This discussion centers on a blog post by mae titled “Community Acquisition Channels: Beyond ‘Build It and They Will Come’.” The post argues that successful community growth requires a deliberate acquisition strategy rather than relying on the “Field of Dreams” fallacy. Key points include defining an Ideal Member Profile based on motivations and values, distinguishing between acquisition, activation, and retention, and prioritizing culture over vanity metrics. Mae emphasizes that early-stage growth relies on personal invites and trust, while scaling requires systematic loops and organizational alignment.
In the comments, melody_maker asks why Facebook was not mentioned as a promotion channel for forums. mae responds that there is no specific reason for its omission, noting that the best channel depends on where ideal members already spend their time, which often includes Facebook for hobby or local communities. satonotdead expresses agreement with the article’s insights, appreciating the perspective from Discourse’s marketing team and highlighting the importance of sustainable development strategies.
Too many communities are launched with the “if you build it, they will come” mindset, only to find empty discussion boards and disengaged members. Successful community growth doesn’t happen by accident. You need a deliberate acquisition strategy that goes beyond vanity numbers and focuses on attracting the right people.
Good article. I am interested in using social media to promote my forum. I could use LinkedIn. I noticed you didn’t mention Facebook. Is there any reason why?
Thanks!
No particular reason. The key is to go where your ideal members already spend their time, and for many communities (especially hobby and local ones) that’s Facebook.
I understand and agree with everything that has been published. It takes time to internalize it, but in the end, it is the only thing that yields positive results for community and sustainable development.
Thank you for publishing and sharing this. It is always a pleasure to learn about perspectives from marketing teams at companies like Discourse.