Engaging with Local Communities Through Social Media

Whether it’s through shared humor on Twitter, DMs on Instagram, or common professional goals on LinkedIn, it’s likely that you’ve picked up a friend or two through social media platforms. The benefit of social media is that it can easily connect you to people all around the world. And, what’s even better? When these virtual connections become ‘real life friends’. 

While long-distance connections are great, many people use social media platforms to build connections with those who live in their own areas.  Moving to a new city or neighborhood? More than likely, there’s already a Facebook group established for that community, and you can easily join. Need recommendations on restaurants, schools, childcare, entertainment…? Just tap into the local community on social media and you can find nearly anything you need. 

According to TechCrunch Facebook is testing out a new ‘Neighborhoods’ feature that would formalize what many people are already using the platform for –– to connect to their local communities. Social Media Today cites that Facebook groups have received even more engagement during the COVID-19 pandemic, “with more than 1.8 billion users now engaging in Groups every month.” However, these sources note that this new feature does bring about some criticism as it’s competing with popular neighborhood social app ‘NextDoor’ which is slated to launch an initial public offering in the coming months. 

Regardless of which social app individuals are using to connect to their local communities – the connections are being made. Beyond personal use, utilizing social media as a tool to connect businesses and brands to a local community is also a strategic move. If you have a company in a specific city, region, or neighborhood, get to know the social media community groups that are set up in your area. This could be a valuable way to get the word out about what you’re offering. Just remember-– no one likes the ‘salesperson’ who shows up in the neighborhood Facebook group! Be strategic and thoughtful in the ways you engage in these groups to further positive awareness for your business or organization.