The document provides 10 tips for accelerating community growth on social media platforms: 1) Engage your audience, 2) Connect with other influencers, 3) Make content sharable, 4) Clearly define your niche, 5) Listen for what your audience wants, 6) Make it rewarding for your audience, 7) Be consistent in your posting, 8) Let your personality shine, 9) Keep the quality of your content high, and 10) Have fun. It also provides examples of vibrant communities and tools that can be used to manage communities and find influencers.

2. Top 10 Ways To Accelerate
Community Growth
Sue Reddel & Diana Laskaris
Co-Founders of Food Travelist

3. Why Do you Want A Thriving Community?
• People are hungry for real communities that share their
personal interests
• A thriving community offers you greater opportunities and the
perception of being an influencer and expert in your area
• The primary way to make money is to have influence over a
large number of people with common interests that can be
marketed to

4. #1 Engage Your Audience
• Create unique and focused
content
• Make interaction simple
• Welcome new members
and encourage
participation
• Cultivate key members
Quick Tip: Use Google Analytics to learn
where your audience is coming from
and build on it.

5. #2 Connect With Other Influencers
• Don’t be afraid to reach
out
• Be friendly and be yourself
• Comment and interact
with them
• Add value
• Stay on topic
Quick Tip: Follow influencers, comment on
their posts tell them how the information
helped you & share with your audience.

6. #3 Make Content Sharable
• Make the headline
catchy
• Use high quality visuals
• Make it easy to share
• Share everywhere
relevant
Quick Tip: Use a headline generator like:
www.internetmarketingcourse.com/free
headlinegenerator

7. #4 Clearly Define Your Niche
• Be obvious and stand out
• Be consistent in your
messaging
• Provide unique value
• Include in all
communications
Quick Tip: Find successful influencers
in your niche and learn from them.
Don’t copy – learn and refine.

8. #5 Listen For What They Want
• Find the common interests
• Ask and answer questions
• Pay attention to trends
• Spend time with your
analytics
Quick Tip: Respond to every comment and
question as quickly as possible. Set up email
alerts.

9. #6 Make It Rewarding For Them
• Say thanks
• Respond to questions
• Be part of the conversation
• Celebrate their wins
• Acknowledge evangelists
Quick Tip: Everyone needs encouragement.
A quick thank you or share of their work
can make someone's day.

10. #7 Be Consistent
• Post regularly and often
• Use your own voice
• Be honest and respectful
• Be concise
Quick Tip: Create an editorial calendar
and use scheduling tools like
HootSuite, TweetDeck and Buffer to
make your life easier.

11. #8 Let Your Personality Shine
• Be natural & use your own
words
• Imagine you’re talking to
friends
• Use humor and tell stories
• Share appropriately
Quick Tip: Share your experience and
expertise. Don’t tell them about your
vacation tell them why they need to go.

12. #9 Keep Quality High
• If the photo is fuzzy don’t use it
• Don’t use 10 words if 3 will do
• Proofread before publishing
anything
• Would you read it?
Quick Tip: Use photo editors like VSCO
Cam & iMajiCam on your phone to do on
the fly photo editing. Also take more
photos than you’ll think you need.

13. #10 Have FUN!
• Remember you are asking for
their spare time
• Keep it light
• Entertain, inform and educate
• Inspire them with your ideas
Don’t ever permit the pressure
to exceed the pleasure.
Joe Maddon, Cubs Manager
Quick Tip: Take time to celebrate the wins.

14. Examples of Vibrant Communities
• Gypsynesters

15. Examples of Vibrant Communities
• IAmAileen

16. Examples of Vibrant Communities
• Food Travelist

17. Tools You Can Use
• Sharing tools: Hootsuite, TweetDeck, Buffer
• Content Creation: Feedly, Pocket, Canva, Stock Photos,
IFTT
• Managing Followers: JustUnfollow, Twitter Counter,
Iconosquare
• Find Influencers: Communi.it, Buzz Sumo
• Managing Your Brand: Google Alerts, Mention
• When to post: Tweriod

18. Contact info:
Sue Reddel sue@foodtravelist.com
Diana Laskaris diana@foodtravelist.com
foodtravelist.com
@foodtravelist
#foodtravelchat Wednesday Nights 8pm ET