Gaming communities can provide valuable support and advice, whether it's troubleshooting technical issues, sharing tips and tricks for improving gameplay or offering emotional support during challenging moments in games.

This article covers why online communities are important, provides a list of benefits, lists the top online communities at the moment, and describes the elements that make an online community worth joining so you can build a thriving community.

Why Online Communities Rule the Internet Kingdom

A community is just a group of people who have something in common and interact with each other. An online community just happens to be on the internet. As a brand, creating a brand community for your target audience can be really useful. Not only do you benefit from attracting new customers and retaining your existing ones, but it is also a great way for you to engage with the community and receive feedback. 

Creating an online community can also give you more avenues to monetize your business, such as merchandise, using event management software on platforms such as Discord to host pay-to-enter events, and providing another avenue to advertise your pre-existing products.

Not only that, but it also gives your audience a chance to social network with like-minded people with similar interests, which can lead to real friendships. This benefits you further as it promotes community engagement meaning people are more likely to come back again and again to engage with your online community.   

In summary, the benefits to creating an online community are:

• Attract and onboard new customers 
• Feedback on your services
• Monetization opportunities

The benefits for your customers are:

• Troubleshooting
• Access to a community space where they can network with like-minded members via discussion forums and share ideas.
• Advice and support
• Casual and professional networking opportunities

The Ultimate Online Hangouts: Top Picks for Community Platforms

While there are many places online you can use for community management, it is always best to meet customers where they are at. Depending on what type of community you are building, for example, if you are using Metafy for coaching, it makes sense to have a significant amount of your online communities' activity happening on the platform. While there can be some benefits to diversifying your community across many platforms and not hosting your online community on one platform alone, it is a best practice to have a core space like Metafy or Discord that your target audience is already familiar with. In this case, some activity on other platforms can help drive new customers to your desired platform. It is more important that all your other social media is connected to this core platform, as that can help bring a new stream of customers to your community.

Some key points to consider when deciding which core platform to host your community on are:

• What type of community are you hoping to build? Which platforms are your target audience already familiar with?
• What community tools are most valuable to you based on your community plan?
• Are you hoping to monetize your community? If so, what monetization tools does the platform offer?
• Are there any specific community engagement features you plan to utilize in your online community? 
• Are you planning to have moderators help manage your online community? If so, what moderation tools will you need to help manage your community?

My top picks for community building, community management and moderation tools for community builders in gaming include:

Metafy

Metafy was developed by gamers for gamers, so it is a great platform of choice for brand communities with ties to gaming offering both free plans and paid plans. Metafy offers many opportunities to monetize your online community, such as selling coaching lessons, online courses, gaming merchandise, and charging for access to your community. 

It also boasts features such as:

• Direct messaging tools allow for private messaging between users which can help facilitate both casual and professional networking opportunities.
• The capacity to offer both free plans and paid plans to your audience to offer varying degrees of access to courses, discussion forums, and your online community at large.
• Polling capabilities that can help facilitate feedback from your audience.
• Gamification features are built into the platform to help promote community engagement.
• Discussion forums to allow users to share ideas with other community members.
• Moderation tools to help keep your online community as safe and welcoming as possible.
• The ability to monetize your online community by selling products such as online courses on the platform.

Of all the online community building platforms on this list, Metafy offers the most opportunity for monetization in gaming, as no other platform in gaming allows you to sell products directly to your online community.

Discord

Discord is probably the most versatile platform on this list and a must-have for any online community in gaming offering many opportunities for customization. It is completely free and offers the most features and some of the most community tools of any platform on this list such as:

• Direct messaging tools allowing for private messaging between users which can help facilitate both casual and professional networking opportunities.
• A mobile app that utilizes push notifications which can help promote community engagement. 
• Polling capabilities that can help facilitate feedback from your audience.
• Opportunities for gamification via user-made bots which are free and available to the public. These are very customizable and great for creative community builders.
• Discussion forums to allow users to share ideas with other community members.
• Advanced moderation tools allowing to give moderators varying degrees of permission to help keep your online community as safe and welcoming as possible.
• Community-developed event management tools.
• Fully customizable community structure.
• Custom domains for partnered communities.
• Built-in monetization tools for users in North America.
• Limited Live Streaming capabilities.

These are valuable tools for any community builder, regardless of the type of community they are building. Discord is an all-in-one community management, community building, and moderation tool with loads of customization features to help build an online community suited to you and your audience.

Facebook Groups

Facebook Groups provide a familiar and accessible platform for building communities across a wide range of interests and demographics. With its massive user base, Facebook Groups offer significant reach and engagement potential. It's features include:

• Direct messaging tools allowing for private messaging between users which can help facilitate both casual and professional networking opportunities.
• A mobile app that utilizes push notifications which can help promote community engagement. 
• Polling capabilities that can help facilitate feedback from your audience.
• Discussion forums to allow users to share ideas with other community members.
• Moderation tools allow moderators help keep your online community as safe and welcoming as possible.
• Build in event management tools.
• Integration with other Facebook features like Pages and Events.
• Live streaming capabilities.

While primarily known for social connections, Facebook Groups has a great deal of community management tools that can be utilized by community builders to create brand communities, support groups, hobbyist networks, and more, both within gaming and outside it.

Reddit

Reddit, with its vast user base and highly active communities, is a powerful platform for managing and building gaming communities. It offers numerous features and advantages that make it a valuable tool for community management:

• Direct messaging tools allowing for private messaging between users which can help facilitate both casual and professional networking opportunities.
• A mobile app that utilizes push notifications which can help promote community engagement. 
• Polling capabilities that can help facilitate feedback from your audience.
• Discussion forums to allow users to share ideas with other community members.
• Moderation tools allow moderators help keep your online community as safe and welcoming as possible.
• Gamification features are built into the platform which can help promote community engagement

Although Reddit does not have built-in gamification tools like some other platforms, it's existing features can be leveraged creatively by community builders to foster community engagement and reward participation. For a more structured gamification approach, integrating customizable third-party bots or external tools with Reddit could provide more opportunities for customization to help you build your online community  

Twitter

Twitter is a popular social media platform that can be effectively used for community management, particularly for larger gaming communities. It's free to use, making it accessible for communities of all sizes and budgets. Some noteworthy features include:

• Direct messaging tools allowing for private messaging between users which can help facilitate both casual and professional networking opportunities.
• A mobile app that utilizes push notifications which can help promote community engagement. 
• Polling capabilities that can help facilitate feedback from your audience.
• Discussion forums to allow users to share ideas with other community members.
• Moderation tools allow moderators help keep your online community as safe and welcoming as possible.
• Build in event management tools.
• Live streaming capabilities.
• Limited monetization options 

Despite its limitations in structured community features, Twitter's widespread use and real-time nature make it a valuable platform for building and engaging with a gaming community. It's an excellent tool for promoting events, sharing updates, and fostering conversations within the gaming world so while it may not be a great primary platform for your online community, it can be a great secondary one.

If you are looking for community management and community building tools in spaces outside of gaming, here are some of my top picks:

Thinkific 

Thinkific is a community management platform that offers both free and paid plans, making it accessible for creators at different stages. With Thinkific's free plan, you can sell one online course, which is perfect for testing the waters and starting to build your audience. For those looking to scale, the lowest-priced paid plan costs €36/month and allows you to sell an unlimited number of courses.

Monetization is straightforward with thinkific. Thinkific integrates with third-party tools for marketing, payment processing, and analytics, helping you reach a wider audience.

Thinkific allows community builders to utilize tools such as discussion forums and student communities, fostering interaction and collaboration among learners. Overall, Thinkific is a good choice for online communities looking to create and monetize high-quality online courses.

Mighty Networks

Mighty Networks is a community building tool designed to help community builders manage online communities. It is a good platform for those looking to monetize their online community as you can charge membership fees and sell online courses directly within the platform. This is great if you want to offer exclusive content or tutorials. Starting at $41 a month, Mighty Networks offers a range of features, but if you're planning to dive into selling online courses, you will need the premium plan, which costs around $99 a month making Mighty Networks one of the more expensive options for community builders, especially in gaming.

Beyond the monetization options, Mighty Networks has tools to help foster community engagement with their mobile app. You can set up discussion forums where members can chat about the latest games, share tips, or just hang out. The direct messaging feature lets people connect on a more personal level, and the activity feeds keep everyone in the loop about what's happening. Plus, with live streaming and event capabilities, you can host live game streams, Q&A sessions, or webinars. If you're looking to build a large-scale, lively, profitable community space, Mighty Networks is worth considering.

Hivebrite

Hivebrite is a very advanced community management tool used by community builders across all industry sectors, including nonprofits, schools, universities, and traditional businesses. It offers extensive customization tools for building and managing vibrant online communities.

Hivebrite's pricing starts at $799/month, making it less suitable for community builders working on a budget. However, for those who can afford it, the platform provides exceptional capabilities. These include customizable branding, discussion forums, event management, and advanced moderation tools to ensure a safe and engaging environment for members.

Hivebrite also supports direct messaging for private interactions and numerous monetization options like membership fees and event ticket sales. The platform’s analytics tools provide valuable insights into member engagement and community growth, helping you refine your strategy and maximize impact.

Overall, Hivebrite is a good choice for community builders with a clear community plan who are looking for a comprehensive, customizable solution to foster engagement, manage events, and monetize their online community.

Some other options include:

• Uscreen
• Uscreen offers a comprehensive platform where community members can watch content, ask questions, and meet people all in one place. With seamless integration of video content, users can access a wide range of educational materials, entertainment, and discussions within the community. The platform fosters engagement by providing a centralized hub for members to consume content, interact with each other, and build meaningful connections.
• Disciple
• Disciple provides community builders with their own fully branded, independent, and profitable social space. This platform allows creators to establish a dedicated online community tailored to their brand and audience. By offering a personalized and immersive experience, Disciple enables community members to engage deeply with content, connect with like-minded individuals, and participate in discussions relevant to their interests.
• Zapnito
• Zapnito is built for personalized knowledge sharing, discussions, content, and courses, making it an ideal platform for fostering collaboration and expertise within communities. By providing tools for curated content creation, expert-led discussions, and interactive courses, Zapnito empowers community members to share insights, learn from each other, and collaborate on projects. The platform's focus on personalized knowledge sharing enhances community engagement and drives meaningful interactions.
• Slack
• Slack serves as a place to ask questions, share ideas, and swap stories with other community members in real-time. With its instant messaging features and customizable channels, Slack facilitates quick communication and collaboration among community members. Whether for brainstorming sessions, casual conversations, or sharing updates, Slack provides a convenient platform for fostering connections and building relationships within the community.
• Discourse
• Discourse enables community builders to create their own fully branded, independent, and monetizable social space for their online community. With its customizable features and user-friendly interface, Discourse empowers creators to establish a vibrant community hub tailored to their unique needs. By offering a platform for discussion forums, knowledge sharing, and community engagement, Discourse facilitates meaningful interactions and fosters a sense of belonging among members.
• Buddyboss
• Buddyboss offers community builders the ability to create fully branded community spaces tailored to specific requirements. With its customizable themes and extensive features, Buddyboss allows creators to design immersive and engaging online communities that reflect their brand identity. By providing tools for content sharing, collaboration, and member interaction, Buddyboss enhances community engagement and cultivates a sense of community among members.
• Kajabi
• Kajabi is an all-in-one community management platform that integrates course creation, marketing, and sales features, simplifying the online course business. With its user-friendly interface and comprehensive suite of tools, Kajabi enables creators to build, market, and sell online courses while fostering a thriving community environment. By offering a seamless user experience and robust community engagement features, Kajabi empowers creators to grow their audience, monetize their expertise, and build lasting relationships with their community members.
• Tribe
• Tribe provides customizable features and engagement tools to build a branded online community tailored to unique brand needs. With its flexible platform and extensive customization options, Tribe allows creators to design immersive and interactive community spaces that resonate with their audience. By offering tools for content creation, discussion forums, and member interaction, Tribe fosters meaningful connections and facilitates knowledge sharing within the community.
• Zapier
• Zapier is an automation platform that enables seamless integration between different apps and tools, streamlining workflows and enhancing productivity within communities. By automating repetitive tasks and connecting disparate systems, Zapier helps community builders streamline operations, increase efficiency, and focus on fostering meaningful interactions and engagement among members.
• Wild Apricot
• Wild Apricot is a comprehensive membership management solution that covers membership, website, and event management in one place. With its all-in-one platform, Wild Apricot simplifies community management by providing tools for membership registration, website hosting, and event planning. By offering a centralized hub for community operations, Wild Apricot enables creators to efficiently manage their community activities and effectively engage with members.
• Podia
• Podia offers the capability to monetize your business by selling memberships, digital downloads, and online courses while fostering an engaged community environment. With its intuitive platform and extensive features, Podia empowers creators to build, market, and sell digital products while nurturing a thriving community of loyal followers. By providing tools for content creation, membership management, and community engagement, Podia helps creators monetize their expertise and build meaningful connections with their audience.

Be aware that many of these offer paid plans with costs, so consider your budget when determining the best platform for you.

Get Started! 

Anybody can become a community builder! Why not create a Metafy Group today to start your thriving community?

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