It takes time to build an online community. The time to start that work is now, because you will never have a robust community until you start and take steps to build a following.

Whether you want to build your community on Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn or elsewhere, here are some ideas that will attract members:

Share Relevant Information Regularly

From the moment you establish your community (or make your commitment to building your community), use it to share relevant information. Decide on an interval that you can sustain and stick to the schedule.

• Content shared can be news related to the organization, news related to the industry, messages from key leaders, information related to clients or customers, etc.
• Timing and consistency are important, but if you  over communicate, that can be the quickest route to losing followers. Figure out a comfortable rhythm and tweak it based on feedback for the best results.

Use Surveys and Polls

Many social sites have built-in survey and poll tools. There are also many free tools. Use them to develop thought-provoking surveys that allow your followers to share information with you.

Use these tools take a census of your community at a regular interval each year and ensure it covers topics that members will find interesting or useful. Surveys are an excellent way for folks to share information about themselves and what they care about.

• Make survey brief and easy to respond to
• Don’t ask for more information than you need or plan to act on
• Share the results and your plan of action so that the members who took part in the process understand how they have contributed

make personal contact

The whole of your community is powered by the participation of individuals. Take time to respond to contributions. Comment on content, like posts, etc.

Check in with individual members and ask how they are enjoying the community and if they understand the purpose.