What is Community on Instagram?

Since I focus on brick & mortar businesses, I start by looking at what community is in that context, and then we look at translating it onto Instagram.

Definition of Community

According to the dictionary, community is any unified body of individuals such as people with common interests living in a certain area. Being part of our local community allows us to be seen and known, a universally felt desire. You, as a business owner in a physical space, play a crucial role in fostering that connection and community. 

Examples of Community

Brick and mortar businesses play an important role in helping us stay connected and grounded. Some examples of community at in-person businesses include:

• Being greeted by name at your favorite coffeeshop, and knowing the baristas are happy to see you
• The stylists at your salon knowing all about your daughter’s wedding and being excited to see pictures of the dress!
• Going in to get your products refilled at your local eco-friendly store, and having the owner remember what you got last time and asking how it’s working out, then connecting you with another customer b/c she knows you both coach soccer
• Connecting with another entrepreneur at your coworking space and chatting over coffee about how you can support one another
• Picking up painting supplies at the local hardware store and walking out with advice on getting those tricky spindles, and the name of a handyman that a customer recommended after overhearing your need for one 

Virtual Community

All of these same types of scenarios I describe above, are also possible to experience on a virtual platform such as Instagram. People start following you because they share a common interest with you: ideally, the purpose of your business! Below, I translate the in-person community moments into virtual ones:

• Your customer sharing a picture of their favorite beverage and tagging you, then you resharing that post with “Sarah always gets this delicious latte, it was a pleasure to see you today!” 
• As a salon owner, sharing in Instagram Stories what happened in your salon today when a customer came in and shared her daughter’s wedding dress photos.
• Sharing customer feedback on your products in a reel
• Highlighting the folks who use your coworking space, including what they do, to foster more connections
• Collaborating with others who can serve your customers in complementary ways, such as the hardware store and the handyman. 

It’s no longer enough to only be part of the in-person community, because people’s communities now extend onto their social media. Your ideal customers are hanging out there when they get up, during their lunchbreak, and before bed. They’re sharing their knowledge, their experiences, and their recommendations. And when you’re not a part of the virtual conversations, it will be increasingly harder to be part of the in person ones. 

Need more guidance on how to build community on Instagram? Check out my free checklist with 20 Ways to Build Community on Instagram.