What to look for in a modern community platformWe all know that an online community can be a powerful tool for bringing people together and even propelling your business forward.Still, the nuances of selecting the right community platform can be challenging at the beginning.In past articles, we’ve explored how to choose the best community platform for your business, but here’s an update on the latest platforms to consider in today’s market.

The platform must be easy to use for both members and community managers as well as access across different platforms.

Alternatively, recognizing the top interests amongst your members enables you to offer more relevant events and content.

There’s no point investing in a community if you can’t afford the upkeep.

PanionPanion Platform Best community platform for mentorship, matchmaking, and promoting meaningful connection Panion is an all-in-one online community platform that focuses on building meaningful member connections based on substance.Concentrating on rich member profiles, interest-driven connections, and member matchmaking, Panion helps large global networks generate a localized and intimate feel within their communities.Just one of the ways Panion does this is by allowing users to create multiple communities under one umbrella network, which is great for global communities that need localized groups.

A unique feature to Panion is its algorithms that match members of your community who have similar interests, hobbies, or passions and encourage them to get acquainted.As a European-based company, Panion is also one of the only platforms that enables VAT-registered billing for organizations.Panion offers these unique features while providing useful analytics and tracking, event management tools, and a sleek user-friendly interface.At the moment, Panion is continually developing and adding enhanced features to its platform, making it one of the best platforms to create an online community in 2021, especially if you want to build meaningful, lasting, and real connections between members.

A new emerging trend of no-code tools can help you save time on building digital tools and products and money by not having to employ and manage an entire team of developers, giving you full control over your organizations’ tech tools without the slightest knowledge of programming.

It almost sounds too good to be true, right?In a market that’s predicted to be worth upwards of $187 billion by 2030, there are hundreds of different types of no-code tools available that can help you with everything from building your own app, to automating your marketing communications.

Using a no-code app with pre-built features and easy drag-and-drop tools saves you a huge amount of time.There’s no more worrying about coding rules for traffic routing, scalability, or security, it’s already built into the platform.

It doesn’t matter what you’re building, creating a safe environment should be paramount to any platform.

Let’s explore a few:Limited customization options.

In other words, you might have to start from scratch as many tools do not have data export options.Less control.

In past articles, we’ve explored how to choose the best community platform for your business, but here’s an update on the latest platforms to consider in today’s market.

The platform must be easy to use for both members and community managers as well as access across different platforms.

Alternatively, recognizing the top interests amongst your members enables you to offer more relevant events and content.

There’s no point investing in a community if you can’t afford the upkeep.

Concentrating on rich member profiles, interest-driven connections, and member matchmaking, Panion helps large global networks generate a localized and intimate feel within their communities.

Just one of the ways Panion does this is by allowing users to create multiple communities under one umbrella network, which is great for global communities that need localized groups.

We are certainly living through historical and life-changing times.

The effects of the last few months will be felt long and deep into the psyche of who we are as humans, and within our cultures long after the initial threat of the virus has passed.Self-isolation has brought a time of reflection.

I have noticed within my network of clients, that even the most introverted among us are still seeking to reach out and connect to friends, families, and co-workers in ways that have not felt necessary before.What initially seemed like an opportunity to develop a healthier work-life balance, from remote/at home working and video calls, has also allowed us to understand the importance of our interpersonal dynamics with those around us.During this time, we have been prohibited from the most basic forms of human contact and connection.For many of us, we enjoyed the opportunity during the first few weeks to maintain contact by telephone calls, long messages, group and family video conferences and the drive and energy to maintain connections was at its highest.Over the last few weeks, we are noticing that people feel fatigued by the intensity of video calling.

Video meetings are emotionally and physically draining.Homes are turned into everyday offices with furniture not suited for long hours of work.

The time to decompress between meetings or after-work activities like fikas, commuting to and from work or even a quick chat with a colleague has been taken away.This prevents our minds from going “off-the-clock.” Humans are social creatures and to have human connections it is important to us as individuals and society.At times like this, it is especially important to maintain social support for our own mental and emotional wellbeing.Many people around us, in our private and professional circles, will be going through and experiencing the same things as us, hence the importance of offering ourselves space to talk about how we are feeling and to provide support to each other throughout this time.Our friends, colleagues, and families can be a source of great emotional energy and provide strength and support so it’s important to look to those around us and reach out.

Remember that we are not facing this alone.Without these emotional support blocks in place, and as this period of self-isolating and lockdown continues, it can be hard to maintain these connections over periods of time.

What are the drawbacks of using a platform like Facebook?As well as a lack of customization features and monetization options, hosting your community on traditional social media platforms gives you limited control over your community’s future.While a platform like Facebook is unlikely to disappear completely, key features are changed regularly, and there is no guarantee of what you will find on the platform from one day to the next.

To maintain full control over how your community interacts and to retain ownership over all of the content your community produces, you need to own the key parts of your community in a way that allows you to access your members, content, and data.Considering Facebook’s debatable data security practices, and it's not hard to understand the advantages of moving your online community to a new platform.

What are the advantages of modern community-building platforms?Modern community-building platforms offer a variety of ways in which community members can interact in a customized environment.For example, members can build rich profiles to get to know others better, and Community Managers can utilize event management features to organize in-person and online meetings.In addition, many modern community-building platforms allow you to own your member data, set your own guidelines and safety precautions.With so much choice, it can be challenging to narrow down the best platform for your community.If you’re struggling to understand the differences, be sure to check out this post on how to find the best community platform for your business.

It’s important to notify your members of your decision in advance, so you can address any concerns and feedback before the migration.Giving members the opportunity to be involved in the decision will make them feel valued and more likely to move without friction.One thing you can do to facilitate communication is to assign a point of contact that members can approach with comments and concerns.If they feel that communication channels are always open, they will feel less stressed about the moving process itself.Being upfront and open with your members about why you’ve decided to move the community is extremely important.Whether it’s because of privacy concerns, costs, or a lack of control on your current platform, clearly explaining why you’re moving allows for an opportunity to gain additional feedback from your members about how their experience could be improved.

Define what a successful migration means to youOne of the only ways to know whether you have successfully migrated your community is by defining what that success could look like ahead of time by setting specific goals and using data to track them.

Part of this process is thoroughly researching which metrics you will need to determine your success and the tools you will need to track them.For some community managers, this may be as simple as monitoring how many existing members have moved to the new community platform.

We spent three full weeks just diving as deeply as possible into establishing the mission, vision, and goals for my community.We worked together to curate SMART goals [Specific, Measurable, Attainable, Relevant, Timely], and the ways in which they could be communicated both internally and externally.

These would become the foundation for which this particular community would blossom.It’s easy for a community manager to feel overwhelmed when it comes to measurables.

b) Metrics: net promoter scores [NPS], focus groups, MAU, and quality of discussions in forums.

In a previous experience, we used ’ monthly themes that included challenges and/or campaigns that members could choose to partake in.

b) Metrics: This can be measured with a compilation of feedback, user-generated content [UGC], tracking how many members become moderators or employees, and by looking at the overall capacity for this community to decrease bottom-line costs.c) This can look like: where are reviews visible to our audience [think, Google Reviews or TripAdvisor or even Facebook group comments]?

What content is being shared and through which mediums?

We spent three full weeks just diving as deeply as possible into establishing the mission, vision, and goals for my community.We worked together to curate SMART goals [Specific, Measurable, Attainable, Relevant, Timely], and the ways in which they could be communicated both internally and externally.These would become the foundation for which this particular community would blossom.It’s easy for a community manager to feel overwhelmed when it comes to measurables.

How can we ensure that space is created where members want to return and engage?b) Metrics: net promoter scores [NPS], focus groups, MAU, and quality of discussions in forums.c) This can look like: the creation of a new, seemingly fun initiative created by the community manager after noticing lessened engagement following a current event [hello, pandemic].In a previous experience, we used ’ monthly themes that included challenges and/or campaigns that members could choose to partake in.

What is our commitment curve, or how can we define what each level of commitment to the community looks like as it progresses?b) Metrics: This can include member acquisition rate, rate of return, testimonial compilation, and even rituals engaged in.c) This can look like: having a clear and easy-to-access community dashboard that includes trackable metrics that can be monitored daily, weekly, monthly and even annually.

What, exactly, is our impact on our members?b) Metrics: This can be measured with a compilation of feedback, user-generated content [UGC], tracking how many members become moderators or employees, and by looking at the overall capacity for this community to decrease bottom-line costs.c) This can look like: where are reviews visible to our audience [think, Google Reviews or TripAdvisor or even Facebook group comments]?

What content is being shared and through which mediums?

Use these findings to conduct user research on your community, including member interviews, a focus group, compiling and analyzing data, and finally, putting it all together in a mood board/slide deck for a more robust view of what’s hindering or helping your community numbers.

So, what are the best alternatives to Facebook Groups?

For many, privacy is a priority, yet the social network’s record has left users lacking trust.Facebook Groups themselves leave a lot to be desired.

As a community manager, you don’t have access to your own data, and peer to peer messaging is not permitted amongst members who aren’t Facebook friends.This limits the growth of organic meaningful connections that drive your community forward.

For example, group chats were removed with little to no notice.There are also plans to remove the “get together” function, a feature which is used to create a quick event or gathering.Not only do managers have limited control of how their community is organized, key features can be removed overnight.

Customization is another reason why community managers search for alternatives to Facebook Groups.It’s not possible to organize content with subgroups or categories, and your only other option is having pinned threads at the top of the group.

That means there’s limited options to run a paid membership, or even provide online courses.This has left many managers searching for alternatives to Facebook Groups, aiming to move their community to a platform with more options for monetization.

What to look for in a modern community platformWe all know that an online community can be a powerful tool for bringing people together and even propelling your business forward.Still, the nuances of selecting the right community platform can be challenging at the beginning.In past articles, we’ve explored how to choose the best community platform for your business, but here’s an update on the latest platforms to consider in today’s market.

The platform must be easy to use for both members and community managers as well as access across different platforms.

Alternatively, recognizing the top interests amongst your members enables you to offer more relevant events and content.

There’s no point investing in a community if you can’t afford the upkeep.

PanionPanion Platform Best community platform for mentorship, matchmaking, and promoting meaningful connectionPanion is an all-in-one online community platform that focuses on building meaningful member connections based on substance.Concentrating on rich member profiles, interest-driven connections, and member matchmaking, Panion helps large global networks generate a localized and intimate feel within their communities.Just one of the ways Panion does this is by allowing users to create multiple communities under one umbrella network, which is great for global communities that need localized groups.

A unique feature to Panion is its algorithms that match members of your community who have similar interests, hobbies, or passions and encourage them to get acquainted.As a European-based company, Panion is also one of the only platforms that enables VAT-registered billing for organizations.Panion offers these unique features while providing useful analytics and tracking, event management tools, and a sleek user-friendly interface.At the moment, Panion is continually developing and adding enhanced features to its platform, making it one of the best platforms to create an online community in 2021, especially if you want to build meaningful, lasting, and real connections between members.

Or the waiters will look upon you with pity?

Is it the vulnerability of eating combined with the awkwardness of being single that causes discomfort?Or the most likely answer - all of the above?Whether you’re a solo traveler, a newly-arrived expat, or just on your own for the night, we’ve all been in the uncomfortable position of having to dine out solo.

It’s also a good opportunity to catch up on emails or other work, so bring a tablet or laptop with you.

Most people have been in this situation before and there’s nothing wrong with using this to your advantage.

Opt to join Facebook groups to find fellow travelers or locals up for dinner.

Same here - and I’m an excellent dinner guest.

When entering the world of community building, starting from scratch can seem like an impossible task.

Not knowing what their community will provide.Some people know they want to start a community but get stuck when asked what value they can bring to this community and how it will directly impact their brand.It’s important to ask oneself those questions before making the decision to launch a community.

Keeping followers or potential followers in mind and the value that will be provided for them will help make this decision.

Seeding the communityFinding people to join is one of the hardest things when starting out.

Photo by energepic.com from Pexels Given these challenges, it can be easy to make mistakes.

Trial and error is part of the learning process, however, there are some common mistakes that both amateurs and professionals can be aware of to stay ahead of the curve.

So we decided to shift our focus towards community building.“When the coronavirus hit, Panion’s vision of building deeper in-person connections was put on hold.

We shifted our focus to the world of emerging online communities,” Melanie, CEO, and Founder of Panion, comments.

By nature, communities are designed to bring together people with similar goals, values, or experiences, whether it be to rally behind a social cause, reach a specific professional goal, or support each other through a collective experience.By creating communities that mirror these types of collectivity and then helping members connect through common interests within those communities, we feel we can provide a more meaningful social experience with even more chances for valuable connection.

Whether through face-to-face friendships or online communities, we are still bringing people together to build meaningful and impactful relationships.“Three years ago, we could never have imagined we’d be so focused on community-building.

A year later, after extensive research and user testing, we are ready to go live with the Beta version of our web platform.We are taking Instagram’s approach to transition from solely a mobile app to a cross-platform solution– getting something limited yet functional out into the world, then adding new features on a rolling basis,” says Melanie.

The Future of Panion: The Leading Platform for Empathy-Driven CommunitiesPanion is still young.

While it’s undoubtedly rewarding, community management is also a very challenging job.With more choices than ever before (not to mention a rapidly changing global socio-economic landscape) people are not only looking for interesting content in the communities they join, but they’re also looking to connect with like-minded people, build meaningful connections and relationships, all while having a unique, comfortable and safe online experience.But in order to achieve this for the members of your community, it’s important to unpack the common community management myths and in turn, create effective and profitable strategies.

Below, discover five common community management myths and what actions you can take today.Myth 1: If it’s available, people will followJust because the community platform is available doesn’t necessarily mean people will join.

Myth 3: All platforms are created equalWhen it comes to online communities, there are often several common outcomes community members are looking for: to connect with like-minded people, informative and valuable content, a user-friendly interface and experience, safety, and more.But the truth is that there are very few platforms that tick most of the boxes.As your community grows, it may be important to revisit your strategy and goals to determine if the platforms being used are effectively reaching these goals, or alternatively, diluting and undermining your efforts.

Consider whether it’s time to migrate the community to a more effective platform that can deliver on more of your needs.

What to do: Arrange regular meetings with the various members of your team and look at ways the different departments can contribute to the success of the community.

Myth 5: A community is staticCommunities will evolve in time, especially thriving ones.

Asking whether your community needs an app is a bit like asking whether you need a coffee in the morning - you don’t need it, but it will definitely give you a much-appreciated boost!

With a pronounced shift towards mobile in the past decade, it is becoming essential to utilize the humble community app to drive community engagement.Enabling both mobile and desktop access allows community managers to oversee their community with ease, while members can enjoy the benefits of being part of a community at their fingertips.We’ve learned that a better user experience leads to happier members, which results in higher retention rates, community growth, and longevity.

Reduce user acquisition costs by improving retention ratesIt is between four and ten times more costly to acquire new customers than it is to retain existing ones.

With this in mind, it makes sense from a Community Manager’s point of view that retention is critical when it comes to successfully running a community and monetizing it.

In communities, real-time notifications facilitate quicker message responses between members, which naturally leads to a higher level of engagement.This immediate level of response across all three communication channels also allows the Community Manager, to resolve any problems before they impact the community and helps developers to get quick feedback if something isn’t working as it should.

This flexibility that we can enjoy with apps also allows developers to go beyond your average interface and create interactive, gamified features that contribute to user retention.For example, interactive polls and surveys are effective strategies for improving engagement levels and strengthening the community network.In-app gamification can also include things such as awarding points for how often members interact or giving out badges and virtual medals for the most active community members.

The competitive job market and external forces continue to rewrite the rules that govern our industries and our interpersonal relationships, which are becoming increasingly relevant and intertwined more inextricably.This, in effect, allows business leaders to reconsider how talent is understood, handled, and controlled by organizations.Successful companies retain technology consulting services to develop scalable workplace solutions that fit with their corporate plan to improve employee engagement and efficiency, build resilience, and drive business outcomes.Advancing technology has identified new engagement rules for growing employees' productivity potential.

Engagement remains a significant aspect of success, motivation, and efficiency for companies today.Individuals work at higher stress rates in human age as a result of increasingly aggressive productivity targets that allow them to achieve more in less time with fewer resources.

Working together is the powerA variety of forms of communication now allow employees to be in constant touch.

This is why companies need to use the right sourcing tools that can give them in-depth insights into talent trends and help them achieve business goals.Recruiting processes are more efficient and companies can adapt to recruiting demands faster and more efficiently with agile sourcing solutions that are aligned with talent and business strategies.This allows HR professionals within the organization to quickly deploy tools that give them an edge in identifying hard-to-find candidates.The right sourcing development system helps recruiters to cut through the noise quickly and to introduce the most effective ways of fulfilling the organization's talent needs.This also allows recruiters the ability to experiment with the new technology, develop their expertise, and extend their network of candidates.

Incorporate a gamification systemThe key to staying relevant in a growing workplace is to grow a hungry mind and never cease learning.Employers do need to ensure that workers have the opportunity to learn, creating an environment that promotes learning engagement and promotes opportunity is very critical.It is the organization's responsibility to make extra efforts to skill the employees, providing them with adequate training to adapt to new technology.Another way of promoting interaction may be the use of gamification.

Gamification is thrilling because it aims to make fun of life's difficult stuff.For Instance: Employee training in social media skills can be provided through a multi-level training system that allows learners to progress through the ranks and get the ultimate title of a social media "Master".Gamification strategies can be used to train sales professionals in the product/service line specifics and intricacies to allow them to respond efficiently when selling to customer requests.

What is a community platform?A community platform is an online space that hosts a group of individuals who come together for a common purpose.Typically, online platforms allow members to share helpful content, interact with each other, and have open discussions about a product, service, or hot topic.

What types of communities exist for businesses?Every business is different, which is why it’s worth taking the time to think about the kind of community that you want to build.The best community platform considers what your customers want and is designed to pander to their needs.

With a discussion platform, people ask one another for tips and advice and discuss important topics around a specific topic.Discussion communities can be user-led or prompted by the business that manages the community.This type of online community is an excellent way for companies to engage their existing and potential users and gather feedback and information about their services.

Action Online communities geared towards action are built by people who want to find others to take action with them.This could be anything from raising money for charity to organizing people to attend a protest.

Why do you need a community for your business?By 2019, 76% of global internet users were part of an online community.In the digital world, it is now easier than ever to understand what your customers think about your product or service using a community.Yet building a thriving online community can be challenging.

Market research and feedbackWhat easier way to carry out market research than within your own group of customers!