{"id":8746,"date":"2023-01-09T22:14:37","date_gmt":"2023-01-10T03:14:37","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.eventmobi.com\/?p=8746"},"modified":"2025-08-12T14:29:23","modified_gmt":"2025-08-12T18:29:23","slug":"why-building-an-event-community-is-a-hot-trend","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.eventmobi.com\/blog\/why-building-an-event-community-is-a-hot-trend\/","title":{"rendered":"Why Building an Event Community is a Hot Trend for 2023"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

If a global pandemic taught us anything, it\u2019s that the right event management platform<\/a> can help us stay engaged and connected even when in-person meetings aren\u2019t possible. But as the events industry overwhelmingly reverted back to in-person conferences as soon as restrictions were lifted,<\/strong> event professionals have been left wondering: Is there a way to keep that momentum going year-round?<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

In short, yes. To meet this demand, event organizers need to balance carefully planned in-person meetings with year-round, online engagement. And an event community could be the answer.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The event community model has been touted as the new promised land<\/a>, but despite all the buzz, there hasn\u2019t been a lot of practical insight into what that really means. In broad strokes, it\u2019s about understanding the difference between an event community and other online communities. When you dig a little deeper, it\u2019s a matter of realizing just how versatile your event platform can be.<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Whether you run association events or corporate meetings, creating an event community within the same platform you are using to build and manage your events means less complexity and effort for you (and for your members!). It also means more opportunities for engagement and<\/em> revenue generation.  Your attendees and sponsors will thank you as they rediscover what it takes to make\u2014and keep\u2014meaningful connections.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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Recommended Resource:<\/strong> \ud83d\udcd6 Looking for detailed strategies for building an event community that keeps attendees coming back time after time? Download the free guide, The Secret to Successful Attendee Retention: Year-Round Engagement<\/a><\/strong>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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The Best Online Communities for Today\u2019s Professionals<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Online communities connect like-minded individuals\u2014people who share similar challenges, concerns, and successes. <\/span><\/p>\n\n\n\n

In the professional world, many companies and associations create branded online communities to keep members engaged in their organizations. Ideally, your online community should provide a platform for peer support and knowledge sharing. But what kind of community presents the best solution?<\/p>\n\n\n\n

After weighing your options, we\u2019ll explain why an event community is the best solution in most situations.<\/span><\/p>\n\n\n\n

4 Types of Online Communities<\/b><\/h3>\n\n\n\n

To help provide some clarity, we\u2019ve broken down professional online communities into four main categories:<\/span><\/p>\n\n\n\n

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  1. A private employee community<\/span><\/li>\n\n\n\n
  2. An exclusive paid user\/customer community<\/span><\/li>\n\n\n\n
  3. A private association or member community<\/span><\/li>\n\n\n\n
  4. A public shared interest community\/forum<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ol>\n\n\n\n

    3 Types of Community Platforms<\/b><\/h3>\n\n\n\n

    In turn, there are several different online platforms that can be used for community building:<\/span><\/p>\n\n\n\n

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    1. Learning management systems (LMS)<\/span><\/li>\n\n\n\n
    2. Social networking platforms<\/span><\/li>\n\n\n\n
    3. Event platforms<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ol>\n\n\n\n

      Finding the Right Online Platform for Your Community<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n

      The first option,<\/span> Learning Management Software (LMS)<\/b><\/a>, is great for private employee communities and consumer clubs. That\u2019s because these communities are <\/span>focused on professional development and product training.<\/b> With that said, these learning platforms generally lack the networking and engagement features of other online options.<\/span><\/p>\n\n\n\n

      The second option,<\/span> a social networking platform<\/b>, is one of the most obvious choices for <\/span>communities based on shared interest<\/b>s<\/strong>. When it comes to professional communities and organizations, however, there are some clear downsides to using public platforms. From the user perspective, public platforms often have the disadvantage of blurring the boundaries between our personal and professional lives<\/b>, even on LinkedIn<\/a>.<\/span><\/p>\n\n\n\n

      \"A<\/figure>\n\n\n\n

      For that reason, public platforms can create<\/span> pressure for community members to be \u2018always on\u2019.<\/b> This approach can lead to the erosion of a healthy work-life balance, and the risk of burnout is real.<\/span><\/p>\n\n\n\n

      The third option, an event platform, offers an alternative that strikes a balance between these two competing approaches.<\/strong> By offering year-round access to your event platform, professionals can enjoy a single, digital point of access where they can upgrade their skills through webinars and on-demand training content, and network with other members even after the main event is over. Event organizers or community managers can easily leverage the platform\u2019s content management, communication, and engagement features to streamline how they host content, share important information, foster new connections, and keep their audience engaged in-between events.  <\/p>\n\n\n\n

      Most importantly, using your event platform to host your event community maintains a healthy separation from public forums while still offering avenues to continue the conversation around shared topics of interest.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

      For all these reasons,  event platforms are the ideal choice for association event communities. <\/strong>Because of their ability to combine a high-touch experience with exclusive access, they can also work well for private employee communities, paid consumer clubs, and shared interest groups.<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

      \"A<\/figure>\n\n\n\n

      8 Practical Benefits of Using an Event Platform<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n

      To help inspire your own event community, we\u2019ve put together 8 key benefits of using your event platform for year-round community engagement\u2014complete with practical tips for how you can make it happen.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

      1. Build Connections with Events & Meetings<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n

      Your event platform should make it easy for you to combine engaging in-person experiences with ongoing online connectivity. More than any other marketing channel, face-to-face experiences\u2014whether in-person or via curated virtual meetups\u2014will solidify a sense of community and help sustain them in the long run.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

      Events are a natural launching pad for communities, and your event platform can help you keep the momentum going.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

      Your event platform not only allows you to organize gatherings with the help of agenda tools, session pages, and invitations for select member groups\u2014it also means you can host those meetings on the same platform you use to schedule them.<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

      How to Make It Happen<\/h4>\n\n\n\n

      Use your event platform for more than just a one-off event app, and create a single, central hub for regular events and meetings, including:<\/p>\n\n\n\n