Three Extremely Unconventional Ways To Use Slack

Slack isn’t just for sharing gifs and talking to coworkers.

When you hear the name “Slack” you probably think of a chatroom full of coworkers talking to each other all day.

Well, guess what? Talking to coworkers isn’t the only thing people are using Slack for.

Here are three super interesting types of Slack chats:

You might even already be in one of these.

1. Public Slack Chat for Customers
   Many companies have started creating public Slack chats. Why? So that they can provide their customers, and potential customers, with a place they can hang out, ask questions, and get to know each other. Kind of like an online version of a retail store or coffee shop. Companies doing this include HubSpot, Uber, Google, and likely thousands more.
2. Community Slack Chat for People with a Shared Interest
   There are thousands, maybe even tens of thousands, of micro communities being built in Slack chats. People from all over the world are hanging out in real time to talk about programming, sports, music, health, and even coffee. People used to use forums, now they use Slack chats.
3. Friends Slack Chat for… Friends
   You will never hear about these, unless of course you are in one yourself. People are creating tiny Slack chats just for their friends. These chats can range from two people to over 10 people, and they are literally just…a bunch of friends hanging out. They may not talk every day, but they know that they are there when they need each other or they have something to share.

If you want to find tons of Slack chat communities, head on over to Hamster Pad and browse hundreds of them.

If you want to create your own Slack community, you should read this guide I made with the help of 10+ Slack admins.

If you want to start a public Slack chat for your business, newsletter, or publication, send me an email at matt@hamsterpad.com.

If you want to chat with your friends on Slack…well…just go create a Slack chat and invite your friends 🙌