Beyond Facebook or Reddit: Community Apps

Beyond Facebook or Reddit: Are You Looking to Join a Crowd—or Build a Brand-New Clubhouse?

Sometimes joining an online community seems like stepping back to childhood as the new kid in school again. It’s best described as the feeling that the world is a tuxedo and you’re the old brown shoe.  As we age, old anxieties about joining clubs and fitting in can return—especially online. Over 76% of internet users now join online communities, with 620 million Facebook groups alone.

Modern platforms put users firmly in the driver’s seat, letting users log in on their own schedule and avoid cluttered email inboxes. It helps to know the difference between sites where you build communities and spaces you simply join.

Want to go beyond Facebook or Reddit? Check out these alternatives for community-finding, or community building apps.

The “builder” platforms: Creating a space from scratch

On builder platforms, you aren’t joining a pre-existing crowd. Instead, these tools provide a blank template to start an independent community, completely free from a “master” network like Facebook or Reddit. If you use these platforms, you are stepping into the role of a founder.

Circle

Circle offers clarity. Founded in 2020, with more than 20,000 active communities including Harvard University, and Mel Robbins, Circle serves over 15 million members worldwide.  Pricing is $89 – $199 monthly, with a free 14-day trial.

Geneva

Geneva offers intimacy and social feel.  Owned by dating app Bumble, Geneva is free for basic chat, hangout, and livestream features. If your community produces revenue, Geneva charges a 5% fee.

Mighty Networks

Mighty Networks is a heavy hitter for monetized ecosystems.  Mighty Networks also lets you build and sell online courses, with built-in tools to charge for subscriptions, tickets, or individual courses. Launched in 2017, subscriptions start at $79 to $199 monthly, with a 14-day free trial.

Attention Builders!

No matter the platform, if you’re going to build a group ask yourself, two strategic questions:

1. What are the specific goals for this group?
2. What makes your idea different from the millions of clubs already online?

Hybrid platforms: Join, build or both

Hybrid platforms let you create or join communities, with thousands of active clubs ready for new members. Just search, join, and participate.

Senior Planet Community

Senior Planet Community (SPC) is the ultimate online safe space for older people, a free, ad-free private social space designed explicitly for older adults. You can immediately join pre-vetted affinity groups focused on fitness, photography, gardening, creative arts or dozens of others. Don’t see your special interest?  In SPC, you can request to add a group.

Launched in 2022, SPC has more than 15,000 registered accounts. It’s an easy way to make interest-based new friends, minus the spam and ads, in a safe space.

Discord

Discord is popular but still in serious growth mode.  When Discord was launched in 2015, it implemented the concept of online exclusivity by making it an “invitation only” community. And everybody who’s anybody wanted in. Discord loosened the reins, with many servers (Discord’s word for its chat rooms) being open – no invitation needed. With 259 million monthly active users, and 32.6 million servers, Discord instant text chat boards with real-time audio rooms connects with others. The Basic version is free. Additional add-ons (think emojis) are available through Discord Nitro $2.99 – $9.99 monthly.

Meetup

Meetup is the one for location, location, location. Nobody does local better, with more than 60 million registered members and 330K groups in 193 countries. Meetup integrates online interests into face-to-face events. Build or join online or meet in person! Organizers and users can build and/or find groups in their area.  To create a community there are three price tiers: Free – $29.99 – $55.00; Meetup is available online and mobile app.

Want to learn more about building online community? Check out these Senior Planet classes:

• 6/4 at 11am – Meetup Lecture
• 6/4 at 4:30pm – Using Facebook Groups Demo
• 6/11 at 10:30am – Intro to Nextdoor Lecture

YOUR TURN

What online groups or communities have you joined or can recommend?  (And have you tried Senior Planet Community?)  Share your thoughts in the comments!

 

Deborah Reale is a digital marketing and communications consultant specializing in social media, analytics, content writing, and editing. Ms. Reale has written for Business Development Magazine, Construction Industry Today, and quoted in Investor’s Business Daily and the book Social Media in Action. She holds a bachelor’s degree in business management and a graduate degree in business administration.