Why do people join forums

Then you join a forum and all of a sudden you see people asking the same questions you have. Better still, people are answering those questions! Someone whose advice is tailored specifically for you so you can not only avoid common mistakes but actually become successful in half the time it would take you otherwise. An online forum is an excellent way to get established freelancers to mentor you — for free , and some of them are even industry elite!

Remember when I said that a forum increases your knowledge by allowing you to ask questions and get answers? If you network it right , bide your time and prove to be an overall helpful, smart and talented freelancer , other established freelancers are going to notice you and will be more open to taking you under their wing. But remember, the key to mentorship is that you have to do all the legwork.

No freelancing business is successful without building strong relationship with clients and peers. Potential clients do too. After all, where else will they find trusted freelancers? Online forums provide an excellent way to establish your expertise.

Look for threads that deal with your particular niche , or start one yourself. You can start a thread related to common writing issues you see in the articles or website copy of financial institutions and state ways to make it better.

Improve communication With email now considered a major productivity killer by many employees, organisations need to find new ways to improve communication. Increase collaboration Improving collaboration should be the near the top of your list of priorities. Better engagement There are many benefits to having engaged employees. Receive the 5 key methods of employee engagement straight to your inbox Seek assistance and support Every day we are faced with problems that we need to overcome.

Next steps To help with your assessment of online collaboration tools, you should read our guide, which contains the 10 key questions you need to ask a supplier. Related Articles Create an Effective Stakeholder Engagement Strategy Organisations thrive when they learn how to communicate with stakeholders effectively. Read More. Search for: Subscribe to the Kahootz blog Email Address.

What are you most interested in reading about? Start your FREE day trial. First name. Last name. Phone number. If you see this input field, leave empty. Everyone in the community has joined because they like the game to some extent, and it's a space where they can nerd out and talk about new strategies and game theories.

I myself have experienced this first hand — it's a different experience being surrounded by people who understand what you're talking about and actually care to listen. Another example is say, a support community for those living with cancer. This is another place where people can be themselves and express their worries and concerns that they may not have the courage to talk about offline. This may be because they don't want to worry those around them, or because they feel that those around them won't understand what they're going through; either way, the community is a safe space for them to lay it all out while still having enough anonymity to feel secure.

It's a place where they don't have to hide their worries, fears and thoughts. On the flip side, there are those who join online communities because it gives them the freedom to be someone they can't be when they're offline. In a way, this can be incredibly empowering; I like to think of it as how it must feel to move to a new town and start anew.

Nobody knows who you are and you can have a fresh start to be anyone that you want to be. For some, an online community can provide a brief escape from real life to an online world where you can create a new persona and connect with others. For example, maybe someone is incredibly shy in real life and lives with a social anxiety that makes it tough to meet new friends and connect with others. Being part of an online community can provide comfort to these people and help break down the social barriers that they may have in real life by being able to interact with others in an alternative way; a way where they don't have to show their face, share their name or anything else that they don't want to.

For some, it's a place of safety, where they can interact without worrying about being judged for anything other than the words they type. Nobody wants to feel alone—and unfortunately, the current global situation has made this the reality for millions of people. Being part of an online community of people who you've built connections with is a valuable remedy to loneliness.

Moreover, these connections are available wherever and whenever, at the click of a button. Below are the results of a survey of 6, forum members over 12 unrelated volunteer forums conducted by sparkBB.

Interact with like-minded individuals - There is no surprise seeing this as the most popular choice for why people join forums. Forums are about camaraderie and the sharing of information. Interaction occurs naturally and its only enemy is conflict. To ask a question - Most forums are themed and are home to experts within that industry. Expect over a quarter of your members to join your forum just so you'll answer their questions.