What's In Your Community Toolbox? Tools for ERG & Workplace Community Leaders
Technologies aren't standalone cures or solutions for disengaged communities; they are tools you can use to meet specific community needs. Thinking about building the right tech stack for your community needs can be a bit overwhelming at first, especially if you've never built a community before!
Allow us to introduce you to some of our favorite community tools.
For scheduling & registration…
Calendly is a hub for scheduling meetings. It's a straightforward and intuitive platform that comes with a free basic plan.
Doodle is another meeting scheduling software built for people looking to schedule group meetings and make work schedules.
Meetup & Eventbrite are online platforms used to organize groups that host in-person and virtual events for people with similar hobbies and interests. Both are free to use unless you plan to charge for your event. If charging for events, reviewers from G2 have concluded that Eventbrite tends to be easier to use, set up, and do business overall.
Luma is an event management software that is perfect for folks hosting members-only Zoom events. This tool helps you go beyond the event with newsletters & community analytics.
For hosting…
Thanks to the global pandemic, Zoom is a video conferencing tool many folks are well-versed in these days.
OBS Studio is a free and open-source, cross-platform streaming and recording program. There's a little bit of a learning curve, but nothing you can't handle with a little bit of reading. OBS is great for adding some flair to your production. Check out how we've used this tool to enhance our community events.
If your community is familiar with the Microsoft suite or it is native to your organization's tech stack, this might be the best video conferencing software for you.
Hopin is an event management platform that can help you bring your physical events online. This is a tool to consider once your event has reached 50 people or more.
For community analytics…
When a fancy, all-in-one platform isn’t readily available, Google Sheets or Excel will do the trick. Here, download our free engagement tracker to get started.
For brainstorming & crowdsourcing ideas…
Miro & Mural are both online collaborative platforms that act as digital whiteboards to bring teams together. The most significant difference between these two products is the number of integrations available, with Miro having more options
Viima & Ideanote.io are innovation management platforms that encourage organizations to collect, manage, and develop ideas together.
Poll Everywhere & Mentimeter are tools used to engage audiences across hybrid workplaces through online polling, surveys, Q&As, quizzes, and more.
Community website & content-sharing…
If your community is familiar with the Microsoft suite or it is native to your organization's tech stack, this is an excellent tool for document management & sharing.
Squarespace & WordPress are both tools for building websites. Based on G2 reviews, Squarespace is a bit more intuitive and beginner-friendly, while WordPress requires more basic coding knowledge.
Community project & task management…
Asana & Monday are two of the biggest names in project management. Both offer free plans, with Asana's free plan being slightly more fruitful.
Airtable is a platform for building collaborative applications. What the heck does that mean? Well, Airtable is a dynamic tool that can be used in a multitude of ways–whether it's for project management or automation, or simple tracking.
If your community is familiar with the Microsoft suite or it is native to your organization's tech stack, this is a great tool for project management.
Multipurpose communication & collaboration platforms…
Slack is a messaging app for businesses. We use Slack every day to communicate with one another at Cultivate. We also use Slack as a home base for the Cultivators Community.
Discord is an instant messaging and digital distribution platform designed explicitly for creating communities.
If your community is familiar with the Microsoft suite or it is native to your organization's tech stack, this might be the best tool for congregating online. Here are some tips if you're trying to decide which one to use.
Workplace is another communication tool with features like Groups, Chat, Rooms, and Live video broadcasting to connect people virtually.
Hivebrite markets itself as an all-in-one platform designed specifically for managing online communities.
Tribe is another platform for managing and engaging with online communities. You'll notice that most of their use-cases are for external (or customer-facing) communities, but many of their features are relevant to internal (or workplace) communities as well.
What tools are you currently using to manage & engage with your community? Let us know in the comments. 👇
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We’re building a community where your voice is heard, solutions are shared, and changemakers around the world can mobilize for change. If you are passionate about change, culture, and innovation, this is the place for you.