Why You Should Start Building Your Social Community Right Now
Even if you have no plans on making money online.
With the digital revolution, a lot of things, as we knew, have already changed including: how we socialize, how we pay, how we read, how we get entertained, and how we do business, etc.
We know a lot has changed, and we know a lot more is yet to be changed. In this world of technology, we can’t presume what our life is gonna look like in the next 10 years.
Then Covid pandemic has taught us that our jobs, savings, businesses — everything that we carelessly depend on— can collapse within as few as just 7 months. All it takes is a pandemic to turn your life upside down.
Then how do we prepare ourselves?
Among the good things that the digital era has brought along, the best one is the ability for anyone to build their following of real people on various virtual platforms. But, this is what we all already know. What’s new?
Well, this following that you build on social media platforms is way more powerful than you think. If you just know some basic how-tos, they can be your customers, friends in need, and even guides — whatever you ask for.
It costs close to nothing to build your following (except hard work and consistency), but that following, once built, is worth millions.
By worth millions, I mean that the following can outweigh your 6 figure job or business. I am not implying that it will earn more money for you than your current income stream, but you can’t deny the possibility either.
Having a virtual following in a digital world has many perks. I have tried to give you some angles below to look at it.
This is your digital property
Your tribe is your digital property and this is as worthy as real estate in the physical world. With thousands of followers, you have got the power of influencing their lifestyle and small decisions, reshaping their thoughts and perceptions about something. Using them, you can either promote your own business or anyone else’s. Your following is considered as real property and if needed, you can sell it to someone else for real cash.
It does not matter what platform you chose to build your tribe. Be it YouTube, Instagram, Blog, Medium, or anything — all that matters is the number of people following you. The bigger this number is, the more you can expect from it. You can make some extra money while maintaining it or sell it for a fair amount of money whenever needed.
I have seen people selling their YouTube channels, Instagram pages, blogs, etc. This explains how anyone can have a following, grow it massively, keep it as a digital asset, and then sell it for real cash — all by giving it some work and time.
As the digital revolution takes over the world, more and more people are securing their space on the internet. The coming times might make it a trend to have digital property. If you have some passion and ability to influence people, it is very easy to build your tribe now. Take action and start gathering your audience right now.
Backup
During the lockdown, I missed a lot of things, such as: moving out, smoking, chilling out with friends over a cup of tea. But one thing that I missed more than everything was something that I never had. Yes. I missed the tribe that I had never built.
At those times of boredom, I wished had I had a following, I would have been busy serving them and making a few bucks as well.
But the good thing is that I have taken action on Medium without waiting any further. I know Medium is now tougher than ever like any other platform, but the process must be steady — no matter how slow.
Most of us who were busy with our jobs/businesses before the pandemic were left with a lot of time and we had no idea what to do with it. Most of us lost our jobs as well. A backup stream of income would have helped.
In this internet era, having an online income source is a good backup. As we have seen, the internet remained unaffected even during the world-wide lock down. You know you are financially more secure when you have a regular job/business backed by an online income stream.
A perfect side hustle
Even if you already have sufficient income sources, there is no harm in dedicating a little time to something you will enjoy doing. It not only helps you explore your talents better but also helps you monetize your passion.
Your tribe may not be large enough to be able to replace your regular job, but it will be something. It will surely add to your monthly saving, pay your restaurant bills, and might as well sponsor your next trip with your friends.
I don’t know how you see it, but whatever amount of money you make from something you love to do is a bonus — no matter how little it is. If you really built your tribe doing what you love, the benefits you get afterward will feel like a gift.
Your side earning can be huge or low, but you should hold on to it either way. A small side hustle could deliver huge results over the years and multiply your savings. Remember, that small income stream you are taking for granted can be of big help in times of need. Just grow a side hustle and stick to it. There will be times when you will be thankful for having this extra source of income.
Helps with your personal growth
According to some of the popular opinions, our growth is directly proportional to our habits. Besides, when you involve yourself in something you are interested in or want to discover more about, it brings you the satisfaction that you often miss with your primary job.
E.g: If you are a pet lover, it will be refreshing to share some cute pet pictures or videos with your community after a long day. Similarly, if science fascinates you, what could be a better way to learn more about it other than researching and sharing knowledge with others? This could be a great excuse to explore the areas of your interest.
When you get involved in an activity that inspires you to learn about your favorite topic, research, discover growth strategies, and strive hard for appreciation from your community — you can’t help but grow as a person.
Where to start
People like to consume content in various ways. Before starting out, be clear about what may work best for you.
You can go with any of the below platforms to start your journey:
- WordPress blog
- Medium
- YouTube
- Quora
Each of these platforms differs in nature and content type. Choose one according to your preference. However, irrespective of the platform, one crucial thing you need to have is consistency and uniqueness. Your success depends on how far you can go without getting bored, and that pretty much depends on how much fun you are having publishing content.
In the game of content creation, the only rule is never to give up. Make sure you pick a niche and platform you can stick with for years to come.
Wrapping up
While There are so many reasons to start building your tribe, I can’t think of a single reason why you should not. Don’t worry if your growth rate is slow. This is just a phase of your journey. Keep going.
In content creation, there is no particular destination. This is an endless journey with countless milestones. You just need to learn to love this journey.
Best of luck.
