Tiffany Noth
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Why Your Brand Needs a Community Strategy – Now More Than Ever

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There’s never been more noise online than there is today.

Content is everywhere. Posts are endless. (Hi, hello!  You are here.)  Feeds are filled with updates we scroll past without thinking twice.

And yet, what people crave more than anything is connection.

That’s why community isn’t a trend. It’s the foundation of the digital future.

The Shift I Saw Coming Years Ago

When I built Bloggy Moms in 2009, it wasn’t because I wanted to launch a brand – it was because mom bloggers needed a place to connect.  

The internet was exploding with content, but there weren’t a lot of spaces where mom bloggers could build relationships, ask questions, and grow together.

I didn’t just see a gap – I felt it.

So I created a space that didn’t rely on algorithms or trends. It relied on people.

What worked then – still works now.

But now, it matters more than ever.

Social Reach Is Borrowed Space

Social media can introduce people to you, but it won’t keep them around.

  • Feeds change. 
  • Algorithms shift. 
  • Platforms fade. 

If you don’t build a community that lives beyond the platform, you’re constantly starting over – with every shuttering of a network or algorithm change.

And I’ve been through every shift 

  • From forums to Facebook groups.
  • From blog comments to DMs.
  • From public platforms to private spaces.

What works?   Strategy. Intention. Structure. Real leadership.

What Community Really Is

Community isn’t just a place. It’s a feeling. It’s an experience.

It’s where people go to be seen, connected, supported, and invited to grow.

And when you create that for your audience, you’re not just building brand loyalty.   You’re building belonging.

That’s what makes your brand stick. That’s what turns followers into champions of your brand.

So, Why Now?

Because trust is the new currency.
Because the world is craving meaningful interaction.
Because if you don’t build it, someone else will.

Here’s What You Can Do

If you’re building a brand – personal or business – you need a community strategy.

Not later.

→ Now.

Start small.

Start focused.

But start with intention.

And if you don’t know where to start, that’s where I come in.

Let’s build a space where people don’t just follow you – they feel like they belong with you.

→ Contact me or learn more about working together here.

 

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What mIRC, Angelfire, and a Compaq Presario Taught Me About Community Today

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In the mid-90s, I sat at a Compaq Presario in a tiny room inside my childhood home.  This tiny space had once been a playroom where my brother, sister, and I raised hamsters and battled each other for the podium on Mario Kart.  

In that now transformed room, I dialed into the internet.  That chaotic, high-pitched screech followed by digital garble that meant I was about to go online, if no one picked up the phone – was the sweetest sound.  

After waiting for it to connect, coupled with much anticipation of reaching out to “the world” – I launched mIRC and joined many (many) chat rooms. 

Image Source: neowin.net

I wasn’t thinking about “audience growth” or “engagement metrics.” 

I was thinking:

  • Who’s out there?
  • Where are they from?
  • Can we talk?
  • Can we connect?

That’s where it all began. 

Not just for me, but for online community itself.

And today, as we navigate Slack channels, subscription-based platforms, and algorithm-heavy social media, I still go back to that original spark: real-time, real-feeling connection.

Let’s talk about what those early digital spaces got right and what they can teach us about building thriving communities right now.

1. Community Starts with Listening, Not Broadcasting

On mIRC, you couldn’t just post and disappear. You had to be present. 

Conversations happened in real-time, and value came from listening as much as speaking.  Interaction!

→  What we can do today:
Create community spaces where members aren’t just consuming, they’re contributing. Use prompts, live sessions, and active moderation to foster real dialogue. Build features that reward participation, not just presence.

2. Low-Tech Doesn’t Mean Low-Impact

My first website was on Angelfire. No fancy CMS. No analytics. Just raw HTML, a guestbook, and maybe a webring if I got ambitious. But it worked. Because it felt personal. (Which is also why blogs worked – but that’s a post for another day.)

→  What we can do today:
Don’t over-engineer. Fancy tech doesn’t replace emotional connection. Whether it’s a Notion page, a newsletter, or a pop-up Facebook group – if people feel seen and heard, they’ll stick around.

3. Shared Purpose Is Stronger Than Shared Interests

In those early days, we gathered not just because we liked the same things, but because we wanted the same things: to connect, to belong, to be part of something.

→  What we can do today:
Define the why of your community clearly. What are you helping people become? What are you doing together that they can’t do alone?

4. Offline Can Strengthen Online (and Vice Versa)

When I launched Bloggy Conference, it wasn’t just about adding a live event. It was about giving depth to the relationships we’d already built online.

That in-person energy created long-term loyalty.  I can barely believe that we are closer to our 20th annual conference event than we are to the first in 2011.

→  What we can do today:
Even if your community is digital, look for ways to create “real” touchpoints – virtual co-working, live Q&As, meetups, or even, yes… mailers. Give people something they can feel.

5. Small and Intentional Beats Big and Noisy

Early communities didn’t aim for scale, they aimed for connection. And ironically, that’s what made them grow.

→  What we can do today:
You don’t need 10,000 people in a group. You need 10 who care. Build for intimacy. Scale with intention.

The Tech Changed. The Heartbeat Didn’t.

From a blinking chat window on a Compaq Presario to thriving digital ecosystems – we’ve come a long way. But the essence of community hasn’t changed.

People want connection.

They want meaning.

They want to belong.

Whether you’re building on LinkedIn, inside a private platform, or launching a movement from scratch, tap into those early principles. 

They worked then. 

They still work now.

Let’s Build What Lasts

If you’re building a community that’s meant to last, not just go viral, I’d love to be part of it.

→ Contact me or learn more about working together here.

PS:  All these decades later, I still randomly search these new platforms for the old usernames I used to know.  If you’re out there, say hi!

 

Featured image graciously provided by *gasp* ChatGPT

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Blogging’s Not Dead – It Just Looks A Little Different

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is the blogging dead

So I’ve been thinking about blogging a lot lately.  (Do I ever think about anything else?) Actually, it hit me while I was trying to fix my coffee maker this morning (side note: don’t try to fix your own coffee maker. Just buy a new one. Trust me on this).

Anyway, I was covered in coffee grounds and suddenly wondered: Does anyone even read blogs anymore? (And, this was actually a question my uncle asked me in 2015.  It’s haunted me.)  So, I got to thinking, when was the last time you read one, Tiffany? I couldn’t immediately recall.  But, as I thought on this – I realized that I read them all the time.  All.  The.  Time.  They just look a lot different than the first-ever blogs I read 20+ years ago.

I hear a lot of people saying that the blog is dead.  

But here’s the thing – I don’t think blogging is actually dead. It’s just… different now. Like how we all thought flip phones were gone forever, and now they’re back but all fancy and foldy.  We’re still here.  But we actually never left.  

Let’s examine the blog makeover.

What Counts as Blogging These Days?

So I looked around.  What type of content am I consuming now, instead of the blogs I was reading in 2008?  Here’s what I noticed.  Today’s bloggers are:

  • YouTubers who film their entire lives (including what they eat in a day. Why do I watch these?) No, it’s not as popular as 10 years ago.  But people are still doing it and earning a living. Maybe they focus only on gardening with homemade tools, or another very specialized interest.  But, they are doing it.
  • Instagrammers are posting pictures of their pets with long, heartfelt captions (guilty as charged.  Okay, it’s my sister’s puppers – but yeah.)
  • TikTokers doing dances I’m too uncoordinated to attempt (I tried once. My daughter still judges me). Or giving out life advice, product reviews, and home projects. They’re showing up.
  • Podcasters talking about everything from true crime to how to grow the perfect tomato.

It’s wild, right? But when you think about it, it’s all just different ways of sharing our lives and thoughts online. Which is what blogging was all about in the first place.

Why You Might Still Want a Website (Even If It’s Just to Impress Your Tech-Savvy Nephew or Non-Tech-Savvy Dad)

Before you go deleting your old blog faster than I delete my browser history after a late-night online shopping spree, hang on a sec. Having your own website is still pretty important. Here’s why:

  1. It’s all yours: Unlike Facebook, where your aunt can comment on everything, your website is your own little internet kingdom.
  2. Creative freedom: Want to use Comic Sans and neon green backgrounds? Go for it! (But maybe don’t. Please.)
  3. Google might actually find you: With some SEO magic (which is a crazy, ever-changing game), people might find your site when they’re googling random stuff at 3 AM. (Ask me how I know.)
  4. It’s like a hub for all your internet stuff: You can link to your TikTok dances, your podcast about conspiracy theories (are giraffes really real? IYKYK), whatever. It’s all in one place.

How to Maybe, Possibly Make Some Money From This Stuff (You Most Definitely Can!)

Alright, so you have an idea, dream and maybe even a website to accompany it.  But how do you turn that into something that actually pays the bills? (Because, unfortunately, landlords and mortgage holders don’t accept “internet fame” as payment.)

Here are some ideas I’ve picked up over my two decades in “blogging”:

  1. Figure out your thing: What can you talk about forever without getting bored? For me, it’s actually a never-ending list of all the things.  Find your niche!
  2. Make stuff people actually want: Whether it’s blog posts, videos, or interpretive dance tutorials, make sure it’s either helpful or entertaining. Or both, if you’re feeling ambitious.
  3. Actually talk to your audience: Respond to comments like they’re texts from your bestie. Ask what they want to see. Make them feel special, you know? (DO THIS REGARDLESS OF WHAT ANYONE SAYS ABOUT IT.  Apologies for the all-caps, but, for real.)
  4. Try different money-making things: Affiliate links, sponsored posts, sell some merch. I’m still trying to figure this part out, to be honest.  Who wants a Tiff Tee?
  5. Make internet friends: Team up with other people doing similar stuff. It’s like forming a content creation superhero team. The Avengers, but for content creators. (Okay, you get it.)

Email Lists: They’re Actually Pretty Cool (And May Be Your Bread & Butter)

Last thing before I let you go. Email lists are super important.  I’ve said this from the beginning. I’ve said this long before I had a full grasp on what I was doing online or in blogging.  I created community, and with that community came an email list that I could use to reach out to my community.  This, was the turning point in my earnings and empire-building.   Here’s what I’ve learned:

  • It’s direct: You’re basically sliding into people’s inboxes (in a non-creepy way).
  • It works: People are more likely to buy stuff from emails than social media. (My impulse purchases can confirm this.)
  • It’s yours: Even if Instagram suddenly decides to shut down, you’ve still got your email list.

To get people to sign up, try offering something cool for free – that they actually want or need.

This will be dependent on your community avatar.  Do your research into what will be a valuable asset to your community before spending hours or days creating that freebie.  Hey, it may be an entrance into your super special VIP group or community.

Wrapping This Up (Because I’m Questioning If I Fully Intend To Get Off Of My Computer And Get My Saturday Run In)

So yeah, is blogging dead?  No!  Absolutely not.  It just looks a lot different today than it did in 2005 or even 2015. The main thing is to keep making cool stuff and pair it with another offering – like a TikTok account or YouTube account.  Blogs are no longer daily journals.  They’re the base of your business that everything else can stand on and come back to. 

Whether you’re writing blog posts, making TikToks, or talking into a microphone about the best way to make sourdough bread, just enjoy the process. And hey, maybe you’ll make some money. Or maybe you’ll just make some cool internet friends. Either way, it’s a win.

Now if you’ll excuse me, I need to go create a new TikTok account for another fun idea that has just come to mind.  (I’ll get to you soon, run!) Wish me luck, and ask me about it at Bloggy Conference!

P.S. If you’ve got any tips on how to make money from blogging, let me know. I’d love to share your ideas and suggestions to everyone! (This is what we do at Bloggy Conference, it’s a whole thing.)

Photo by Markus Winkler.

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Tiffany Noth