Online communities forge real bonds
By Molly FlattI spotted a touching story in The Mail’s You Magazine (give me a break, it’s the end of the week. I’ll get back to my Roberto Bolaño in a minute) that serves as a corrective to all those who think that online social networks and communities can never provide the emotional connection, influence or support of real-life family and friends.
In it, Sheila Kiggins explains that “before Facebook, mothers were the social networking hub around which families revolved. The early death of mine acted like a log grenade, splitting the family tree into a hundred individual splinters” - and the gap that it left was more than ably filled by a biker forum:
“Cancer took one family; motorcycling brought me another. For what is your family if not the people you trust to support you in your dreams, to distract you after disaster, and to cut you down to size when necessary? My baby steps into riding were watched over and celebrated by the cix_bikers, an online community born in the days before the internet had pictures. The cixen swapped fettling tips, organised track days and rideouts, and welcomed novices like me with warm insults and open hearts. I never knew anyone’s real name, but they sold me my first bike, delivered it to my door, verbally dusted me down after I crashed it and kept me on two wheels until I started to enjoy myself.”
Engaging with these communities in a way that brings them value drives real advocacy for brands, because they’re driven by real emotions. We trust our online networks and they can change our lives; don’t underestimate them.
