7 Types of Online Communities: How To Build Community

When Joanna Griffiths got the idea to start Knix, a leak-proof underwear brand, she joined forums to learn about the physical, emotional, and mental challenges her potential customers faced. 

“I was trying to get under the hood and really understand what people were going through,” Joanna says on an episode of the Shopify Masters podcast. “There was this once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to research and go at something differently and create something that was missing in the market.”

For members, online communities offer lively group discussions, interest-specific content, and meaningful interactions. For business owners, they offer opportunities to leverage organic enthusiasm, build community, and increase customer satisfaction. 

Learn more about the different types of online communities and why you should consider them as part of your marketing strategy. 

What is an online community?

An online community is an internet group formed around common interests or goals, like business networking or shared hobbies. Online communities gather in virtual environments such as online forums, social media platforms, and other online spaces to share knowledge, offer support, and seek advice.

Community sizes vary. On social media platforms—say, an Instagram broadcast channel or a Facebook group—online communities can host hundreds to millions of users. Meanwhile, a micro-community on an online forum like Reddit or Quora may have only a few dedicated members. Users often gravitate to these digital spaces when search engines or traditional methods of research can’t provide the answers or encouragement they seek.

What are the biggest online communities?

The largest online communities are on popular platforms, such as: 

7 types of online communities

1. Brand community
2. Learning community
3. Local community
4. Event community
5. Support community
6. Fan community
7. Networking community

As a business owner, tapping into successful online communities can help you connect with new audiences and expand your reach. But knowing where to look for social communities can be overwhelming at first. Here’s a look at various types of online communities to get you started:

1. Brand community

Brand communities form around a shared passion for a company and its offerings. An online brand community often takes shape on a social media platform where the company shares content that fosters engagement and connection. You might also see a brand community on a company’s website as a forum (like Sephora’s Beauty Insider Community) or a community rewards app like TYB. 

Skin care brand Topicals uses TYB to nurture brand loyalty. Members of Topicals’ TYB community, the Spottie Sphere, can earn coins redeemable for discounts. They earn coins by completing challenges that range from answering questions to sharing user-generated content (UGC) to buying products. Topicals invites its most loyal fans on TYB to virtual and in-person events, like an open casting call for models for its “stop staring at my zits” merch.

 

 

 

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2. Learning community

Learning communities, also known as insight communities, explore specific topics or skills in areas like art, handiwork, and mechanics. These groups facilitate knowledge exchanges and provide spaces for community members to share ideas and inspire one another. 

Kevin Espiritu started Epic Gardening as a learning community for gardeners.

“Our mission as a company is to teach the world to grow,” Kevin says on an episode of Shopify Masters. “The content we make is designed to help you become a better gardener. Whether it’s through a blog article, podcast, or YouTube video, that’s the primary goal.” 

 

 

 

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3. Local community

You no longer have to hit the local coffee shop or community center to connect with your neighbors. Local communities gather in all sorts of online spaces, from Facebook groups to Craigslist pages. These virtual communities can be a valuable resource for sharing local knowledge, organizing community-building events, or finding folks nearby with a shared interest in in-person activities. 

In Los Angeles, Emmely Avila started Los Angeles Friends, an online community whose members use Discord to discuss their favorite places and plan in-person meetups. If you’re a business owner, you can become part of a local community—and cultivate a good brand reputation—by sponsoring events.

4. Event community 

Online event communities share an interest in a specific event, whether in-person or online. Event organizers typically form event communities to help attendees connect and share relevant information.

Children’s bookstore MiJa Books makes about 95% of its revenue from school book fairs. Although most of its sales occur at in-person events, building an online community has been crucial for MiJa Books. On Shopify Masters, cofounder Muammar Reed says book giveaways were “the biggest unlock” to creating a community of social media followers and newsletter subscribers. Teachers, librarians, and PTA members who win books for their schools are also more likely to book an event with MiJa Books.

“Looking at [one principal’s] customer journey for booking a fair, it [started with] a teacher who entered our giveaway from our newsletter,” Muammar says. “And then [the teacher] forwarded that information to the principal. And then the principal got one of our ads and decided to book a fair from there.”

🌟Interested in events? Learn how to unlock brand growth with a community event strategy.

5. Support community

Most support communities are types of online groups where individuals facing similar challenges or pursuing personal growth come together. Support groups thrive on community platforms where users build emotional connections with others in similar situations or stages of personal development. Members often exchange advice, emotional support, personal stories, and resources.

Before nurse Cathy Parkes launched the Level Up RN website—which sells flashcards and organization tools for nurses—she started a community. As a nursing student, she had organized study sessions to help her classmates pass their courses. As more students asked for help, Cathy realized she was short on time. She created a YouTube channel to provide study tips and lessons across various nursing subjects. 

Cathy has grown her YouTube channel to more than 750,000 subscribers, who regularly leave comments thanking her for her videos or suggesting new topics.

6. Fan community

Fan communities gather over shared interests like movies, TV shows, books, or franchise media, but even a community with a deep love of pizza qualifies.

For businesses, these niche fan groups and micro-communities can deliver significant value, justifying a significant investment. Mary Gui, the founder of fashion sock brand Sock Candy, recognized the value of using Reddit after a user posted images from the brand asking about the model’s shoes. When she realized other Redditors wanted to know more about the socks, she saw an opportunity.

Mary began posting mirror selfies on Reddit under her own name rather than her brand. Because Mary had built an audience as an Instagram fashion creator, joining a fashion community made sense. 

“People are seeing my outfits, and almost all of them have my socks in them,” she says on an episode of Shopify Masters. “They’ll be like, ‘Where are your socks from?’ I’ll be like, ‘It’s from Sock Candy.’”

Mary joined a community that celebrated her style, indirectly promoting her brand in a way that felt natural and authentic.

7. Networking community

Networking communities are online forums that help professionals within the same industry connect, build relationships, and share valuable insights. A networking community can also serve as a group-coaching community, offering interview preparation support, job opportunities, and industry insights. These business networking communities enable relationship building without geographic limitations.

Founders can also turn to mastermind groups, peer groups that meet regularly to share advice and support. These groups sometimes meet in person but can also connect via email, Slack, and private forums. Joining a mastermind group can help you stay accountable to your goals and provide a safe space to share and receive feedback, resources, and support. 

Rachel Karten, a social media consultant and founder of the Link In Bio newsletter on Substack, launched a Discord-based networking community. Paid subscribers to Rachel’s newsletter can join the Link In Bio Discord channel to chat and exchange tips with other social media professionals. Rachel also maintains a Link In Bio job board and occasionally invites subscribers to webinars and in-person meetups.