How an Online Community Can Help Your Business Through COVID-19
COVID-19 disrupted every aspect of our lives and left many confused and overwhelmed. Companies and organizations have postponed or overhauled conferences and events, employees now work remotely and many businesses that thrive off face-to-face interaction are in crisis mode as social distancing becomes the norm.
As we are forced to embrace the world of Wi-Fi, virtual interactions and digital communications, online communities can be the answer to maintain internal communications and keep customers engaged at home.
Allison+Partners’ measurement and analytics team shared the insight that “with physical distancing recommendations in place, there’s a growing ask from consumers for creative ways to entertain family members at home.” Likewise, employees expect their employers to maintain company culture and engage them in a WFH environment. An online community can be an essential tool to connect with both audiences.
If your business is new to an online community, these best practices will help you create a successful space for your business’ employees, clients or customers to connect.
Consider your audience needs
A community is not only an effective way to push out communications, but it can provide needed support and guidance for team members or customers. Community managers and administrators are responsible for maintaining that safe space while giving individuals the opportunity to maneuver together through these unique times.
Orangetheory Fitness launched #OrangetheoryAtHome to bring its members “a new workout everyday to keep you strong.” In addition to participating in the workouts, members send in their at-home bloopers and equipment work-arounds to maintain the studio culture at home. Orangetheory features member photos to motivate the community to push toward their afterburn – a signature to the Orangetheory Fitness brand.
The Professional Beauty Association (PBA), the nation’s largest organization of salon professionals, stepped up to support its industry by offering a complimentary preferred membership for licensed professionals and non-licensed salon employees. This community gives access to like-minded industry professionals to lean on one another for support, access to its insurance marketplace and a way to quickly receive industry-specific news and updates. This is especially important as many freelancers, contractors and beauty professionals experience financial hardships during this crisis.
Allison+Partners launched an COVID-19 Resources and Updates microsite and internal community to keep employees informed of company-wide announcements and resources related to this evolving situation. An agency priority remains to ensure employees, clients and communities are safe and healthy. We also launched support forums to encourage sharing work-from-home tips and tricks, photos, client best practices and case studies. Employees use the forums to share photos of pets, creative work from home setups and their new school-aged co-workers. It’s become a needed connection as we all navigate uncertainty and prepare to adjust to a new normal.
Put collaboration first
For employees, a community can help keep projects organized and moving forward, especially in a virtual environment. Teams can brainstorm best practices and work together to pivot marketing strategies and manage a crisis in real time.
Try the below tips to manage an effective virtual collaboration group:
- Create topic communities and resource sharing groups for specific workstreams, deliverables and brands. This will help everyone manage their workloads and stay engaged.
- Reward participation through gamification, employee spotlights and content features.
- Provide ownership. Give employees responsibility as moderators. By doing so, message threads will be well-organized and aligned with the community guidelines.
- Launch user-generated newsletters. Incorporate daily or weekly emails summarizing leadership announcements, news updates, relevant discussion threads and link directly back to the community to drive participation. Learn more about the importance of internal communications during a crisis here.
Run virtual gatherings
While companies and organizations have cancelled many in-person events, they have created ways to bring their gatherings online. Virtual gatherings are new for many, and an online community can help make the transition easier.
Brand Innovators, an exclusive community of brand marketers from the world's top brands, is known for gathering regularly for thought leadership conferences and social events. As the world has pivoted to the virtual sphere, it had no choice but to pivot as well. To remain a safe haven and resource for the marketing, adtech and media industries amid the chaos, Brand Innovators launched a virtual livecast series that brings online its community the greatest portions of its physical events, such as compelling keynotes, panel discussions and fireside chats with industry leaders.
Netflix extended its party feature, so friends and families can watch the same content in real time while social distancing. Not only does it give viewers a virtual experience of being part of something and connecting with others simultaneously, it also provides the ability to discuss in real time.
We all must continue to adapt to a new normal, which involves creating innovative methods of connecting online. By learning from this pandemic’s threat, we can build lasting opportunities for customers, colleagues and businesses alike to inspire and innovate together online.
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Stephanie Cinque is a Content Marketing Manager at Allison+Partners and specializes in online community management and building successful engagement strategies for clients. With a passion for social media management, influencer marketing, and the beauty industry, Stephanie works on several integrated projects for the agency. Born and raised in New York, Stephanie currently resides in sunny Arizona.
Category: Integrated Marketing
