Building a Community vs. a Following as a Creator with Melissa Chanel

As creators, we know that follower count isn’t everything, but it absolutely holds some weight, right? However, in today’s creator economy, follower count is becoming less and less important and things like community and engagement are what the brands are really interested in.

Depending on the brand’s goal, engagement and community can be the make-it or break-it. If the brand’s goal is sales or even brand awareness, they want to know that you have an audience who listens to you. That’s why it’s so important for creators to focus on building a community vs. just a following.

But what’s even the difference between a following and a community? What are the benefits of having a community vs. just a following?

This week, we’re here with Melissa Chanel, a fellow Charlotte creator and the founder of Kicks & Fros, a community celebrating black women and sneaker culture. She has done wonders on her platforms to create genuine communities that gather because of their similar interests.

Today we’re answering all of your questions about creating a loyal community vs. just a following. First of all, what’s the difference? Also, what can creators do to boost their engagement and build community? How can you slide into someone’s DM to build a relationship with them without it being weird? What does a loyal community look like from a brand’s perspective?

Listen to Episode 32 — Apple | Spotify

Find this episode’s guest:
Melissa Chanel
Instagram | TikTok | Website | Kicks & Fros

In today’s episode, we discussed:

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Growing + Monetizing Your Pinterest as a Creator with Whitney Sartain + Allie