Social media has transformed the way people interact and communicate by ridding physical contact and replacing it with virtual and real-time platforms. This reality means that organizations have to restructure their operations to tap into the potential that social media presents. Schools, just like other organizations, have not been left behind, considering that they have created social media platforms and websites to disseminate information. However, in a world where millions of tweets, posts, and pictures are disseminated every second, a school must build for itself a digital community. Essentially, the school would need to research to find the most suitable niche capable of growing and sustaining the digital community (Akbar et al., 2017). This determination would ensure that community members are receptive to the organizations' services, products, and information.
Digital communities are becoming an integral aspect of organizations' day-to-day life as platforms where stakeholders interact and exchange ideas. Dover & Kelman (2018) note that digital communities are diverse in terms of size, meaning that some may experience exponential growth while others would remain small and may wither ultimately. This assertion means that a school keen on building a digital community should invest in a niche that guarantees massive growth. An educational institution can focus on the local members, considering that they will always be a part of that community, thus assuring it of massive growth. Similarly, if the higher institution has a national or international presence, it would target other educational institutions, most notably high schools. This move would be practical as the institution would be better positioned to provide its niche market with custom-made information regarding its academic programs and activities. However, Akar & Mardikyan (2018) note that if organizations need to sustain their online presence, they must adopt strategies that motivate and engage community members. Notably, the content that the organization posts and the conversation it maintains should align with the digital community's needs.
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References
Akar, E., & Mardikyan, S. (2018). User roles and contribution patterns in online communities: A managerial perspective. SAGE Open, 8 (3), 40-59. https://doi.org/10.1177/2158244018794773
Akbar, F., Omar, A., & Wadood, F. (2017). The niche marketing strategy constructs (elements) and its characteristics: A review of the relevant literature. SSRN Electronic Journal, 1 (1), 73-80. DOI:10.2139/ssrn.2957004
Dover, Y., & Kelman, G. (2018). The emergence of online communities: Empirical evidence and theory. PLoS ONE, 13 (11), 20-41. https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0205167
