Building an online community is more than just a trend—it has become a necessity. But as a self-employed person, how can you build a successful community that not only strengthens your brand but also creates real value for your followers?
In this article, you'll learn, step by step, how to build an engaged community that supports and helps your business grow. From defining your target audience to tools and monetization strategies—we cover everything that makes for effective community management.
1. What is an online community?
An online community is much more than just a group of people who gather on social media. It is a digital space where like-minded people come together to share ideas, support one another, and pursue common goals.
According to a study by Facebook and NYU’s The Governance Lab , 77% of respondents said that the most important group they currently belong to is active online.
A successful online community is characterized by the following features:
- Strong relationships between members
- Common needs and interests or goals
- Active participation and commitment
- Continuous development
Building a successful community means creating an environment based on trust and mutual respect, where every member can contribute to the overall experience.
2. Define the target audience
Before you start building your community, it’s crucial to have a clear understanding of your target audience. A precise definition of your target audience will help you create relevant content and choose the right platforms for your community.
Methods for identifying your target group:
- Create detailed buyer personas (German: customer avatars)
- Analyze your existing customers
- Conduct surveys and interviews
- Use social media analytics
Keep in mind: The better you know your target audience, the easier it will be to build a community that’s truly engaged.
The KlickDojo as an example
I currently work (still) less with fully developed buyer personas and instead rely on the insights gained from the more than 100 SEO Bootcamp audits I’ve conducted so far. This is how I define the target audience(s) for my German-speaking SEO community “KlickDojo” on skool.com are currently, for example:
- Self-employed individuals, startups, and entrepreneurs with limited budgets: These individuals cannot or do not want to invest much in their website, but are willing to do the work themselves. Although I usually don't earn anything from them, they often benefit the most from my expertise. As loyal fans, they act as my best inbound marketers.
- Successful entrepreneurs with digital sales problems: These entrepreneurs wonder why everything in their business is going well except for sales or lead generation on their website.
- Successful entrepreneurs who need an SEO audit: These entrepreneurs want to have the work of their advertising or SEO agency reviewed. They are looking for inspiration for future projects or want to know whether their service provider is reputable.
Defining your target audience involves more than just collecting demographic data. Rather, you want to develop a deep understanding of the desires, needs, and challenges of your community members.
3. Create added value for followers
The key to a successful community is consistently providing your followers with real value. As long as your content offers this value, the type of interaction you have with your followers (text, audio, video, or images) is, by the way, irrelevant.
Keep in mind that building a community is a journey, and even small gestures can make a big difference. A personal thank-you in the form of a custom Loom video, an exclusive discount on a premium product, or simply taking the time to respond to comments in detail and honestly can make your members feel like they’re part of something special.
Proven strategies for creating added value:
- Share exclusive knowledge, experiences, and insights
- Offer solutions to specific problems faced by your target group
- Encourage interaction between community members
- Run a useful newsletter
- Organize in-person and online events and webinars
Case Study – Boxing-Arts Academy:
Ferhat, the former Bundesliga boxer from Hamburg, has founded the Boxing-Arts Academy , a dynamic community where he brings together fitness and boxing enthusiasts. His main channels for marketing, visibility, and gaining followers are SEO, his YouTube channel, Instagram, and TikTok, where he generously shares his knowledge and provides commentary on current boxing events.
To turn his reach into leads, he offers a free training plan that helps his new contacts get to know him and his training better. He also runs an online academy where interested individuals can take online boxing courses as well as participate in weekly live training sessions with Ferhat himself. And for those who still want more, Ferhat offers one-on-one training sessions and an in-person event.
4. Tools and strategies for community building
Choosing the right tools and strategies is crucial to the success of your community. Here are some proven options:
| Types of communities | platform | benefits |
|---|---|---|
| forum software | Discourse, WordPress with BuddyPress | Here you can delve deeper, share knowledge, and engage in discussion. |
| Social media platforms | Facebook, Instagram, Discord, LinkedIn | They provide a broad stage for fast and dynamic interactions. |
| Community platforms | Skool, WordPress with Digimember | A protected space for exclusive exchange and deeper connections. |
Strategy tip: Join the Skool Games
Choose the right platform to interact with your followers, because moving to a new platform or changing your platform always involves a lot of administrative work and the loss of many past members.
As you can probably imagine, I personally recommend Skool in 90% of cases because the platform has been developed with extreme care and is very well-rounded. It combines all the essential basics and, with the “Skool Games,” also offers you the professional training you need to do everything right when building a community.
5. Monetization of the community
A well-managed community can not only strengthen your brand but also directly contribute to revenue. While “monetization” is a word that sometimes leaves a bitter aftertaste, it doesn’t have to be that way. If you approach it the right way, it’s a process that can be valuable for both you and your community. It’s not about turning every interaction into a profit, but about creating offers that provide real added value.
Monetization opportunities:
- Premium memberships with exclusive content
- Online courses and workshops
- Affiliate Marketing Recommendations
- Sponsorship and advertising partnerships
- Sale of own products or services
- Value bombing for loyal brand ambassadors
Example: Value bombing for loyal brand ambassadors
Not too long ago, it was common practice in the world of info-marketing to break down your knowledge and release it bit by bit. For example, a free webinar—in which I was shown supposed bank statements from a dubious provider—led to an online course on building your own website for €50 and a cross-sell offering an online course on attracting visitors for €500 or more.
With his new generation of marketers, Alex Hormozi has completely broken away from this outdated paradigm. His motto is, “Share your expertise generously—including all your ‘secrets and tricks’—and inspire your followers so much that they can’t help but tell their friends and family about you.”
Building a community like this takes time and effort, but Alex Hormozi’s success shows that it’s worth it. His book, *100M$ Offers*, became a bestseller on Amazon in the Marketing & Sales category and sells thousands of copies every day without him spending a single cent on advertising. The key to his success is his loyal fans, who enthusiastically recommend his book to others. This kind of attention is invaluable in our fast-paced digital world, where TikTok videos and declining ad impressions dominate.
6. Offline meetings and events
Even though the focus is on the online aspect, offline meetups significantly strengthen your community. They transform abstract profiles and avatars into real, living people.
Ideas for offline events:
- Annual community conferences
- Local meetups
- Workshops and training courses
- charity events
These events not only offer networking opportunities, but also strengthen community spirit and brand loyalty.
7. Keep the community active
Building a community is one thing; keeping it active and engaged is another. According to Jakob Nielsen’s 90-9-1 rule, we categorize users into passive members (90%), semi-active users (9%), and active power users (1%). A recent BBC study puts this ratio closer to 23% (lurkers) – 60% (part-time active users) – 17% (active users), but you shouldn’t give up too quickly if it doesn’t seem to work right away.
Tips for continuous engagement:
- Ask questions regularly and initiate discussions.
- Celebrate community successes and milestones
- Conduct regular surveys to gather feedback
- Appoint active members as moderators or ambassadors
It's not so much about what you say, but rather how you listen. Being open to feedback, being willing to adjust your plans, and involving your community in shaping the future are crucial steps toward fostering a vibrant, growing community.
Conclusion
Building an online community is a rewarding but challenging task. With the right strategies, tools, and ongoing commitment, you—as a self-employed professional—can create a thriving community that not only supports your business but also provides real value to your followers.
Keep in mind: Although there are no specific, up-to-date growth figures available for the entire online community market, various indicators—such as the rising use of social media and the growing importance of online interactions—show that this sector continues to gain relevance. Now is a good time to start building your own community and capitalize on this trend.
Get started today—find out who your target audience is and sign up for a trial account on my favorite platform, Skool. Your future community is already waiting for you!
