I have no community. And it feels fake to actively build one.
Community is an essential part of Kickstarter and an essential part of every Kickstarter project. In this week’s Campus Convo, we’re looking at how creators approached building and staying in contact with their communities long before and after reaching their funding goals.
Question: I have no community. And it feels fake to actively build one. Thoughts? –– Blaine Hansen
Answers from the Kickstarter community:
Start a blog and a Twitter account, and use them only in ways relevant to what it is you want to create. These will naturally attract people who are interested in your work. It will take time. But if you picked a good field, they’ll come.
Building a community is hardly a fake endeavor — if anything, it’s one of the best ways to lend yourself some credibility while connecting with other people in a space. It might sound silly, but starting a blog geared towards your specific niche or even joining a forum and actively participating in it can go a long way towards bearing fruit in the future.
The funny thing about community is in how it emerges. Some of my favorite communities have evolved simply because a blogger wanted to start writing about their favorite subject — OMG! Ubuntu is a terrific example of that. Others have emerged simply because someone on a video site spent their time writing and performing funny songs there, and a few people watched it and wanted more. Over time, a community or audience can grow dramatically.
Many online communities develop and grow for two reasons:
1. A group of people hold a common interest or set of common interests.
2. People within a group enjoy spending time with one another somewhere online. Initially they may come for their interests — but they also stay because they legitimately enjoy the other people that take part in it.
The thing to keep in mind involves your approach. You shouldn’t start a community in the sheer hope that someone will support your campaign — that’s putting the cart before the horse. But you can participate in an existing community of people, have a good time, and make some friends. Show off what you’re working on from time to time.
Some of those friends might end up wanting to build something with you, some may admire your work, and others might support your campaign simply because they know you and admire what you’ve made so far.
Social media is your friend. But your friends and family are also your friends! Help build the ground work with real people, whether it be family, friends, or break out of your shell and chat with people who might enjoy your idea in public. If you are being open, honest, and genuine, it will begin building.
Building a following should be by showing what you do, and letting people who enjoy it follow you. You have a start. Let’s take the YouTube channel you list on your profile. You have four uploads, and people have watched them and a couple of them followed you. But you stopped uploading 3 years ago. If you start uploading again, and do so consistently, you will build a following of people who enjoy your creations.
You can be sincere, genuine, authentic, and still build a following. In fact, you will have a much stronger following by just being you. But people outside your friends and family must see your creations to have the following you describe. So be true to yourself, but also upload regularly.
–– A K Nicholas
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