Nika

What I’ve learned from managing communities and the side effects that come with it

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Ambassador

I’ve been managing an international community across social media and platforms for over 3 years.

The more active and visible I am, the more people reach out to me.

It’s a great feeling to connect, but sometimes it leads to complicated situations that are uncomfortable to deal with.

So I decided to write down some lessons and real-life examples I’ve come across.

Here’s what NOT to do!

1. Saying yes to every opportunity

Whether it’s a quick call on LinkedIn or being asked to help promote on the Product Hunt… sure, the adrenaline can be exciting, but not everything deserves your time and attention.

2. Giving blind reviews

Someone once proposed a deal: “You give us a review on a platform, we’ll write text for you so it sounds like your personal experience. In return, we’ll upvote your product on Product Hunt.”

Be careful not to mislead others about the true quality of a product. If it turns out to be flawed and you had no idea what you were endorsing, it can backfire and hurt your credibility.

3. Accepting every (even well-paid) offer

Before you promote anything, research the team, their history, and the product itself. The company isn’t investing in you; you’re investing your trust and reputation in them.

I once had an offer from an unnamed startup willing to pay generously. They even ran ads on Product Hunt. But once I joined their Discord channel, I saw users complaining. I realised it was a scam – basically a data-harvesting machine. That made me even more suspicious and cautious about companies.

TL;DR: Be kind, but set boundaries.

Do you have your own learnings while building your either personal or professional/business community?

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ekusiadadus
Launching soon!

I've hosted several offline generative AI events in Japan myself. Basically, I wanted to gather as many people as possible, so I tried to create a community where anyone could come. But I learned that was my biggest mistake.

At every event, users would leave dissatisfied and never show up again. After reading "The Art of Gathering: How We Meet and Why It Matters," I understood why. Never invite Bob to your event.

Nika
Ambassador

@ekusiadadus How did you market around the offline event?

Ruxandra Mazilu

"The company isn’t investing in you; you’re investing your trust and reputation in them" - absolutely love this!

Thanks a lot for sharing your learnings, Nika 🫶

Nika
Ambassador

@ruxandra_mazilu You are welcome, Ruxandra! :) It really depends on each other's position. If someone is bigger than a company, it devalue the influencer's value if the company is not legitimate.

Fei C.
Launching soon!

Completely agree. Rejection is not personal, sometimes people and products are just not a match. Saying yes to everything is draining and inauthentic. Glad I stumble upon this discussion.

Nika
Ambassador

@feichen_ I can sign up for everything that you have written here.