15 Steps to Building Your Online Tribe
Success on social media is all about your relationship with your followers.
By Simonetta Lein •
Opinions expressed by Entrepreneur contributors are their own.
You may have heard of the saying "Your tribe is your vibe." But, what exactly is a tribe?
Social media is just like real life: you need friends and family to support you while you follow your dreams. You need to build that special trust that at first brings people to follow you and consider you their "go to" person. Consequently, when that trust cements itself, these same people will resonate so strongly with you that they will have your back, no matter what. They will support your message and share it on social media to a multitude of people. When this event happens, you have successfully created your tribe.
Building a tribe is something very dear to me, as I owe everything to my community. I built it by following two principles: coherence and the empowerment of others before myself. I post only when I feel I can enrich my followers and when I have a strong message. Herein lies a special type of power that the millennial generation knows better than anybody else, the true modern revolution: be everywhere with a click. That click carries a lot of responsibility. If you want to build a tribe, you must understand that who you are and what you stand for matters.
Related: 4 Secrets to Form and Cultivate Your Big Tribe
If you are ready for this adventure here are fifteen key points to build your tribe:
1. Learn from who you admire
Study successful profiles and get inspired by them. Get to know their minute details and intricacies inside and out for some inspiration and structure.
2. Speak from the heart
Find your own message: make sure it sounds clear and coherent. Before publishing, write down your posts in your platform's backend or if you are old school in a journal. This way you can plan your week ahead and see how your social media page will look like.
3. Pick your platform thoughtfully
Understand what platform your message will resonate better with, and study their way of communication.
4. Be consistent
Your followers need to see that you are present. Repetition is key, but always do so in a different and creative way.
5. Value the attention of your audience
Post when you have something relevant to say. Do not just post the first thought that pops into your head. Carefully consider what you want to say, always keeping in mind if others will be enriched by your words.
Related: 10 Laws of Social Media Marketing
6. Be generous
As in the real world: when you give, life gives you back. Find your own tribe by looking for people who make you feel fulfilled. Always support them with likes, comments, shout-outs, retweets, and tags.
7. Be open about what you need
Do not be scared to ask for what you want. Social media is analogous to real life: people like true relationships. Do not be afraid of reaching out to your followers and try to create a friendly and genuine relationship. Once that bond is established, ask clearly and you shall receive.
Related: 10 Proven Ways to Make Millions on Social Media
8. Be nice
Remember that good manners always win. Create healthy boundaries of self-respect and respect others.
9. Be easy to find
Hashtags are key to reaching more people and to finding those whom you are more in sync with. Use them generously and take advantage of trends to reach more people.
10. Deliver what is genuinely you
Do not over deliver. People like genuine content. If you keep on posting randomly, it might seem forced or automated.
11. Only quality matters
Quality is always better than quantity. You cannot expect people to engage with your posts if your pictures are blurry and your content is unclear and not well thought out. Improve yourself and your tribe will respond kindly.
12. Learn from your "enemies"
Listen to your critics and see if there is something true to what they are saying. If there is, try on working to better yourself and those critics will become your biggest helping hands.
Related: This Instagrammer With More Than 2 Million Followers Literally Cooks Her Content
13. Earn trust
As in any relationship, respect and love take time to grow. On social media, it is post after post, action after action. Once you dedicate yourself enough to gaining that bond you have a tribe, and you are blessed.
14. Be loyal and give back
Post at least once a week tagging your tribe to thank them for being there for you. Tag your tribe in your pictures so that they will feel part of your journey. Propose a direct message group with your tribe. Organize giveaways and create strategic alliances.
Related: 12 Social Media Mistakes That Entrepreneurs Make
15. Be genuine
Be you. All of the above statements lead up to the most important point: people want to see you and your own uniqueness. Do not hide behind imitating others, learn from them and get some inspiration, but YOU are the star.
Related: The Importance of Authenticity in Social Marketing
Social media is a way to express someone's soul: the more genuine you can be, the truer the relationship with your followers will become, and these people will slowly become your tribe. What you emanate with your posts and social media presence will be received and will reflect back to you like a mirror. This relationship does not happen overnight nor does it take place if you feel forced to be on social media.
Look for that joy that inspires you to post, ultimately building your tribe can be more personal than you think.
