It’s summer, and you’re outside playing basketball with your friends in the col de sac, drinking from the hose, your neighborhood friends are your community.

Life was simple. 

‘Your friends are your future’ was advice engrained in us as kids. 

So how does that work now in the digital world?

Who you surround yourself with is your community. But as we get older life gets heavy…It’s fair to say we have all been in a situation where we feel on the outside within our own community.

At least I have felt that way. 

The word Tribes are built from communities and go back to prehistoric times. There is a sense of belonging when you are a member of a tribe. 

But yet, some feel like outsiders – even within their own communities. Why do you think that is?

Online communities’ usage among internet users has been on a steady rise, as 76% of global internet users engaged with an online community in 2019. 

And 66% of people used these communities for making connections with other people who have similar interests.

41% of US creators use websites or blogs to connect with their audiences off of social platforms, and 64% of them have monetized the platforms too.

It’s just a deeper way to connect. 

With only 12% of my audience being in the United States, I’m reminded of how big and small the world is. People all the way in Iran, Ukraine to South America are able to connect on one centralized hub in the palm of our hand. 

Followers can engage with each other and you start building a culture. The comment section has sometimes shown more support and is a place I find myself gravitating toward when the reality is heavy.

Have you ever felt a more human connection with a stranger on the internet? 

Even the comment section for creators is a community; you start to recognize profile pictures and handles immediately. 

Social media accelerated all of this. This digital world is our reality and that’s okay. Lean into it. 

If you are part of a community or creating your own, it is the core of how we interact with each other nowadays and is a crucial part of how we share interests and messaging. 

As a creator, it’s important to hone in on the community you want to be a part of and use your content to connect to others through this. ‘Your friends are your future’…. 

What stories are you telling and how is that shaping your community?