Online Niche Communities

@BrentBeshore 1) Start small and slowly. Nothing kills a budding Community like trying to cram 500 people into one place quickly and telling them to "connect". You need to bring people in 5-10 at a time: introduce them to one other, start discussions and tag people with applicable expertise.

Most people don't join communities for belonging. They join to solve a problem or achieve a goal. It's only once they form relationships that they'll cite belonging as their motivation. Lesson: to grow your community promote benefits, not belonging.