First impressions, even if not last matter. Understand why it’s better to opt for a suitable platform even at the experimental stage and how it increases efficiency and chances of success.

When starting a community, whether for a business, a hobby, or a shared interest, the platform you choose can significantly impact the community's success. The right platform can enhance engagement, streamline management, and integrate seamlessly with your broader goals. Conversely, the wrong platform can prevent growth, frustrate users, and create unnecessary headaches.

This blog explores the different types of community platforms, why your choice matters, key factors to consider when selecting a platform, and why in-app or web-app communities often provide superior benefits. We'll also break down some of the most popular current options, highlighting their pros and cons.

Types of Community Platforms, Their Pros and Cons

Irrespective of the primary focus, a lot of platforms have been used to build communities. From social media platforms such as Facebook to messaging apps such as WhatsApp and Telegram, a lot of times popularity among the target group has played a key role in deciding the platform. Let’s understand different categories in a bit more detail before we talk about the factors that should influence your choice of platform:

### Types of Community Platforms

Social Media Groups

Social media groups are one of the most accessible and widely used types of community platforms. These groups are hosted on large social media networks such as Facebook, LinkedIn, and Reddit.

The biggest advantage of social media groups is their ease of setup and the massive existing user bases of these platforms. This makes it straightforward to attract members who are already familiar with the platform's interface and are actively using it for other purposes.

However, they are subject to the limitations and policies of the host platform, including algorithm changes and data privacy concerns. These platforms also have limitations in terms of the automation that can be implemented, customization of user onboarding and other flows, engagement forms that can be executed and limitation on the type of data these platforms capture.

Messaging Apps

Messaging apps like WhatsApp, Telegram, and Discord facilitate real-time communication and are popular for their immediacy and ease of use. These platforms support instant messaging, voice calls, video calls, and multimedia sharing, making them ideal for dynamic and rapid interactions.

However, they can become overwhelming with high message volumes and may lack advanced organizational features of other platform types, such as forums or dedicated community platforms.

We had over 250+ groups on WhatsApp. While managing so many groups was a challenge in itself we struggled with gaining tangible insights due to a lack of analytics from WhatsApp. At the same time, certain user groups were hesitant to join due to privacy concerns.

CTO, D2C brand for hair and skincare

Forum-based Platforms

Forum-based platforms are designed for structured, in-depth discussions and are ideal for communities that benefit from detailed, threaded conversations. Traditional forums like phpBB and vBulletin, as well as more modern ones like Discourse, provide better moderation tools and are good for long-term information archiving and easy retrieval of past discussions.

However, forums require more effort to manage and may have a steeper learning curve for users unfamiliar with forum etiquette. Forums usually aren’t flexible creating a lack of personalized experiences on such platforms.

Workspace Collaboration Tools

Workspace collaboration tools such as Slack and Microsoft Teams are primarily designed for professional environments to facilitate team communication and project management. These platforms offer channels for organized discussions, direct messaging, file sharing, and a higher number of integrations with external tools.

The main challenge with these platforms is their potential cost and complexity, particularly for large communities or those with diverse user needs. The learning curve is also higher for such platforms, especially for people who aren’t very tech-savvy.

Slack is a very costly platform and the overall costs were further increased since we needed to use 3rd party tools for automation, deeper data analytics, and reports. Since it’s a workplace for most people, we had to tread carefully in nudging the user and we would still get complaints about notifications.

Ex-Community Manager, Wearable fitness Company

Dedicated Community Platforms

Dedicated community platforms like Circle, Mighty Networks, etc. are designed to support community building and engagement. These platforms provide a range of features tailored to creating, managing, and growing communities, such as member directories, content management systems, event hosting, and integration with other tools.

Dedicated community platforms are highly customizable and can be branded to match the identity of the community or organization.

These often come with a higher cost and require more initial setup and ongoing management compared to simpler social media groups or messaging apps. At the same time, they still exist as an independent unit and don’t contribute to direct interaction with the product of the business.

In-app/Web App Communities

In-app and web app communities are custom-built platforms integrated within a company's existing app or website. These communities offer the highest level of customization and control, allowing businesses to create a seamless user experience that aligns perfectly with their brand and goals.

Also read: Build vs Buy: In-App Community

In-app and web app communities can integrate directly with other business tools, such as customer relationship management (CRM) systems, sales platforms, and customer experience (CX) tools.

This integration provides a holistic view of user interactions and supports advanced analytics and personalized engagement strategies. In-app and web app communities are ideal for businesses looking to maintain complete ownership of their data and user experience though they typically require much investment in development and maintenance if built in-house.

Community is a critical component of our strategy since our product is designed to promote responsible investing and peer interaction plays a huge role in this. We opted for LikeMinds SDKs after looking at all the options because we wanted to go live very quickly without compromising on the long-term scalability and customization capabilities.

Founder, Fintech Startup

Why Does the Choice of Platform Matter?

From a user’s perspective, communities become the single source of truth as more and more users start participating and sharing their experiences. Therefore choosing the right platform is very critical since it serves as the foundation of your community.

It influences how members interact, how you manage the community, and how effectively you can meet your long-term goals. Here are some of the reasons why you need to spend time carefully examining and evaluating the options for community platforms:

User Experience

A user-friendly platform encourages engagement by making it easy for members to participate and contribute. The ease of use directly impacts member retention and activity levels; a complicated or unintuitive platform can deter participation and lead to a stagnant community.

Conversely, opting for a platform that is intuitively designed or integrating community in your existing app/web-based product can drastically tip the scales for creating a positive user experience.

Moderation and Management

Effective tools for moderation and management are essential for preventing issues before they escalate, thereby maintaining a positive environment. Features such as automated moderation, customizable user roles, and reporting tools allow administrators to keep the community safe and welcoming.

The more efficient management and moderation are, the more time community teams can spend focusing on engaging with the user and delivering on the community goals instead. This is one of the many factors we kept in mind while designing LikeMinds SDKs.

Also read: Community Engagement : Essential Metrics to Track and Analyze

Analytics and Insights

Access to data helps you understand your community’s behavior, preferences, and needs, guiding your strategies. Analytics tools can track metrics such as user activity, content popularity, and engagement rates. Without robust analytics, it’s challenging to measure the effectiveness of your efforts and make data-driven improvements.

Integration and Scalability

Platforms that integrate well with other tools you use (e.g., CRM, marketing software) streamline operations and support growth. Scalability is crucial as your community grows, and the ability to integrate with other software ensures that your platform can handle increasing demands.

For example, integrating a community platform with a CRM system can provide a holistic view of user interactions, enabling personalized engagement and improved customer service. The ability to scale without disrupting the user experience or operations is vital for long-term success.

Brand Alignment

Having a community in line with your brand’s identity and values can strengthen brand recall, loyalty and trust. The look and feel of your community space should resonate with your audience and reflect your brand's image.

Custom-built platforms or those with extensive customization options, allow you to create a branded environment that fosters a deeper connection with your audience. This alignment enhances user experience and reinforces brand identity, making users feel more connected to your brand and more likely to engage actively.

Another factor we kept in mind while designing our SDKs was high customisability for creating in-app communities that can fully reflect your brand’s identity, ensuring a consistent and immersive experience for users.

Factors to Keep in Mind While Selecting a Platform

Choosing the right platform for your community is a critical decision that can significantly impact its growth and engagement. Here are key factors to consider that will help you evaluate the choices from every angle:

Ease of Use

Both for administrators and users, an intuitive interface reduces the learning curve and fosters participation. Platforms like Facebook Groups and WhatsApp are popular because they are straightforward and familiar to many users.

For community managers, ease of use means efficient management and less time spent troubleshooting technical issues. For instance, platforms like Discourse and Circle offer clean, user-friendly interfaces that facilitate easy navigation and interaction. An intuitive platform encourages more active participation from members who can quickly understand how to use the features and engage with the community.

Data Analytics

Robust analytics tools are essential for tracking engagement, identifying trends, and making data-driven decisions. Analytics provide insights into user behavior, popular content, and overall community health. Platforms like Circle and Mighty Networks have built-in analytics dashboards that help administrators monitor key metrics such as active users, engagement rates, and content performance. This data is crucial for understanding what drives engagement and where improvements can be made.

In-app communities take it one step further by integrating with the complete ecosystem with-in the product.

Without comprehensive analytics, it’s challenging to gauge the success of your community initiatives and make informed decisions. 

Moderation Capabilities

Effective moderation tools help maintain a safe and welcoming environment, preventing spam and managing conflicts. Platforms like Reddit and Discord provide extensive moderation features, including automated moderation bots, reporting tools, and user role management.

These tools enable administrators to enforce community guidelines, handle disputes, and keep the discussion on track. Proper moderation is essential for building a respectful and inclusive community where members feel safe to express their views and engage in meaningful conversations. A lack of effective moderation can lead to a toxic environment, deterring participation and harming the community's reputation.

Platform Migration Challenges

Moving a community from one platform to another can be complex and disruptive. It's crucial to consider long-term needs to avoid frequent migrations. Migrating involves technical challenges, potential data loss, and the risk of losing members who are comfortable with the current platform.

For example, transitioning from a basic forum to a dedicated community platform like Circle may offer better features but can be challenging if not planned properly. Evaluating the scalability and future-proofing capabilities of a platform from the start can save time, resources, and community trust in the long run.

Building community within the app/web mitigates the need for such migrations while ensuring the highest level of data security.

Initial Experience and Perception

A poor initial experience can deter users from engaging with your community, affecting both participation rates and the brand's reputation. First impressions matter; if users find the platform difficult to navigate or unappealing, they are less likely to return.

Ensuring a positive initial experience involves clear instructions, user-friendly design, and immediate value through engaging content and interactions. This positive start is critical for building momentum and encouraging sustained participation. One of the easiest ways to do that is to ensure that the community follows brand guidelines. This creates relatability and provides a familiar UI to the members.

Integration with Other Tools

Seamless integration with CRM, sales, and customer experience tools enhances efficiency and allows for a holistic approach to community management. These integrations facilitate better data sharing, personalized communication, and improved user experiences.

Platforms like LikeMinds offer integrations with various business tools, making it easier to manage community activities alongside other business operations. Integration ensures that your community efforts are aligned with broader organizational goals and strategies.

Why In-app/Web App Communities Are Better

In-app or web app communities are the communities hosted within the product. Instead of being an outside thing, community becomes part of the core offering for such businesses, creating a deeper level of engagement, additional touchpoints, and a space for UGC and feedback, all within the product. These communities offer several advantages over standalone platform such as:

Better Integration with Brand

These communities can be designed to reflect your brand’s look and feel, providing a cohesive experience.

Enhanced Product Visibility and Interaction

Integrating the community within your app or website ensures that users frequently interact with your products and services.

Ownership and Control

You have full control over the data and user experience, without relying on third-party platforms.

Improved Analytics

Custom-built platforms allow for detailed and specific analytics that align with your business objectives.

Seamless Integration with Sales and CX Tools

In-app communities can integrate with your existing sales and customer experience tools, enhancing the overall user journey and providing valuable insights.

Comparative Analysis of Some of The Common Platforms

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Conclusion

Choosing the right platform for your community is a decision that can significantly impact its success and longevity. By considering ease of use, data analytics, moderation capabilities, integration with other tools, and the potential challenges of platform migration, you can make an informed choice that aligns with your long-term goals. While social media groups and messaging apps offer quick and easy setups, in-app or web app communities provide unparalleled integration, control, and data insights, making them the superior choice for businesses looking to build a strong, engaged, and loyal community.

In summary, investing time and resources in selecting the right platform at the outset can pay dividends in terms of user engagement, brand loyalty, and overall community success. Choose wisely, keeping your long-term vision in mind, and you’ll build a thriving community that supports your goals and grows with your business.

About LikeMinds

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 minutes.

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.