Online communities, ramen, and the 90-9-1 rule
Understanding online ecosystem series. #1
Things changed in recent years
The COVID-19 pandemic has locked us indoors, scattered across the country and the World. Offline events and meetups have ceased, with people dispersing to work remotely or from more comfortable locations than cramped city apartments. However, the human need for contact is strong. Which led to various online initiatives and tools emerging. Sure, those weren’t new. But the scale and intensity of those skyrocketed.
So, in what world are we currently situated when it comes to online networking? In a scattered one. With two worlds intertwining with each other. There’s “online” no more. It’s too vague and generalistic. And without getting a bit deeper, we won’t be able to find our sweet spot as the sheer amount of possibilities will overwhelm us. That’s why in this short series, I will try to divide our discussion into three:
online communities,
professional (and not so much) social media,
or the world of the content creation.
Today, we’re focusing on online communities.
Everything all at once everywhere
Some time ago, we had only a tribe of ours. A band of friends, a pack, a village, or a family. Now, on top of those traditional social circles, we’re immersed in a world filled with virtual communities as well. Starting from the simplest groups on Facebook to exclusive paid dedicated portals. When one looks around, we can easily notice that besides the classic Social Media platforms, we can explore a vast portfolio of thematic communities scattered across various platforms. Among the most popular, it's worth mentioning those like HackerNews, Reddit, Slack, Discord, or Circle.so.
For clarity's sake, I'll note that online communities can be defined as groups of people who gather to discuss topics related to the group's main theme. Whether it's a Pierogi Fan Club, Facebook group, Y Combinator startup incubator, or Open Source tool developer forum. Why am I saying this? To realize that perhaps there's no easier way to meet people with similar preferences/interests than by joining a dedicated niche community.
As pierogi enthusiasts, we'll probably gladly engage in discussions about the superiority of eggless dough over the one containing eggs. We'll advise others on how to prepare the most aromatic filling and make fancy frills. Potentially, we'll become visible, known, and valued for our contribution. For you, it will be entertainment, a way to spend time. But for the group, it will over time start to perceive you as a competent and interesting person. So yes, you have to be somewhat active within that group for some time.
Noodles, broth, and the worldwide fame
Do you know the story of Ramen Lord? The American foodie scene phenomenon that emerged from Reddit.
In short? Contributing to the online community makes you THE go-to person when it comes down to the thing you're working with. And Mike did it.
"Ramen Lord" is the Reddit username of Mike Satinover, a well-known expert in the realm of making ramen (surprise, surprise, right?). His passion for this craft led him to delve deeper into traditional techniques and experiment with various flavors. What set him apart was his active participation in the Reddit community. Generously sharing his knowledge, he posted detailed recipes and insights on the subreddit /r/ramen. As a result, Ramen Lord became a trusted source and a respected figure among ramen enthusiasts.
His dedication to helping others master the art of making ramen didn't go unnoticed. The supportive and interactive nature of the online community allowed his influence to spread beyond Reddit. Soon, Ramen Lord gained traction in the broader culinary scene as well. He now appears on culinary shows or collaborates with various restaurants, where he graciously serves up his creations. Need I mention that seats are limited and people fiercely compete for them?
That's because he became the 1%.
Remember the 90-9-1 rule? 90% of Internet users are passive observers, 9% are sporadic contributors, and 1% of users are responsible for the majority of content in the community. Ramen Lord became that 1%.
Assume you got convinced
And decided to dive into it! Let’s give it a try. What’s next? Just talk. Be active and helpful. Learn and share your learnings. When you consume a piece of content that my be relevant to the group - feel free to forward it. When someone asks for help, be the one who does it. Engage in random conversations. Be there for them.
From public conversations, many private threads will likely naturally emerge, continuing outside the main content stream. Practically, there will always be someone who'll DM you, "Hey, I saw your recipe for cabbage pierogi - brilliant!". And sometimes that will be enough to kick something off. Or even just appear on someone’s radar.
And even if not - many community owners now offer matchmaking mechanisms. That means pairing users and encouraging them to connect, converse, and have a video call. Kudos to them for that. Personally, this is how I met my business partner and several business associates. But I also greatly expanded my horizons and had simply a pleasant time getting to know folks outside of my bubble. Other group activation mechanisms may take the form of physical gatherings in a given city, co-organized events, joint initiatives, or meetings during physical events. Each group has its own thing.
If your community doesn't offer such mechanisms - start practicing them on your own. Observe who you enjoy talking to. Initiate private messages, and invite for virtual coffee chats. Step into the shoes of an event organizer. When you travel - let the group know that you'll be in city X on those days and would be glad to meet face to face. Soon, you may become a niche influencer! By just doing what you enjoy.
Sounds cool and easy? It’s never like that.
You could probably say I'm a fan of online communities. There are so many of them that everyone will find their niche where staying will be a pleasure. Or at least should. But to convert the presence into networking, you gotta be that 1% of the community. Otherwise, it can be you trying to connect with that 1% at best.
And here I must emphasize - if you force yourself to do something, stop it. Don't try to fake it till you make it. Everyone will be able to smell your bs. And you won’t beat those truly passionate folks in motivation. There’s that quote by Naval Ravikant that can pose as a parallel to our active community members.
I'm always working. It looks like work to others, but feels like play to me. That's how I know no one can compete with me on it. I'm just playing 16 hours a day and if they want to compete with me and they're going to work, they're going to lose because they're not going to do it 16 hours a day 7 days a week.
Don't let anyone convince you that something is necessary or proper. Everyone has their modus operandi. And until you find a place where you feel comfortable - keep searching. The internet is full of social groups. Personally, I highly recommend the smaller ones over the larger ones. At this point, a quote I once read comes to my mind. "It's much easier to stand out in a countryside town than in the capital." Similarly, in a group of 400 people, your name potentially will mean more than in a group of 40,000 people.
There’s one thing we have to talk about, though.
Please do solemnly swear, on the Amazon Rainforest or whatever you hold dear - you won’t overdo it! It's very easy to approach everything with enthusiasm and wish to be everywhere, to use every community. And to follow each interest of yours. I wholeheartedly discourage you from doing that. Physically, you won't manage to be truly active in more than 3 spaces. The notification counter will only grow, FOMO will appear. And your attempts to contribute everywhere will result in you not being truly visible anywhere in the end. Just like in everything in business - it's worth conducting a selection and choosing a narrow pool to focus on.
FOMO (Fear of Missing Out) - It's a social anxiety or psychological phenomenon characterized by a fear or apprehension of missing out on enjoyable or satisfying experiences, events, or opportunities in which others are participating.
What’s next? We’ll see.
By 2024, most of those initiatives that temporarily moved to the virtual space during the lockdown are returning to physical interactions. Nonetheless, online communication tools have been significantly enhanced over time. Same as us - users, whose online habits and behaviors have changed significantly. And irreversibly. Gotta learn about that and capitalize on that knowledge.
Thanks for today. Next time, we’ll talk about Social Media. Followed by the world of content. Intertwined with some wonderful discussions I’m constantly having so you can listen to them later.
If you wish to dive deeper into the subject check out the recent conversation I had with Ryan Wardell, the founder of the StartupSauce.com online community for SaaS founders. Our entire talk is about utilizing the biggest advantages of both online and offline.
