How Do You Build A Web Community?

Building communities is sourcing for likeminds. Bringing them together to interact and share ideas and giving them a sense of belonging, community and, most importantly, a safe place.

 The “how to” build a community is very tasking; you have to identify who needs this community you’re building and go after these categories of people. You can find anyone anywhere, you can even go ahead to poach members of a rival community if there’s any.

Not every young person is interested in web3, and not every young person will fit into your community. You need an audience, or you’ll end up with a community as silent as a graveyard.

 How, then, do you build a community of people?

🔔Here are five actionable tips (from people who have built and grown communities)

1. Define Objectives And Audience

The objectives of the community are just as important as the audience — they’re two peas in a pod. One cannot thrive without the other.

The first question you should ask yourself when building or nurturing a community is: what is there to achieve with this community, and who is the audience? Creatives? Developers? Designers? Traders?

Defining the objectives sets the tone and informs every decision — from the events you plan to the content you share.

Superteam NG’s approach is a prime example of balancing objectives with audience targeting. “Our focus is on those no one is going for: university students and early-stage developers who have more potential than experience,” says Harri Obi, the Nigerian community lead for Superteam Nigeria.

The essence of a thriving community lies in creating a safe and supportive environment, and the magic happens when a community's objectives resonate deeply with its audience, forming a symbiotic relationship that fuels growth, innovation, and connection.

2. Choose A Platform That Aligns To Your Goals

There is a wide range of online community platforms available today, each offering unique features, strengths, and limitations.

Since you're building a Web3-focused community, Discord and Telegram stand out for their advanced community-building tools, such as bot integration, which allows for automated moderation, event announcements, and reward systems — all of which help boost engagement.

They also support live voice and video channels, making it ideal for hosting interactive events like Ask Me Anything (AMA) sessions, project updates, and community calls.

WhatsApp can be used as a last resort. It serves smaller groups but lacks the tools needed for large-scale Web3 projects.

We can’t choose for you; however, it’s important to prioritise platforms that support automation, foster engagement, and allow seamless interaction between community members and project teams.

3. Develop An Engaging Community Building Strategy

At this stage of community building, you’ve successfully gathered your audience on a platform that aligns with your goals.

The next step is crafting a strong content strategy to keep members engaged and connected.

Chidi Joshua, a social manager at Paris-based ZNS Connect and Creator Blockchain, emphasizes that content strategy is the backbone of community building as it fosters active participation.

Events—both virtual and in-real-life (IRL)—play a crucial role in this strategy, often paired with incentives to strengthen community bonds.

“For example, at Avalanche, we built our community around events. The Avalanche ecosystem is known for its thrilling Web3 gaming scene, so we leveraged that by organizing Web3 gaming events and cultivating a passionate, engaged community,” he explains.

To boost engagement, host community calls to introduce new members to your mission and projects.

Develop educational content such as tutorials, guides, and e-books tailored to their interests.

Live events, webinars, Q&A sessions, and hackathons create real-time connections. Job boards can also encourage participation by showcasing career opportunities.

Recognition matters—reward active members with shoutouts, badges, or exclusive perks.

Gamification elements like challenges, contests, and leaderboards make engagement fun. Communities like SuperteamNG excel at strengthening bonds through physical events. I once attended one. Read it here. 

4. Promote Your Community 

Promoting your community is much like marketing a product—it’s all about highlighting the value it offers. Just as a product solves a specific problem for its users, a community often exists to address a shared challenge, need, or interest.

To effectively attract new members, focus on clearly communicating the problem your community tackles and the unique solutions or support it provides.

Encourage user-generated content by inviting members to share blog posts, tutorials, or case studies. This not only showcases their expertise but also enriches the community’s collective knowledge.

Recognizing these contributions boosts morale and motivates others to join.

5. Listen and Adapt

Building a thriving community is not a one-time effort.

It requires constant engagement, active listening, and a genuine commitment to fostering the growth of every member.

Princewill, the Community Lead for Borderless Enugu buttresses this with the growth of orderless “As we enter an expansion phase, it’s clear that setting strong visions and clear directions has significantly boosted both our member retention and onboarding.”

Borderless has grown beyond Enugu, establishing branches in Kano, Gombe, Calabar, Uyo, Ekiti, Jigawa, Port Harcourt, Katsina, Anambra, Imo, and several other regions.

This growth is no coincidence. The team implements bi-weekly community calls to maintain consistent communication, monthly hangouts to build connections, and an accountability partner system that fosters collaboration and mutual support.

Building a Web3-native community doesn’t stop at achieving growth milestones. The real work begins when the community starts thriving.

Sustained success hinges on a cycle of listening, adapting, and evolving.

It involves learning from others by adopting Good Case Practices from like-minded communities, staying open to innovation, and keeping the momentum going.

Disclaimer: The views and opinions expressed in this article are those of the author and do not necessarily reflect the official policy or position of Obiex. This content is for informational purposes only and should not be considered financial or investment advice. Readers are encouraged to conduct their own research before making any financial decisions. Obiex is not responsible for any outcomes resulting from the use of this information.