Belonging Online
How Digital Communities Foster a Sense of Belonging and Are Custodians of the Digital Culture
When I reflect on the joys of being connected online, belonging to a community stands out as a key element. Whether it’s a niche subreddit, a Facebook group for cat lovers, a hashtag to follow on Instagram, or a fandom dedicated to a celebrity, communities offer a sense of connection and shared interests.
These communities encompass shared spaces with friends for information and meme sharing. They also extend to open communities where one can participate as an active member or simply observe from the sidelines. Just like in the offline world, online communities are diverse and offer a multitude of options, to belong and to participate.
This quest for online belonging transcends our individual profiles and identities. It revolves around building meaningful relationships and converting fleeting interactions into valuable social interactions. In all this, the contribution of community stewards plays a vital role in deepening our sense of belonging. For instance, for those utilizing digital channels as a source of livelihood, these communities offer channels for association, organization, and support. Digital platforms have provided opportunities for us to connect globally, pursue roles in international companies without the need for physical relocation, engage with inspirational content on business and lifestyle, and find entertainment.
The other day, while watching a podcast episode featuring Lex Fridman and Mark Zuckerberg discussing the advancements in face-to-face VR, I was struck by the shifts occurring in how we connect digitally. This reminded me of another feature by Bloomberg where the Airbnb CEO expressed a vision for the Airbnb platform to combat online loneliness by building connectivity and bringing people together. This will be achieved by marrying the digital with the physical. For instance, locally, we have seen digital creators organize meet and greet sessions to engage with their audience or digital SMEs organizing pop-up events where digital sellers come as vendors and buyers can sample and test products that they might not get to see when the shop is fully online.
With frequent digital development, one might feel overwhelmed. Currently, it seems as though we are primarily influenced by algorithms that shape our behaviors, both online and offline. This influence is comparable to being controlled by an invisible cursor. Guiding us in and out of Zoom meetings or gaining a sense of connection after we scroll through our friends’ Instagram pages as a way to keep up with their lives.
Amidst this surge in connections, what implications does it hold for the depth of our relationships, communal experiences, and the overall human quest for meaningful connections?
Digital identity entails crafting, curating, and connecting
Today, establishing an online presence for self or business can be a challenging task. It involves shaping a unique digital identity, making smart content choices, and effectively showcasing a digital portfolio to promote products and services. Not long ago, we could engage by just utilizing simple gestures like ‘poking’ on Facebook. Now, interactions have since expanded to include features like WhatsApp broadcast lists and calls, exclusive circles on Instagram, and niche targeting on TikTok to boost post engagement. And this keeps evolving, introducing new ways of interaction and connection.
We’ve seen a shift in the attention economy from visual content to audio content with the rise of platforms like Clubhouse and Twitter Spaces. Currently, we are experiencing an AI boom, which is transforming how we interact with technology, presenting both opportunities and challenges. As methods of engagement change, they present opportunities and challenges in what entails a digital identity, and how we belong online. For individuals who find it challenging to convey themselves through written text, audio options could provide a valuable alternative, potentially simplifying the communication process. However, the rapid pace of technological advancement may also present challenges, overwhelming and constraining some individuals in their efforts to keep up and adopt new tools. Here’s where communities step in.
Communities as social value creators
Digital communities spearheaded by dedicated administrators are key channels for fostering a sense of belonging, enabling peer learning, bridging the gap between offline and online experience, and acting as collective resistance against the algorithms. These gatherings go by various names — some call them audiences, followers, or communities — as the digital landscape continues to evolve, reflecting the adaptability inherent in digital cultures.
These communities owe their existence to the diligent efforts of group administrators and creative individuals who popularize concepts, curate content, organize events, and coordinate activities. These community stewards create spaces for community building, through dedication and relational labor and view solutions to problems through a relationship lens. Community forums serve not only as gathering places but also as platforms for taking on civic responsibilities, unionizing towards a cause, and organization. Some individuals profit from these endeavors, such as renowned influencers who grow their audience to monetize their engagements, other community organizers who might not identify as influencers get marketing partnerships from this while others are volunteers driven by a desire to advance a particular cause.
Despite their significant successes, digital communities face a range of challenges. One pressing concern is their potential to inadvertently spread misinformation and contribute to polarization, adding complexity to the already intricate digital space. Navigating digital communities demands an understanding of both the opportunities and pitfalls they present. At a time when most social platforms are rethinking how best to build connections, the pursuit of meaningful community building, identity formation, and showcase spaces has never been more relevant.
Reflections on communities we belong to
From family WhatsApp groups to global UX research slack channels. Digital communities, whether they revolve around shared interests, professional ambitions, or the simple joy of camaraderie, hold a unique place in our lives. They represent the multifaceted self that we want to be reflected. These could be adventure groups for those who love trying new things like hiking and exploring nature. They present us with a group to share exciting adventures with and inspire us to do more. Career communities are important for our jobs, commonly on Slack and Discord channels or even on social media. They help us with advice, knowledge, opportunities, and support in an ever-changing labor market. Our circle of friends, the people we laugh, cry, and celebrate with, could be in closed groups on different platforms. Other times, we seek spaces that inspire us. Such communities encourage our interests and show us that life is full of possibilities. All these options are available for the taking in online communities, some we belong to for free while others we could be paying for membership.
These communities unite us under shared values and create social value. This social value can be cognitive (know-how), professional, or epistemic (know what) and the journey is through several phases before the communities become sustainable over time.
Why we seek communities — The enduring need for human connection
Human beings are inherently communal creatures. Ubuntu, an African philosophy emphasizes the interconnectedness of humanity, underscoring our intrinsic desire to belong and be part of something larger than ourselves. Identity is gained through interpersonal relationships.
While the digital landscape can sometimes feel isolating, characterized by individualistic motives and personalization algorithms, the human instinct to belong and seek communal experiences remains deeply ingrained in our collective psyche. In digital spaces, where anonymity and isolation often prevail, the need for community is amplified. Beyond individualistic purposes, digital spaces have evolved to cater to this communal design.
Communities have different incentive structures and dynamics
Digital communities come in various sizes and serve different goals. Some prioritize cultivating a close-knit, niche environment, while others strive for scale and widespread engagement. These communities can be formed for purposes such as support, discussion, or action, and these distinctions lead to diverse incentive structures within them.
Members may be enticed by the prospect of network benefits, access to valuable resources, or early access to information, all of which serve as motivations for active participation.
The role of community managers becomes crucial in striking a balance between promoting growth and ensuring member satisfaction. As communities grow, it is essential to develop strategies that curb spam, maintain an engaged user base, and offer incentives to participants, thus ensuring the community’s sustainability over time.
Currently, many digital communities utilize digital platforms that might not be working for their niche. This presents an opportunity for social media platforms to be designed to meet this need or for upcoming startups to create solutions for these niche communities. Other times, community stewards develop their own platforms for engagement, mostly personal websites.
To manage members, community admins have to be creative. For example, consider a WhatsApp group I belong to dedicated to supporting women-owned small and medium enterprises (SMEs) in Kenya. The group’s administrators share guidelines with all new members and pin them to the group description, specifying that designated market days occur only on a particular day of the week. This proactive approach effectively reduces spam and prevents excessive self-promotion among members, allowing the group to allocate its focus to activities like training sessions and valuable discussions.
As new digital channels emerge, options fuel enhanced engagement
Social media has evolved beyond the days of passive scrolling and posting. Today, many people have the choice to spontaneously initiate Instagram Live sessions, share a thread on Twitter on an opinion they hold, or start a substack and build a paid following from it. This capability is made possible by a growing array of platforms, each offering unique modes of interaction, including emerging trends such as social audio, TikTok duets, and reels.
This diversity of platforms increases the opportunities for community members to encounter a wide range of content and share insights on how to navigate these new options. Group administrators can also take advantage of these options by hosting live sessions, inviting co-hosts, and granting control to others, allowing for collaborative experiences.
Given this level of connectivity, why is there still a problem of loneliness?
Social media platforms are actively working to nurture communities that combat the isolation often linked to the digital era. In a space heavily influenced by commercial algorithms, we often interact with a growing online crowd, leading us to ponder the true nature of community.
Beyond personal profiles and content tailored for algorithmic preferences, communities act as anchors in the face of change. They harness collective efforts and seek ways to foster a sense of belonging in a continually shifting digital space. Without a strong sense of community, platform users who prioritize individual gains and image may find themselves adrift in their digital engagements, lacking a deeper sense of purpose.
Peer learning as a channel to bridge the digital divide
One of the most significant drivers behind the formation of digital communities is the quest for knowledge and peer learning. With rapid technological advancement, staying ahead is imperative. Communities serve as invaluable platforms for sharing hacks, tips, and insights into navigating the digital landscape.
The collective pool of knowledge within these communities empowers individuals to adapt, learn, and thrive in an ever-evolving digital landscape.
Information flow in digital communities
How information circulates within digital communities differs per group. Some communities rely on top-down communication structures, while others thrive on participatory interactions. In certain instances, communities are owner-founded, where members rally behind a charismatic founder, often an influencer, shaping the conversational dynamics within the group. This not only molds the community’s culture but also wields considerable influence over its ability to achieve its objectives and how that gets accomplished.
With unpredictable group behaviors, community managers are often consequently faced with addressing a range of critical issues, including profitability, spam reduction, and the provision of incentives to members.
For instance, administrators may find it necessary to restrict comment sections on specific posts to mitigate digital attacks and spam, a case of managing bad actors that platforms like Facebook offer guidelines on how to go about it. This introduces a delicate balance between preserving free speech within these spaces and regulating engagement and the preservation of the intimate atmosphere often found in smaller groups, thus posing a growth dilemma.
New business models are merging
The online landscape is currently witnessing a remarkable diversification of business models, offering a unique opportunity for community and culture curators to tap into these models for economic gain.
From the recent surge in subscription-based models to advertising-based models. Then there are the freemium models that entice users to engage and make a payment for complimentary access. Notably, platforms such as Substack, Patreon, Medium, and even social media networks have embraced these models, challenging the conventional reliance on advertising revenue.
The concept of collective bargaining within communities is also gaining momentum. Community administrators curate services for members and present member statistics to service providers who, in turn, may extend discounts to community members. Community admins can then take a commission from facilitating this.
In some instances, communities have membership fees, emphasizing that individuals who wish to join the network should contribute to the maintenance of the available tools and resources. This approach acknowledges the distinct value of these communities, motivating users to invest in tools and resources that enhance their overall experience.
There is also a trend towards organizing offline activities that members can participate in for a fee. This approach signifies the community’s ability to extend its influence beyond the digital, bridging the online and offline. It not only attracts potential new members but also ensures inclusivity for those who may face challenges in engaging actively online for various reasons.
For advertising, offerings such as ‘pay to advertise here’ are a testament to the community’s effectiveness as a marketing platform, underlining its capacity to deliver tangible results for advertisers. As digital communities continue to evolve, these economic models will keep shifting.
Charting a path forward for digital communities
Digital communities are more than virtual gatherings, they fulfill a profound human need for connection and shared experiences in the digital spaces. They serve as channels for collectively shaping digital culture and bridging the ever-widening digital divide.
In an age characterized by constant change, these communities offer a sense of belonging, guiding us through the unfamiliar terrain we continually encounter.
The challenges they confront, from moderation dilemmas to unsustainable incentive structures, demand innovative solutions and ongoing attention.
As the landscape of digital communities evolves, so too must our recognition of their economic and social significance. They play a pivotal role in fostering connections, sharing knowledge, and navigating the complexities of the digital world.
Digital communities have emerged as indispensable infrastructure for combating digital loneliness. They shape the very essence of digital culture, proving that even digitally, our innate communal spirit endures, reaffirming that we are, at our core, social beings.
What has been your experience belonging to a digital community? Share with us. We would love to know what constitutes belonging for you digitally.
