It might seem impossible, or at the very least challenging, to create an online community that's capable of being monetized into an extra stream of revenue for you or your business. But with easy community building platforms like Follr, online community building is as easy as 1, 2, 3! Here are five great ideas for building communities that can save and make you extra cash.
1. Sharing Time, Talent or Leftovers
Create an online community that brings you and others together to share goods or services - think meals or carpool routes. You could just as easily bake two pans of your famous enchiladas instead of just one, and give the second to another family. Then they can return the favor the next week with a casserole or lasagna. If you frequently cook too much or don't have time to cook at all, this could be a great idea for your family. Additionally, see if any members work in the same area as you and start a work carpool. Sharing common services can save your family money in more ways than you know!
2. (Classy) Swap Meets
Dying for that new 10-speed blender or statement necklace, but don't have the budget? Organize and host a swap meet via your online community where members can come together and bring gently used items according to the theme. Each month designate a new category of items and have fun swapping out gently used (and probably forgotten) kitchen appliances, jewelry, children's toys, or home décor! New, usable items in your home that you didn't have to pay for!
3. Wholesale & Bulk Buying
No one needs 1,000 rolls of paper towel or 30 lbs of ground beed, but they sure are cheaper to buy that way! Connect with others via an online community that plans bulk buying excursions and divvies out purchases to help save users money.
4. Incentivizing Services
You've seen the commercials: Sprint's Framily plan, DirecTv's rewards program, and countless others. Start an online community where groups of people can come together and take advantage of service provider incentives! If you're looking to switch cable providers, put feelers out for existing subscribers who could "refer" you and - boom! - you'll both save on your monthly bill.
5. Neighborhood Bargains
Have you lived in you neighborhood for a long time? Do you know every dive bar, happy hour and 2-for-1 deal like the back of your hand? Share your knowledge with others! People in your community will no doubt discover this wealth of bargain knowledge and who knows - you could eventually monetize your community and charge a small subscription for the tips and coupons! Not to mention your local restaurants will want to sponsor (read: pay you!) in exchange for featuring them on your site.
Check out a community platform like Follr today and get started creating your custom, vibrant community!