It Takes a Community

Professional visibility isn’t hard to develop, but it doesn’t happen overnight. Once you’ve established your expertise, you want to share it with like minds in your industry. 

But where do you start? How do you go from being a small fish in a big pond to earning the trust of an influential network of your peers? That’s a large question to unpack, and it takes a community.

Professional online communities are full of others who are just like you – looking for answers to their most pressing challenges, finding opportunities to share knowledge, and connecting to the people, information, and resources that can help them move forward. One of the greatest benefits of being a part of that community is access to a vast network full of experience and professionals with knowledge to share. And while that can be overwhelming at first, here are five simple steps that can help you develop influence and broaden your professional reach through online community:

1. Answer questions in the discussion threads. As long as there is a community, there will be questions that need answers. And I can guarantee that you have the answers that someone needs. Don’t be afraid to jump in to provide answers to questions where you can. Your assistance will not go unnoticed.
2. Ask questions. It’s natural to want to be seen as someone who has expertise in a given area, but we will never have all the answers. Asking questions shows that you’re open to continuous learning, collaboration, and often leads to larger conversations that strengthen those online connections.
3. Seize the opportunity to contribute content. Many online communities allow you to contribute content in some manner. This is a prime opportunity to highlight your expertise. What you contribute doesn’t have to be grand or lengthy, but it does have to be meaningful and provide value to the audience you’re addressing, so take the time to ensure your content is well thought out.
4. Attend your community’s offline events. Yes, that’s actually a thing! Many online communities hold offline events to get their members meeting face-to-face. It’s a great way for you to actually sit down with the people you interact with online and nurture the relationships you’ve built, which helps strengthen the trust you’ve started to build with your online network, making those interactions more meaningful and memorable!
5. Share your experiences. This goes far beyond the theoretical application of the knowledge you have. Admitting mistakes, sharing lessons learned, and talking about some of the successes you’ve had is the best way to build credibility and position yourself as a helpful resource among your peers in the community.

Remember that none of this is difficult, but it does take time. 

Being sincere about your intentions and making the commitment to be an active participant in any online community you join will increase your visibility in your field and position you for greater opportunities.  

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About the Author:

Marjorie Anderson is the founder of Community by Association and manages an online community program for a professional membership association. She has been featured in Associations Now magazine and has appeared on the Conversations with Community Managers, Community Signal, and Association Chat podcasts. Connect with her about online communities, strategy, and coffee on Twitter and LinkedIn.

Editor’s Note:

This is the first of many articles developed for Association Chat by various authors. Watch for upcoming posts here and by subscribing to the mailing list on the Association Chat website.