Facebook and Slack used to be the best community platforms for online businesses: they are free, everyone is using them, and they are easy to use. However, new online community platforms emerged to offer better interface, more customization opportunities, and the chance to create your own mini social network. In this article, we will cover what online community platforms are, why software companies should build communities, how to get started, and which solution to choose out of hundreds of options. What is an online community platform?Online community platforms are tools that allow users to create profiles, share content and connect with other people. These platforms are often used for exchanging information about topics of interest, connecting groups with similar interests, or bringing the same product users together. Similar platforms are usually used by community managers, marketing managers, customer support managers, and product managers to engage users, retain customers, facilitate the support process, and gather product feedback. Why should SaaS startups build communities?Online communities are a way for people to come together and chat about topics of common interest. They form a dynamic social network that is both engaging and informative, as well as users on online community engagement platforms are more likely to convert and stay loyal to the brand. For users, communities are an ideal place to go and get advice from people who have been in their shoes. How do I start an online community?Starting an online community is more than just creating a Facebook group or a Slack channel. Online community platforms are designed to help you organize, grow and manage communities of people around shared interests. They come with the tools that can help you create and manage a community, like: – A discussion forum with the ability to start new threads and reply to existing ones, – Ability to provide incentives for members such as badges and points., – Opportunity to send private messages, -Organize events, and more. All you need to do is to pick a solution from the best community platforms we list below, sign up for a free trial or a demo, and understand which one meets your requirements. Which are the best online community platforms?Every business that is planning to launch a community is unique and gives importance to a unique set of features. Below we are discussing the 10 best community platforms and comparing them in terms of
Let’s start comparing! Further reading: How 13 SaaS Companies Use Community Marketing to Grow #1 Higher Logic, Member and Customer Engagement PlatformHigher Logic is the best community platform software for membership organizations and software companies who prefer a highly customizable solution. They don’t offer fixed pricing plans but instead, they offer use cases and scalable solutions just for your industry. Key features
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Pricing Customized pricing, no pricing plans #2 Tribe, Customizable Community PlatformTribe is one of the best free online community platforms that offers paid plans with advanced features as well. It’s for businesses in different industries and helps engage and delight customers. Key features
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#3 Vanilla Forums, Online Community and Customer Forum SoftwareVanilla Forums is one of the best community platforms for
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Pricing Customized pricing, no pricing plans #4 Ning, Online Community Building PlatformNing helps users create their own social network and stay connected. Key features
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#5 Mighty Networks, Community, Course, and Membership PlatformMighty Networks helps businesses create communities, build online courses, run events, live stream, and more. Key features
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#6 Plush ForumsPlush Forums builds discussion forums for everyone. Key features
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#7 inSided, Customer Success Community SoftwareinSided combines customer community content with a knowledge base and integrates across the platform. Key features
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Pricing No pricing information #8 Hivebrite, Online Community PlatformHivebrite is a solution for community managers and helps them build, manage, and engage their audience. Key features
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Pricing No pricing plans #9 Muut, Discussion systemMuut is a discussion system and allows businesses to organize lively discussions and make users happy. Muut is one of the best community platforms in terms of free trial as they allow you to try all features for free for 14 days without credit card. Key features
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#10 Panion, Community Engagement PlatformPanion helps businesses invite people to a private social network, build connections based on common interests and goals, enable activities and events. This is one of the best community platforms that offers a free trial with no credit card required. Key features
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Conclusion Now you are familiar with the best community platforms in the market and know how they are different from each other. If you are a startup, you might want to get started with Ning, Panion, or Mighty Networks because they offer a free trial. Or if you don’t plan on investing in a solution for now, you might use Tribe’s free version for a while. Growing businesses and enterprises will probably pay attention to other factors like support, onboarding, and a set of features. If you don’t know where to start and don’t have time to try multiple products, reach out to me for a free consultation call. We will create a roadmap that will help you launch the dream community for you and your users. The post 10 of the best community platforms for online entrepreneurs first appeared on Natalie Luneva. from https://www.natalieluneva.com/blog/10-of-the-best-community-platforms-for-online-entrepreneurs/
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Natalie Luneva is a growth and leadership coach for SaaS founders. She worked with over one hundred companies. Drawing from her 10+ years of marketing and team leadership experience, Natalie helps bootstrapped SaaS founders scale their startups, get unstuck and grow as successful leaders. ArchivesNo Archives Categories |