or any other industry-specific thing, and then create a poll asking your community members in which situation that specific product or thing would have been most useful. Ask them to explain their reason in the comments box below. And make sure to give them bizarre & creative options to choose from.

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Extending Your Online Community Building Knowledge

Now, let's delve deeper into the world of online community building activities, exploring additional strategies to strengthen your brand's online presence and foster meaningful connections among your community members.

Themed Virtual Events

Organizing themed virtual events within your community is an excellent way to maintain engagement and build lasting connections. Choose a theme that resonates with your community's interests and your brand's identity. For example, if you're in the fitness industry, you can host a "Fitness Challenge Week" where members share their workout routines and progress. Such events not only keep your community engaged but also establish your brand as a knowledgeable and caring authority in your niche.

Expert Guest Webinars

Inviting industry experts to host webinars or Q&A sessions in your online community can provide invaluable insights and create excitement among members. Expert guest webinars allow your community to learn from the best, ask burning questions, and gain a deeper understanding of your brand's products or services. Collaborating with experts also strengthens your brand's credibility and authority within your niche.

User-Generated Content Contests

Engage your community members by organizing user-generated content contests. Encourage them to create content related to your brand, such as videos, blog posts, or artwork. Set specific themes or challenges to spark creativity. Offer prizes or recognition to the best entries. This not only generates user-generated content that can be shared across your brand's platforms but also fosters a sense of belonging and achievement among your community members.

Exclusive Access and Rewards

Creating a sense of exclusivity within your online community is a powerful way to keep members engaged and loyal. Offer exclusive access to new products or features, sneak peeks, or special discounts to community members. Recognize and reward active participants, such as "Community Member of the Month," to show appreciation for their contributions. Such incentives incentivize engagement and make your community members feel valued.

Real-Time Discussions and Q&A Sessions

Real-time discussions and Q&A sessions enable immediate interaction between community members and your brand. Use platforms like live streaming on social media or dedicated chat sessions within your community to connect in real time. Address questions, concerns, or updates as they happen. This direct engagement not only builds trust but also encourages more members to actively participate.

Support and Resources Hub

Transform your online community into a valuable resource hub for your members. Create a section where members can seek help, share advice, or access informative content. Offer resources such as tutorials, guides, and FAQs to assist them in making the most of your products or services. By positioning your community as a go-to source for information and support, you strengthen its importance in the lives of your members.

Advocacy Programs

Establishing an advocacy program within your online community can have a significant impact on brand loyalty and awareness. Encourage community members to become brand advocates by referring friends, sharing positive experiences, or leaving reviews. Incentivize advocacy with rewards or recognition. Advocates can significantly contribute to expanding your brand's reach and trustworthiness.

Feedback and Improvement Loop

Maintain an open channel for feedback and improvement within your community. Actively listen to your members' suggestions, concerns, and ideas. Implement changes based on their feedback, and keep them informed about these improvements. This transparent approach not only shows that you value your community's input but also leads to continuous enhancement of your products or services.

Implementing and Measuring Success

Now that you have a wealth of strategies for enhancing your online community, it's essential to implement and measure their success effectively. Here are some key steps:

Clear Goals and Metrics

Set clear, measurable goals for each community-building activity. Whether it's increasing engagement, boosting brand awareness, or fostering brand loyalty, having well-defined objectives is crucial. Identify the key performance indicators (KPIs) to track the success of your activities.

Tracking Tools

Utilize tracking and analytics tools to monitor your community's performance. Popular platforms like Google Analytics and social media insights can provide valuable data on engagement, traffic, and conversions. Regularly review these metrics to assess the impact of your community-building initiatives.

Member Feedback

Gather feedback from your community members through surveys, polls, or direct discussions. Their insights are invaluable for understanding what works and what needs improvement. Make adjustments based on their feedback and communicate these changes transparently.

A/B Testing

Experiment with different community-building activities and assess their effectiveness through A/B testing. Compare the performance of various strategies to determine which ones resonate most with your community. Adapt your approach based on the results of these tests.

Consistent Communication

Maintain open and consistent communication with your community members. Regular updates, newsletters, and announcements keep them informed and engaged. Encourage discussions and questions to ensure a dynamic and vibrant community.

Key Takeaways

1. Online community building activities help people relax and hence increase engagement.

2. These activities make the members feel more involved and help in increasing brand awareness.

3. Organizing community building activities also helps in making the community self-sustainable.

4. Use online tools like Bingo Maker to make your virtual community meeting fun.

5. Games like trivia, time traveller, and online Pictionary are great for online community building.

Conclusion

Building a self-sustainable active online community is a dynamic and rewarding endeavor. Through creative and engaging community-building activities, your brand can foster meaningful connections and increase brand awareness. By implementing strategies like themed virtual events, expert guest webinars, and user-generated content contests, you'll create a thriving community that benefits both your members and your brand.

Remember to set clear goals, use tracking tools, gather member feedback, and conduct A/B testing to measure the success of your community-building initiatives. Consistent communication and the support of platforms like LikeMinds are key to efficient community management.

Now, it's time to put these ideas into action and watch your online community flourish, providing a valuable space for your members and a boost to your brand's presence and reputation. 

The Role of LikeMinds in Community Management

Community management can be complex, and handling subscriptions and engagement can be a daunting task. LikeMinds is here to simplify and enhance your community management experience. Here's how LikeMinds can support you:

Likeminds elevates businesses in unlocking the true potential of their users through their in-app community and social network. Using LikeMinds, businesses achieve higher conversion and retention, by building custom community experiences in their existing platform unlocking community-led growth.

With LikeMinds, businesses get an easy-to-implement and highly scalable infrastructure with a fully customizable UI. All of this with a customization time of 3 days and a deployment time of 15 mins.

Our Chat and Feed infra have pre-built widgets such as image carousels, PDF slides, short videos, polls, quizzes, events, forms, and more for user engagement and retention along with moderation capabilities to ensure frictionless community operations.