Four basic types of communities
When I tell people about my intention to leave mainstream social media, stay only on Skool, use WhatsApp, and once again start building connections in real life, I often hear the argument that I am simply replacing one set of social networks with another. Here I must disagree. Skool is not a typical social network, it is a community platform. And I believe this term will become increasingly common in the near future. Since not only on Skool but also in Nonbusy there are people who are either building their own communities or considering creating one, I thought I would share a few ideas that are useful to know or at least remember. Let us start with a simple diagram. On the X axis we have collective engagement (CE), a concept that most of you are probably familiar with. On the Y axis we have collective intelligence (CI), a term that is not as common yet, but one that I believe we will encounter more and more often. A collective field that emerges when individuals come together forms its own character, consciousness, unconsciousness, energy, and even traumas. For me this unexplored world remains a great mystery, but we can discuss it further later. For now, let us focus on the four basic types of communities. 1) MARKETPLACE The goal of this type of community is to connect supply with demand. Engagement is minimal. People come only to offer or request something. They do not feel the need to discuss, share personal matters, or help one another. As a result, no real discussions or collective intelligence arise. People arrive, get what they need, and leave just as quickly. A good example of this type of community is Yachts ⛵ on Facebook, which I acquired some time ago. This group generates 50 - 60 posts per day with 110K members, which might seem like great engagement, but it is not, because most posts are commercial in nature. The group, however, is full of commercial entities, brokers, and yacht owners, whom I can gradually connect over time. I use the group to monitor B2B activity in this market, and I invite active members with high-quality content to Yachtusiasts, which I am setting up as a Forum (see below).