We’ve all been there: You’re drowning in work. Your task list is longer than a football field. Your inbox is teeming with requests. And you are so overwhelmed you can feel your head begin to spin in circles as smoke billows out of your ears.
I experienced crushing workplace anxiety six months into my current position as assistant director of enrollment communications. Within five months, four people from our team of eight left for other opportunities. Half of those jobs were never filled; the other half required long, arduous hiring searches. While I was technically brought on the team to write and develop a comprehensive communication plan, I spent most of my time answering unending phone calls and emails, advising students, and supervising team members. I barely had time to do my “real” work, and critical deadlines were creeping up quickly. In short, I thought I was going to lose it.
My Personal Online Community Building Story
Just when I thought I reached the peak of occupational anarchy, it happened. My supervisor popped into my office and explained that, in addition to everything else, we also needed a social network for newly accepted graduate students. “This project is yours now,” he said.
He explained that it was essential to create this online network so accepted students get to know each other and begin to form a relationship with the university. Students are then more likely to enroll at our school rather than a competitor’s. When students have higher levels of engagement in an online community, they form stronger relationships with their peers, the brand, and the company.
My boss handed me a one-page document with guidelines, and suddenly, I became an online community builder. I had no idea what I was doing.
Yes, I had some professional social media experience from working at Yelp. However, that experience was less about building a meaningful community and more about running contests and promoting events. I had never used social media in a community-building capacity before, and I didn’t have time to think about strategy amidst the ongoing work chaos.
I had no choice: I just dove in. Here and there, I would welcome a new member or share a news article. Occasionally I’d post a photograph of campus or talk about cheap eats in the neighborhood. I did not plan. I did the best I could under the circumstances.
And it was a hot mess. The community did not provide real value to students, which was evident by the complete lack of engagement. I vowed to myself that I would never let this happen again. Taking a hard look at my errors was the first step.
What I Got Wrong: A Yearly Breakdown
Year One
The first year, our online community was an abomination. My mistakes included posting very infrequently, recycling salesy marketing content rather than creating new content for this space and purpose, and using an outdated platform that was not mobile-friendly. I knew I needed to fix these problems to create a better experience in our second year.
Year Two
As we moved into year two, my strategy improved. First, I decided to move the group to LinkedIn since many graduate students already use this platform and it’s mobile friendly. I also created an editorial calendar every month and tried to be intentional in producing content that addressed new graduate students’ needs and interests. I wrote articles about where to live, the best study places on campus, and the Buffalo art and culture scene. #NewMemberMonday and #TipTuesday were born. Attention-catching graphics were designed. Perhaps most notably, the graduate assistants in our office got involved and began sharing their own authentic experiences with the group. We started seeing more engagement through likes, comments, and messages.
However, I made the mistake of pushing content and not pulling for interaction. I didn’t initially ask enough questions to generate discussion or take advantage of LinkedIn’s polling feature. Additionally, I realized that students joined the group to connect with and learn more about each other, and I was not facilitating those connections.
Year Three
We are now in the third year of our LinkedIn group. Since executing weekly polls and student Q&As, the group is in the brightest place it’s ever been. The community continues to grow, and students like and comment on our posts. But I’m not done.
My new focus? Encouraging deeper student participation. As soon as students join the group, they receive a direct message from one of our graduate assistants that clearly tells them that they can use the space to introduce themselves and post about what’s on their minds. I am also learning more about LinkedIn’s algorithm. In addition to posting at the right time and sharing personal content, Hootsuite also explains:
“The LinkedIn algorithm rewards engagement—especially posts that inspire conversations. One of the best ways to start a conversation is with a question. Ask your audience to share their opinions or insights with you. Posing the right questions positions your brand as a thought leader and provides an opportunity to learn more about your audience’s interests.”
Getting It Right[er] with A Little Help from… Peloton?
Correcting my own mistakes was not enough to construct the community I envisioned. I knew I had to do more to encourage the group participation I desired, but I didn’t know what to do next. Unfortunately, a roadmap for cultivating a useful and engaging LinkedIn group for graduate students did not exist!
My only option? Looking at active online communities for inspiration. I studied the Search Engine Land group on LinkedIn, evaluated Weight Watchers’ Instagram presence, and scrolled through the Student Affairs Professionals Facebook group. In doing so, I learned that having the right content for the right group of people was essential for an online community’s growth and engagement.
Yet, it wasn’t until I started paying closer attention to Peloton’s online communities that I was able to understand where I wanted to go next. If you aren’t already familiar, Peloton describes their mission as bringing “immersive and challenging workouts into people’s lives in a more accessible, affordable and efficient way.” Peloton combines technology and fitness to create a community of over one million members working together to reach unique personal goals.
As I looked at Peloton’s Instagram, Twitter and Facebook accounts, I noticed common practices that I wanted to borrow for my LinkedIn group. These strategies included:
Creating a supportive space to celebrate member accomplishments- Peloton uses its social media accounts to share encouraging messages that uplift members. Even better? When a member reaches a new personal record or takes 100 classes, the whole community rallies together to recognize this achievement.
Offering fun, interactive posts- While asking members if they prefer planks or crunches may not seem like a big deal, it’s offering an easy way for the community to get involved and express their opinions.
Featuring user-generated content– Sharing images members captured of themselves in their own workout spaces achieving their goals is fascinating– and sometimes touching. In this example, sharing a member’s poignant story resulted in over 3,000 likes and 100 comments, without Peloton’s social media manager having to create additional content.
Sharing a range of media- GIFS, live video, pre-recorded video, static images, animated images. Peloton tries out all forms of media and has fun along the way.
Really listening to the community- Peloton asks their community members what they want and, when possible, gives it to them. Polling functionality makes this more straightforward than ever before.
Peloton’s social media accounts speak to member interests in entertaining, attention-grabbing ways that result in engagement through comments, likes, and shares. Most Peloton members workout alone at home, but they still come together online to talk about classes, instructors, and other members of the community.
One could argue that the Peloton community may have many of the same needs as a graduate school community, especially during a pandemic when in-person connection is limited.
Whether in a spin class or a social studies education program, students need a place to ask questions or discover shared member experiences. Moreover, many students may crave a group to revel in their accomplishments or find handy information. Social media gives us the power to create these virtual villages. And being a member of the Peloton community allowed me to see the gaps I had in my own community building and engagement efforts.
A Word of Advice
If you’ve read this far, maybe you’ve been asked to build an online community for your employer, and you’re looking for ideas on how to get started or make improvements. Above all else, put yourself in the shoes of your community. Consider their interests and aspirations, and then find ways to empathetically facilitate discussion. Feature your members’ stories whenever possible. Experiment with media and content, and see what works best for your organizational goals. Most importantly, remember that growing an online community takes time, trial, and error. It might be years before you see the engagement you imagine. And that’s okay.
As my supervisor once told me… This project is yours now.
Take a deep breath. Keep your community in mind, and the rest will follow.
Agree or disagree: Engaging your community is an essential part of your social media strategy.