Decoding the Top Secret Communications Formula: Content + Conversation = Community

This week #ContentChat was joined by chat regular Ken Gorden (@quickmuse) who shared why content and conversation are the keys to building a vibrant online—and offline—community. Not surprisingly, this chat featured a lot of conversation and resulted in a really long—and meaty—recap.

Q1: How do you define community?

A1) a group of individuals sharing, learning and growing together! #contentchat

— F13Works (@F13Works) December 12, 2016

A1: A space where like-minded individuals come together to share, ask questions, and brainstorm together. Offline or online. #ContentChat

— Berrak Sarikaya (@BerrakBiz) December 12, 2016

A1: A collective of like-minded people who interact with each other based on mutual interest! #contentchat

— Sebastian Faura (@FauraSebastian) December 12, 2016

Community is expressed through commonality. Individuals may have differences within, but community is what unites them. #contentchat

— Bill Skowronski (@BillSkowronski) December 12, 2016

A1: A collective of like-minded people who interact with each other based on mutual interest! #contentchat

— Sebastian Faura (@FauraSebastian) December 12, 2016

A1: A community is one that helps each other succeed, as opposed to an audience, which is only connected with the leader #contentchat

— joel m harrison (@joelmharrison) December 12, 2016

A1: a group of people who join together with a common cause and vision for the greater good. #contentchat

— Jeremy Jones (@jerejone) December 12, 2016

A1: Something that @SFerika builds? 😉 #contentchat pic.twitter.com/zlLsXbCCjW

— Kevin Mullett (@kmullett) December 12, 2016

A1. Online or offline, a community is a group of people with at least 1 commonality that groups them together #ContentChat @SFerika pic.twitter.com/UA6JDkx5Vz

— Uniform Nations (@Uniform_Nations) December 12, 2016

A1 A group of people who have something -characteristics, hobbies, etc- in common. Collaborate in useful/educational ways. #ContentChat https://t.co/ra8nkO8pLc

— Eric Sachs (@EricSachs_SEO) December 12, 2016

A1: liked minded individuals that interact, help each other out, share information #contentchat https://t.co/M4bFyp2AVN

— Josephine Borrillo (@70mq) December 12, 2016

A1: a social media ‘community’ includes users that engage naturally; usually guided by the brand, but not always. @SFerika #ContentChat

— 🎙JMatt (@JMattMke) December 12, 2016

@SFerika A1 A community happens when people start to feel a sense of common identity. Around a place, a brand, whatever. #contentchat

— Lauchlin MacDonald (@Lauchlin) December 12, 2016

@joelmharrison Great insight! In a community, the audience can interact/teach one another and help each other succeed. #contentchat

— Eric Sachs (@EricSachs_SEO) December 12, 2016

A1: A community is a place you go to learn, grow, and share — not always with like-minded people, but sometimes 🙂 #contentchat

— Brandfolder (@Brandfolder) December 12, 2016

A1: A community is a place you go to learn, grow, and share — not always with like-minded people, but sometimes 🙂 #contentchat

— Brandfolder (@Brandfolder) December 12, 2016

A1 When enough like-minded people bounce honest thoughts off each other, an ethos sparks off and community–boom!–appears. #contentchat

— Ken Gordon (@quickmuse) December 12, 2016

A1 Best community occurs at the conversation level: When you really know another and allow that person to know you. #ContentChat

— Ken Gordon (@quickmuse) December 12, 2016

A1: A community of like-minded individuals who share common interests, share ideas, and support each other! #contentchat pic.twitter.com/8w3L8zOlCe

— HeyOrca! (@HeyOrca) December 12, 2016

A1: A community of like-minded individuals who share common interests, share ideas, and support each other! #contentchat pic.twitter.com/8w3L8zOlCe

— HeyOrca! (@HeyOrca) December 12, 2016

A1: Community is anyone willing to listen to you! #contentchat

— Wayne Hendry (@ideakid88) December 12, 2016

A1: Community is a group of people with the same interests and concerns. #contentchat

— Josh McCormack (@joshmccormack) December 12, 2016

A3: @SFerika content plays a huge role; it gives the community something to discuss or share with their [individual] networks! #ContentChat

— 🎙JMatt (@JMattMke) December 12, 2016

Q2: Why is building a community important?

A2: Your community is your support group, sounding board, advocate(s), and posse. They make your job easier. #contentchat https://t.co/MBnkBNMdIs

— Matt LaCasse (@MattLaCasse) December 12, 2016

A2: A community is like a networking event that never ends. It builds connections and creates an emotional investment. #ContentChat

— Berrak Sarikaya (@BerrakBiz) December 12, 2016

@SFerika A2 There is nobody more loyal to a brand than someone who has taken ownership of it by being part of its community. #contentchat

— Lauchlin MacDonald (@Lauchlin) December 12, 2016

A2 It builds a support system. You can learn, help, grow from each other. #ContentChat

— Eric Sachs (@EricSachs_SEO) December 12, 2016

A2: Building community is important because it’s a way of supporting each other. #contentchat

— Fifth Story (@5FifthStory) December 12, 2016

A2: When you’re part of a community, you take ownership of what happens to those within and around it. #ContentChat

— Berrak Sarikaya (@BerrakBiz) December 12, 2016

A2 It’s called “social media” for a reason. #contentchat Community is the–French alert!–raison d’etre of this whole dang deal.

— Ken Gordon (@quickmuse) December 12, 2016

A2: Non-members will take your community members more seriously than they’ll take you. People trust people. Not brands. #contentchat

— Matt LaCasse (@MattLaCasse) December 12, 2016

A2) Building communities can connect you to other users and experts and help drive adoption and usage! Good for both sides #contentchat

— F13Works (@F13Works) December 12, 2016

A2: Brands can build communities to help identify advocates, which they can use to help spread their message. #contentchat

— Jason Webb (@JasonLWebb) December 12, 2016

A2 communities teach you everything you need to know. They’re also awesome for making the world feel smaller and more intimate #contentchat

— LUCYrk (@LUCYrk78) December 12, 2016

A2: collective wisdom, new ideas, and motivation / support the community can give you is awesome #contentchat https://t.co/ZcF3RWisgs

— Josephine Borrillo (@70mq) December 12, 2016

A2: @SFerika If you build an effective community, individuals w/in it can promote your brand for you (often w/o being prompted) #ContentChat

— 🎙JMatt (@JMattMke) December 12, 2016

A2: Creating a space for a community to exist allows for new ideas to come to fruition and to learn what is or isn’t working. #contentchat

— queen lola (@omylola) December 12, 2016

A2 A community needs growth to thrive and survive. New voices, new ideas, new skills, new perspective. #contentchat

— Bill Skowronski (@BillSkowronski) December 12, 2016

A2: If you can transform your audience into a community, your content will be much more effective & your advocates more fierce. #contentchat

— Brandfolder (@Brandfolder) December 12, 2016

A2. Communities allow you to grow a sense of purpose and belonging #ContentChat @SFerika

— Uniform Nations (@Uniform_Nations) December 12, 2016

A2: a community opens us up to the outside world. Too many businesses spend all their time inside their four walls. #contentchat

— Jeremy Jones (@jerejone) December 12, 2016

A2a: For community members, it provides a way to learn from other’s perspectives, to help others, to belong to something larger #contentchat

— Tim Mohler (@TimothyMohler) December 12, 2016

@quickmuse As long as those real conversations are constructive and respectful. A good community is also a safe space. #ContentChat

— Berrak Sarikaya (@BerrakBiz) December 12, 2016

@MattLaCasse True community is like a big warm hug – you feel SAFE @BillSkowronski #contentchat

— Chris Barrows 🎙 (@CBarrows) December 12, 2016

A2. Audience groups are much more likely to participate in a community than just directly with your brand #ContentChat @SFerika

— Uniform Nations (@Uniform_Nations) December 12, 2016

A2: True ‘community’ indicates deep connection and commitment. And trust. Ya can’t contrive that. #contentchat

— Mark Salke (@marksalke) December 12, 2016

A2b: For brands/community managers, it helps customers to become part of the story (and can highlight great ideas, save $$) #contentchat

— Tim Mohler (@TimothyMohler) December 12, 2016

@CBarrows @BillSkowronski Agreed. My perfect community encourages thoughtful and respectful discourse and discourages hive mind #contentchat

— Matt LaCasse (@MattLaCasse) December 12, 2016

A2: Building or joining a community is how you find interested people for what you have, employees, customers, ideas, etc. #contentchat

— Josh McCormack (@joshmccormack) December 12, 2016

A2: It takes a community to raise a startup to a company. #contentchat

— Wayne Hendry (@ideakid88) December 12, 2016

A2. Managing and participating in online communities is a great way to get your brand out into the world #ContentChat

— Uniform Nations (@Uniform_Nations) December 12, 2016

A2: I remember the sense of community around forums in the old Compuserve days- definitely a sense of shared mission. #contentchat

— Tim Mohler (@TimothyMohler) December 12, 2016

A2: A community gives you a group to bounce ideas off of, seek support, share ideas, and network! Like TwitterChats! #contentchat pic.twitter.com/RSBCyd1U91

— HeyOrca! (@HeyOrca) December 12, 2016

A2. Communities help you escape all the noise of online marketing and get to the stuff you want to hear about! #ContentChat @SFerika

— Uniform Nations (@Uniform_Nations) December 12, 2016

A2 communities teach you everything you need to know. They’re also awesome for making the world feel smaller and more intimate #contentchat

— LUCYrk (@LUCYrk78) December 12, 2016

A2: Building a community is important because brilliance doesn’t happen in a vacuum. Diversity is the key to genius. #contentchat

— Maureen Jann (@MaureenOnPoint) December 12, 2016

@MaureenOnPoint A vacuum is a great analogy. What do you find in a vacuum? Dusty old crap no one pays attention to anymore. #contentchat

— Bill Skowronski (@BillSkowronski) December 12, 2016

Q3: What role does content play in building community?

A3: Depends on the community. Content could be the root of community (blog comments) or it can be a tool to encourage convo. #ContentChat

— Berrak Sarikaya (@BerrakBiz) December 12, 2016

@SFerika A3 Content helps set the tone for the community. It’s the foundation that people will build their connections on. #contentchat

— Lauchlin MacDonald (@Lauchlin) December 12, 2016

A3: Great Q. Helps invite participation. Fosters engagement opp. #contentchat https://t.co/516AuxMREH

— queen lola (@omylola) December 12, 2016

A3: Should give your community something to rally around or to generate conversations that move the larger goal/convo forward #contentchat https://t.co/6W0oSup9qo

— Matt LaCasse (@MattLaCasse) December 12, 2016

A3: It can be the liaison that ties and keep the community together #contentchat

— Spin Sucks (@SpinSucks) December 12, 2016

A3: Want to mix content and community – include your community IN your content. Make them a part of it! #contentchat

— Chris Barrows 🎙 (@CBarrows) December 12, 2016

The #JEDLAB community succeeded–and continues to succeed–because of a deeply held shared ethos. https://t.co/aqBCVaLvoY #contentchat

— Ken Gordon (@quickmuse) December 12, 2016

A3: Tell good stories or good information that builds trust, and you’ll start building a community. #contentchat

— Jason Webb (@JasonLWebb) December 12, 2016

A3. If you want to build a community, you’ll want to focus on 1 topic/goal to unite its audience. Then comes content planning! #ContentChat

— Uniform Nations (@Uniform_Nations) December 12, 2016

A3: The value of UGC cannot be understated – it promotes sharing (and more importantly) conversation! #contentchat

— Chris Barrows 🎙 (@CBarrows) December 12, 2016

#contentchat Good idea to define what your community believes in–and then have people who exhibit that ethos moderating. #jedlab

— Ken Gordon (@quickmuse) December 12, 2016

A3: Content builds a community by spreading a meaningful message. This creates passion that helps communities move mountains. #contentchat

— Jeremy Jones (@jerejone) December 12, 2016

A3: @SFerika content plays a huge role; it gives the community something to discuss or share with their [individual] networks! #ContentChat

— 🎙JMatt (@JMattMke) December 12, 2016

A3: Content gives community members something to rally around (for better or for worse!) #contentchat

— Brandfolder (@Brandfolder) December 12, 2016

A3: Good content will set the tone for your community. It’ll also encourage members to contribute on a regular basis. #ContentChat

— Berrak Sarikaya (@BerrakBiz) December 12, 2016

A3. Content planning should still be organic if communities when possible – that’s what they were built around after all! #ContentChat

— Uniform Nations (@Uniform_Nations) December 12, 2016

A3: Content is the community’s fuel. What you put in is what you get out—Garbage or premium—your call. #ContentChat

— Gary McIntire (@garymcintire) December 12, 2016

A3: Sparks conversation and engagement between members! #contentchat https://t.co/tGI7rmYfWQ

— HeyOrca! (@HeyOrca) December 12, 2016

A3: Content can help draw a community together, providing a hub around which discussion expands into a broader set of ideas. #contentchat

— Tim Mohler (@TimothyMohler) December 12, 2016

A3: Content can help draw a community together, providing a hub around which discussion expands into a broader set of ideas. #contentchat

— Tim Mohler (@TimothyMohler) December 12, 2016

A3: Content can help draw a community together, providing a hub around which discussion expands into a broader set of ideas. #contentchat

— Tim Mohler (@TimothyMohler) December 12, 2016

A3: Content directs the reactions and engagement your brand has with its community! #contentchat

— Sebastian Faura (@FauraSebastian) December 12, 2016

A3: Is this a rhetorical question lol. Content is the DNA of Community for me. #contentchat

— Wayne Hendry (@ideakid88) December 12, 2016

A3b. Creating content that the community can build on may also be something that works. #contentchat

— queen lola (@omylola) December 12, 2016

A3 Content can be a rallying cry for some communities; it can be a communications tool for communities #ContentChat

— Shannon Mouton Gray (@ShannonRenee) December 12, 2016

@garymcintire I’d say fuel is the common interest and care for each other. It gets you to care about the content being shared. #contentchat

— Martin Lieberman (@martinlieberman) December 12, 2016

A3 Sometimes content is what draws people in – not the actual product. They see an article/photograph/og content & look deeper #ContentChat

— Eric Sachs (@EricSachs_SEO) December 12, 2016

A3: Content is a driver of community. With content, you can rally around common ideas, expand the meanings, dig deeper. #contentchat

— Maureen Jann (@MaureenOnPoint) December 12, 2016

A3: Content drives the conversation of a community, it teaches so they can further their journey, and talk about it together #contentchat

— joel m harrison (@joelmharrison) December 12, 2016

A3: Content drives the conversation of a community, it teaches so they can further their journey, and talk about it together #contentchat

— joel m harrison (@joelmharrison) December 12, 2016

@BerrakBiz True community can function w/o you. You’re there to get it started – but it lives w/o you. #contentchat

— Chris Barrows 🎙 (@CBarrows) December 12, 2016

@SFerika A3: Great content fosters connection and gives community members a common thread to connect with. #ContentChat

— WillametteRealtyGrp (@WillRealtyGroup) December 12, 2016

A3 Content goes deep where tweets and posts skim the surface. It allows people to reflect why they’ve gathered here today… #contentchat

— Ken Gordon (@quickmuse) December 12, 2016

A3: Over simplified: If there isn’t a personality, brand affinity, or community awareness (yet) then content is the draw. #contentchat

— Kevin Mullett (@kmullett) December 12, 2016

A3) content=connections. Imagine bringing a community together with ppl that speak diff languages, live in diff countries, etc #contentchat

— F13Works (@F13Works) December 12, 2016

A3 Content is testimony. Content collects your best thoughts in one place. Its learning and teaching the community at once. #contentchat

— Ken Gordon (@quickmuse) December 12, 2016

A3 Most people think content is a way to sell their crap and put out a “value proposition.” Bad content does that. #contentchat

— Ken Gordon (@quickmuse) December 12, 2016

A3 Most people think content is a way to sell their crap and put out a “value proposition.” Bad content does that. #contentchat

— Ken Gordon (@quickmuse) December 12, 2016

Content has been creating communities all through human history & will continue to do so for a very long time. #ContentChat

— Berrak Sarikaya (@BerrakBiz) December 12, 2016

A3 In some ways, social is what H. James called “the polite babble of conversation.” Content is where deep stuff happens. #contentchat

— Ken Gordon (@quickmuse) December 12, 2016

A3 Content has a way of sticking around in the digital world of evanescent convos. #contentchat It’s an anchor. Drop it!

— Ken Gordon (@quickmuse) December 12, 2016

A3 content gives the community something to connect around. It draws in like minded people with commonalities #contentchat

— LUCYrk (@LUCYrk78) December 12, 2016

A3 Content should back up, with evidence and depth all the stuff you throw off in your real-time interactions #contentchat

— Ken Gordon (@quickmuse) December 12, 2016

A3. content is the focal point..it is the seeds of convo, & sustained convo creates the community #contentchat https://t.co/SJgKjIR0Bn

— Brett Pucino (@BPucino) December 12, 2016

BOOM! “Give value first.” – @gitomer

Community (and customers) follow. No value, no customers, regardless of “community.” https://t.co/6Db4lmlNOh

— Vince Skolny (@VinceSkolny) December 12, 2016

Q4: Where does conversation fit into community-building? What makes it integral to community-building?

A4. By our nature, we create communities around a form of communication #ContentChat @SFerika

— Uniform Nations (@Uniform_Nations) December 12, 2016

A4. Communication is how we share our insights and ideas in a community – without it, there’d be no community #ContentChat @SFerika

— Uniform Nations (@Uniform_Nations) December 12, 2016

A4: Community doesn’t exist without 2-way communication. Otherwise, it’s just you with a megaphone, not caring about feedback. #ContentChat

— Berrak Sarikaya (@BerrakBiz) December 12, 2016

A4. It’s important to note that communication can come in lots of forms – video, gifs, text, etc. #ContentChat @SFerika

— Uniform Nations (@Uniform_Nations) December 12, 2016

A4: Conversation is to community as oxygen is to humans. Neither can live without it. #contentchat

— Matt LaCasse (@MattLaCasse) December 12, 2016

A4 Conversation is integral in communities. If those in the community aren’t talking w/ each other, are they a community? #ContentChat

— Shannon Mouton Gray (@ShannonRenee) December 12, 2016

A4: Great conversation, online or anywhere, means being a good listener, being responsive. Essential in social media outreach. #contentchat

— Becca Bycott (@beccabycott) December 12, 2016

A4 Everyone in the community doesn’t have to speak to everyone, but they should be talking to someone. #ContentChat

— Shannon Mouton Gray (@ShannonRenee) December 12, 2016

A4 Conversation works perfectly in chats like these, surveys and even live video. Open conversations encourages the community #ContentChat pic.twitter.com/3b2WdfkvgM

— Tony Stephan (@OmnipoTony) December 12, 2016

A4 without conversation, you’d never get to know anyone- it’s no different in online communities than it is offline #contentchat

— LUCYrk (@LUCYrk78) December 12, 2016

A4: Good conversations are the lifeblood of a community. Without it, they can’t thrive #contentchat

— Rhiannon Young (@Rhi_Young) December 12, 2016

A4) conversation is integral. One of the most important parts of conversations is making sure everyone has a voice in the convo #contentchat

— F13Works (@F13Works) December 12, 2016

A4: Conversation is everything. It’s the foundation of a relationship – upon which community is built. #contentchat

— Chris Barrows 🎙 (@CBarrows) December 12, 2016

A4: Conversation is the human element of community. People need to feel cared about, listened to, and included. #ContentChat

— Gary McIntire (@garymcintire) December 12, 2016

A4a: Conversation is where it’s at. If we’re spending all our time in the numbers we’ll have a miserable existence. #contentchat

— Jeremy Jones (@jerejone) December 12, 2016

A4: Conversation is the mechanism by which ideas germinate, & a shared set of values (rather than 1-way pronouncement) forms. #contentchat https://t.co/ctGfOvvyBs

— Tim Mohler (@TimothyMohler) December 12, 2016

@LUCYrk78 Agreed, Lucy. If you’re not communicating you are missing out on getting to know folks. #contentchat

— Erika Heald (@SFerika) December 12, 2016

@SFerika @LUCYrk78 Exactly. It’s OK to “lurk” for a while as you get comfortable, but you have to jump in at some point. #ContentChat

— Berrak Sarikaya (@BerrakBiz) December 12, 2016

A4 Conversation is more important than content in a community. If the content doesn’t spur something, then why have it? #ContentChat

— Shannon Mouton Gray (@ShannonRenee) December 12, 2016

A4: If you can’t take the time to converse – what does that say about the value of your relationship? #contentchat

— Chris Barrows 🎙 (@CBarrows) December 12, 2016

A4 Conversation’s spontaneous nature allows people to reveal great stuff about themselves. #contentchat It’s the vehicle of surprise.

— Ken Gordon (@quickmuse) December 12, 2016

A4b: We are human, and everything we do all day is about connecting with other humans. Conversation is the key. #contentchat

— Jeremy Jones (@jerejone) December 12, 2016

A4: Conversation is the lifeblood of community, it takes a thing and turns it into an idea, which can turn into disruption. #contentchat

— Maureen Jann (@MaureenOnPoint) December 12, 2016

A4 How are you supposed to get to know anyone if you just push content and don’t have conversations with people? #contentchat

— Martin Lieberman (@martinlieberman) December 12, 2016

nope! conversation is the backbone of community #contentchat https://t.co/3PA4xtAMUy

— Brett Pucino (@BPucino) December 12, 2016

A4: Convos enable a community to coalesce around itself. Sharing, being heard, learning = essential to thriving communities. #ContentChat

— Alan Fleming (@alan_fleming) December 12, 2016

A4. If a tree falls, but no one is around, does it make a sound? The same is for impact in a community with no communication #ContentChat pic.twitter.com/aLQUvglozA

— Uniform Nations (@Uniform_Nations) December 12, 2016

A4 Real good true convos are intimacy accelerators. #contentchat Not THAT kind of intimacy, you freaks!

— Ken Gordon (@quickmuse) December 12, 2016

A4) conversation is at the heart of community because it introduces the idea of give and take. Everyone contributes #contentchat

— F13Works (@F13Works) December 12, 2016

Absolutely! And it’s so true- you just never know where ONE meeting might take you #contentchat https://t.co/iP5d0agiWy

— LUCYrk (@LUCYrk78) December 12, 2016

A4: Conversation is also crucial between members. You have to participate – it’s a give & take. #ContentChat

— Berrak Sarikaya (@BerrakBiz) December 12, 2016

A4: @SFerika conversation IS community; without the convo can you even argue the existence of a community? #ContentChat

— 🎙JMatt (@JMattMke) December 12, 2016

@Uniform_Nations you need to have dialogue with diverse people and I would add an excellent moderator too like @SFerika #contentchat

— Josephine Borrillo (@70mq) December 12, 2016

A4 Revealing convos build trust. #contentchat You can’t have a damned community without either.

— Ken Gordon (@quickmuse) December 12, 2016

Completely agree with this. I’d add it’s important you have capable people to have those conversations. #contentchat https://t.co/VMjtqBqW14

— Jason Webb (@JasonLWebb) December 12, 2016

A4: Conversation (w/community) breeds familiarity, acceptance, a sense of value & worth to the community. Connection. #contentchat

— Kevin Mullett (@kmullett) December 12, 2016

A4. it IS community building…you cannot build community w purely push strategies..only an audience at best #contentchat https://t.co/7SHBOyzLdl

— Brett Pucino (@BPucino) December 12, 2016

A4: Content is the DNA that generates conversation which leads to the growth of a community. #contentchat

— Wayne Hendry (@ideakid88) December 12, 2016

A4 @SFerika Many times a community is a group of persons talking about something. A good conversation drives a good community #contentchat

— Alberto Gómez (@alberMoire) December 12, 2016

@TimothyMohler @SFerika This is so true. Conversations are key to opening up new ideas and growing. #contentchat

— Rhiannon Young (@Rhi_Young) December 12, 2016

@BPucino I agree with you. The very nature of community is the give and take. Anything else is just poorly executed lead gen. #contentchat

— Maureen Jann (@MaureenOnPoint) December 12, 2016

@JoelRRenner @martinlieberman Content pushers are blind and deaf to the value of community. They should be investing in TV ads. #contentchat

— Ken Gordon (@quickmuse) December 12, 2016

A4: Conversation is the way communities communicate! It lets brands know what they do and don’t like about them. #contentchat

— Sebastian Faura (@FauraSebastian) December 12, 2016

A4 Let’s not get it twisted, our conversation IS content in verbal form. Whether it’s captured is another story. #ContentChat

— Shannon Mouton Gray (@ShannonRenee) December 12, 2016

A4 To think our verbal content creation (talking) is less valuable b/c it’s not written down is a falsehood. #ContentChat

— Shannon Mouton Gray (@ShannonRenee) December 12, 2016

A4 A community without conversation is like a library, where everyone is invested in self-help. #contentchat

— Bill Skowronski (@BillSkowronski) December 12, 2016

A4: Conversation let’s people know their ideas are heard, which is why we speak in the first place. #contentchat

— Tim Mohler (@TimothyMohler) December 12, 2016

A4 @SFerika Conversation takes content from a static 2 a dynamic state. Breathing life into content. Creating organic community #contentchat

— Seth Waite (@Seth_Waite) December 12, 2016

Q5: What are some offline ways to start building your community?

A5: Conferences! Local meetups. When appropriate, hand-written notes to show appreciation. #ContentChat

— Berrak Sarikaya (@BerrakBiz) December 12, 2016

A5: Making physical media drawing attention to your community is good! Flyers are a good place to start! #contentchat

— Sebastian Faura (@FauraSebastian) December 12, 2016

A5: Attending events put on by other communities who serve the same audience as you. Expand your network. #ContentChat

— Berrak Sarikaya (@BerrakBiz) December 12, 2016

A5: I have a long standing policy of making sure that I have a glass of wine in my hand while networking, so happy hour. #contentchat

— Maureen Jann (@MaureenOnPoint) December 12, 2016

A5: Find like-minded local community organizations, networking events, meetups, conferences. Connect offline w/ online friends. #contentchat

— Tim Mohler (@TimothyMohler) December 12, 2016

A5: H.E.L.P. – Humanize your message, Encourage conversation, Listen first, promote less … in person. Put the biz card down! #contentchat

— Kevin Mullett (@kmullett) December 12, 2016

Q5 Arrange to meet up for coffee. Start book groups. Gather w/like-minded people at events. #contentchat

— Ken Gordon (@quickmuse) December 12, 2016

@F13Works I used to do that for a brand- I’d fly around to different cities and take people out to eat to meet in person #contentchat

— LUCYrk (@LUCYrk78) December 12, 2016

A5. Get people together in some form in a physical location – not just cyber #ContentChat pic.twitter.com/VkSxIOebG2

— Uniform Nations (@Uniform_Nations) December 12, 2016

A5 If possible I would say doing a meetup. Those are always fun. #contentchat pic.twitter.com/r0HHlztgXy

— Tony Stephan (@OmnipoTony) December 12, 2016

A5: @SFerika word of mouth typically works pretty well. Hosting/attending happy hour events are great too! #ContentChat

— 🎙JMatt (@JMattMke) December 12, 2016

A5: Become as comfortable talking to a stranger ” IRL ” as you are in these Twitter chats 🙂 #ContentChat https://t.co/HdFaGJRghi

— Brett Pucino (@BPucino) December 12, 2016

A5: A clearly defined brand offline that is attractive to prospective community members. They go online, see what it’s about. #contentchat

— Alan Fleming (@alan_fleming) December 12, 2016

A5 One great way to build community is to teach on the subject to others… great relationships come out of those interactions. #contentchat

— Derek Pillie (@dpillie) December 12, 2016

A5: I’ve read about 40 books, then reached out to about half the authors with questions/conversation. Many followed/connected. #ContentChat

— Gary McIntire (@garymcintire) December 12, 2016

A5 When I travel, I always try to meet up with folks from the communities I’m part of. Like seeing #contentchat folks in Boston this fall.

— Erika Heald (@SFerika) December 12, 2016

@TimothyMohler Bingo. Everyone should take a @SocialRoadTrip 😉 #contentchat

— Chris Barrows 🎙 (@CBarrows) December 12, 2016

A5 Think of meeting great twitter conversationalists offline as a goal not a duty. #contentchat Focus on building relationships that matter.

— Ken Gordon (@quickmuse) December 12, 2016

A5b: Alternatively, host something and invite others! Someone has to get the community started! #contentchat pic.twitter.com/c0Hat2tMrd

— Tim Mohler (@TimothyMohler) December 12, 2016

A5 Events, conferences, meetings, panels and so on. #ContentChat

— Shannon Mouton Gray (@ShannonRenee) December 12, 2016

A5 it doesnt have to be formal- once you find people with common interests, grab a dinner, invite others you don’t know #contentchat

— LUCYrk (@LUCYrk78) December 12, 2016

A5b: The hardest thing for some people to do is to stop talking about themselves, or delay it, and focus on the other person. #contentchat

— Kevin Mullett (@kmullett) December 12, 2016

A5: Cross-promote your community through integrated marketing in corresponding print materials that say where you are online. #contentchat

— Becca Bycott (@beccabycott) December 12, 2016

A5 @SFerika Get outside of your current network & physically go somewhere that’s new and relevant. Meetup groups, events, etc. #contentchat

— Seth Waite (@Seth_Waite) December 12, 2016

A4: Do good in your (real life) community. Community starts at home. #contentchat https://t.co/TpPuenzoX6

— Mark Salke (@marksalke) December 12, 2016

Attend events. Show up. Talk about issues you learned off online. #ContentChat https://t.co/KzzhLp619B

— Erica (@wickdchiq) December 12, 2016

A5: Networking events, conferences, trade shows, depends on the audience. Be your awesome self and people will love you. #contentchat

— Jeremy Jones (@jerejone) December 12, 2016

A5 Does anyone else keep airport code as a data point in their contact database? Useful for finding people nearby. #contentchat

— Derek Pillie (@dpillie) December 12, 2016

A5d: Oh sure, you want everyone to come to your party, but how many times are you blowing off events of others? Hmmm? #contentchat

— Kevin Mullett (@kmullett) December 12, 2016

A5: @Meetup are pretty cool. But they are tough to get people caught on to. Stay with it and build a community. #contentchat

— Mark Salke (@marksalke) December 12, 2016

Q6: How do you find the right people to start conversations with online?

A6: Who are the people your peers are following? Where are the people talking about topics you care about? #ContentChat

— Berrak Sarikaya (@BerrakBiz) December 12, 2016

A6: @SFerika Look at their account (their bio) and their feed; if what they’re talking about fits, start a convo with them! #ContentChat

— 🎙JMatt (@JMattMke) December 12, 2016

A6 https://t.co/3c541htlPg—oh, wait, sorry. Umm…Twitter Chats? #contentchat

— Bill Skowronski (@BillSkowronski) December 12, 2016

A6 Hashtags and chats are AWESOME places to find like-minded folks to chit & chat with regularly. #ContentChat

— Shannon Mouton Gray (@ShannonRenee) December 12, 2016

A6: People you know are going to be actively good content creators are typically those you want to engage with! #contentchat

— Sebastian Faura (@FauraSebastian) December 12, 2016

A6 Go way the hell beyond the twitter find. Find people who write books and articles and such. #contentchat Seek out exapansive thinkers.

— Ken Gordon (@quickmuse) December 12, 2016

A6: Find the people you want to engage with. The ones who share your passion. And go where they are. #contentchat

— Jeremy Jones (@jerejone) December 12, 2016

A6 Dare to find people from whom you can, you know, LEARN something. #contentchat

— Ken Gordon (@quickmuse) December 12, 2016

A6: If I make it fun, it’s more productive. In fact, I wrote a post on networking games. #contentchat https://t.co/RT0DUoQxXi

— Maureen Jann (@MaureenOnPoint) December 12, 2016

A6: Listen. At a cocktail party, you don’t just jump into every group…you only open up in those where you feel confident. #ContentChat

— Gary McIntire (@garymcintire) December 12, 2016

A6 I’ve been on chats where I didn’t have a lot to say (shocking) & I hung around to see who was saying what. #ContentChat

— Shannon Mouton Gray (@ShannonRenee) December 12, 2016

A6: Look, there’s no other way to put it: You need stalking skills. Stalk the conversations you care about. #ContentChat

— Berrak Sarikaya (@BerrakBiz) December 12, 2016

A6 When I’m reading a great book, I’ll see out the author on Twitter and start a conversation. #contentchat

— Ken Gordon (@quickmuse) December 12, 2016

A6: Find awesome chats like #contentchat or hashtags that are of interest, go outside trad’l keywords to discover.

— Alan Fleming (@alan_fleming) December 12, 2016

A6: Find awesome chats like #contentchat or hashtags that are of interest, go outside trad’l keywords to discover.

— Alan Fleming (@alan_fleming) December 12, 2016

A6 – first you have to listen @SFerika #contentchat

— Chris Farrell, CPA (@CFarrellCPA) December 12, 2016

A6 Just made a great new friendship with the great @jessicahelfand this way. #contentchat

— Ken Gordon (@quickmuse) December 12, 2016

A6: It’s simple. Try saying hello. If someone connects (you may use the word “follow”) with you – say thank you! #contentchat

— Chris Barrows 🎙 (@CBarrows) December 12, 2016

A6b: I’m going to a networking meetup tomorrow night and I’m posting a call for people to come and tell me an awesome story. #contentchat

— Jeremy Jones (@jerejone) December 12, 2016

A6 Plus, chats are low-barrier, low-stress experiences. You hang around for as little or long as you want & tweet or not. #ContentChat

— Shannon Mouton Gray (@ShannonRenee) December 12, 2016

A6: IMO we are all the ‘right people.’ Take risks. Talk with a diverse mix. Learn. #contentchat

— Mark Salke (@marksalke) December 12, 2016

Q7: What are some conversation-starters and overlooked conversation starters on social?

A7: I love saying hello with a gif 🙂 #contentchat

— Chris Barrows 🎙 (@CBarrows) December 12, 2016

A7: Asking about interactions within the community itself. Like the best conversations people have had with each other. #contentchat

— Sebastian Faura (@FauraSebastian) December 12, 2016

“How can I help you?” can go a long way. #ContentChat https://t.co/BNAmpP0cVB

— Berrak Sarikaya (@BerrakBiz) December 12, 2016

A7: For that matter, I should also note that I try to personalize the gif based on their profile/interests. #contentchat

— Chris Barrows 🎙 (@CBarrows) December 12, 2016

A7: I make a quick list of random traits of people and I find people with those traits and spark a conversation. Also, #shoes #contentchat

— Maureen Jann (@MaureenOnPoint) December 12, 2016

A7: Support others. Get over the idea that retweeting/sharing something smart from someone else somehow diminishes you. #contentchat

— Kevin Mullett (@kmullett) December 12, 2016

A7: Everything I know I learned from Ralph Wiggum #contentchat pic.twitter.com/kGWh3JouzE

— Alan Fleming (@alan_fleming) December 12, 2016

@CBarrows And the reverse also—if you follow someone, say hi and let them know what attracted you! #ContentChat

— Erika Heald (@SFerika) December 12, 2016

A7: @SFerika Geography. I have struck up convos with people from twitter chats purely on the fact that we live near each other. #ContentChat

— 🎙JMatt (@JMattMke) December 12, 2016

A7: great conversation starter, tweeting from the same city or area, love it #contentchat https://t.co/yx5bjTQsN0

— Josephine Borrillo (@70mq) December 12, 2016

A7: Read events calendar & discussion topics. You’ll quickly get a feel for hot topics you’re also excited to know more about. #contentchat

— Jeremy Jones (@jerejone) December 12, 2016

A7 Hi, how ya doing?
Are you in the area?
Are you coming to the area soon?
Wanna grab a cup of coffee or a drink? #ContentChat

— Shannon Mouton Gray (@ShannonRenee) December 12, 2016

A7: I personally focus on the little things. “Show me your favorite GIF” or share the thing that’s making them smile today. #ContentChat

— Berrak Sarikaya (@BerrakBiz) December 12, 2016

A7 Find something the community seems to gravitate to & begin for example here “favorite content you’ve recently seen” #contentchat pic.twitter.com/pQmwe1fqpN

— Tony Stephan (@OmnipoTony) December 12, 2016

A7: I like “What are/were you thinking when you wrote/said……”. I like to know what makes people who they are. #ContentChat

— Gary McIntire (@garymcintire) December 12, 2016

A7: When attending an event, I put it the hashtag/name in my bio. #ContentChat

— Berrak Sarikaya (@BerrakBiz) December 12, 2016

A7b: Two of my favorites: “What are you most passionate about?” and “What’s keeping you up at night these days?” #contentchat

— Jeremy Jones (@jerejone) December 12, 2016

A7 For those of you #contentchat peeps who greet new followers or people you start following, do you use:

— Derek Pillie (@dpillie) December 12, 2016

A7: Comment on what people have said. Look at profiles and find commonality. #contentchat

— Mark Salke (@marksalke) December 12, 2016

A7: Sharing/asking about pain points can be a great start. You want to keep things positive, but it can be a great start. #contentchat

— Brandfolder (@Brandfolder) December 12, 2016

A7: Ask real questions about things you’re facing. Recommended tools/resources. #contentchat

— Tim Mohler (@TimothyMohler) December 12, 2016

Q8: What’s the best piece of content you came across in 2016 (please include a link!)

A8 Remnick’s amazing profile of @POTUS: https://t.co/H2IINjqtUo #contentchat

— Ken Gordon (@quickmuse) December 12, 2016

A8: best content IMHO in 2016 is this by @nytimes https://t.co/87OWiyrlRM #contentchat https://t.co/N3x9gwp88j

— Josephine Borrillo (@70mq) December 12, 2016

A8: EVE Online’s player testimonials! https://t.co/IZSBjVWyIh #contentchat

— Sebastian Faura (@FauraSebastian) December 12, 2016

A8 "Here’s Google’s Secret to Hiring the Best People" #contentchat https://t.co/3Iiz8rTOeI

— Derek Pillie (@dpillie) December 12, 2016

Let’s try that again – > https://t.co/O4JRVvCFXs #contentchat

— Chris Barrows 🎙 (@CBarrows) December 12, 2016

A8: Is saying Westworld cheating? #contentchat pic.twitter.com/rAFkkuRlxe

— Alan Fleming (@alan_fleming) December 12, 2016