From Users to Advocates

A lifelong goal of every product is to turn users into advocates. Advocates are the users that love your product so much that they have the capacity to influence others to use it. They are the users that will recommend your product to their friends and family. They are the users that will defend your product when someone criticizes it. In the end, they are the users that will help you grow your product.

How do you turn users into advocates in the first place?

The answer is simple: Build authentic communities.

Pillars of an authentic community

1. Communication

Communication is one of the most important pillars of a great community, and while it may seem obvious, it's often overlooked. People are looking for a place where they know they can get help when they need it, and where they can help others when they can.

Facilitating communication between the core team and the users themselves is equally important. Provide a place where users are empowered and encouraged to share ideas, feedback, and problems.

2. Knowledge sharing

Knowledge sharing is another important pillar of a great community. When people are looking for help, they want to know that they can find the answers they need. Joining a community is one of the largest commitments a user can make to solve their problem. It's the last resort before giving up and moving on to something else.

Using a tool like Pile allows your users to find the answers they need faster. That way, you free up time and space for more interesting discussions.

3. Recognition

Recognition is the last important pillar of a great community. People want to feel like they are part of something bigger than themselves. They want to feel like they are contributing to the success of something they care about.

Recognition can be as simple as a thank you message or as complex as a leaderboard. It is up to you to decide what works best for your community.

Some common ways to award users are:

• Badges
• Leaderboards
• Roles
• (Monetary) rewards

In the end, recognition is all about privilege. It's about giving your users the privilege to do something that others can't. We are biologically wired to seek out privilege. It's what drives us to do better.

Conclusion

Building an authentic community is the best way to turn users into advocates. It's a long-term investment that will pay off if you keep putting in the work.