What I’ve learned from managing communities and the side effects that come with it
I’ve been managing an international community across social media and platforms for over 3 years.
The more active and visible I am, the more people reach out to me.
It’s a great feeling to connect, but sometimes it leads to complicated situations that are uncomfortable to deal with.
So I decided to write down some lessons and real-life examples I’ve come across.
Here’s what NOT to do!
1. Saying yes to every opportunity
Whether it’s a quick call on LinkedIn or being asked to help promote on the Product Hunt… sure, the adrenaline can be exciting, but not everything deserves your time and attention.
2. Giving blind reviews
Someone once proposed a deal: “You give us a review on a platform, we’ll write text for you so it sounds like your personal experience. In return, we’ll upvote your product on Product Hunt.”
Be careful not to mislead others about the true quality of a product. If it turns out to be flawed and you had no idea what you were endorsing, it can backfire and hurt your credibility.
3. Accepting every (even well-paid) offer
Before you promote anything, research the team, their history, and the product itself. The company isn’t investing in you; you’re investing your trust and reputation in them.
I once had an offer from an unnamed startup willing to pay generously. They even ran ads on Product Hunt. But once I joined their Discord channel, I saw users complaining. I realised it was a scam – basically a data-harvesting machine. That made me even more suspicious and cautious about companies.
TL;DR: Be kind, but set boundaries.Do you have your own learnings while building your either personal or professional/business community?
Replies
I completely agree with your post and the lessons you teach. I'm just starting out, I don't have a business community (yet), but I've encountered some issues.
“Quick call on LinkedIn” — excuse me, what? I receive these messages every day. I am trying to find clients for my project, and people are offering me services that I myself offer. I don't understand this. I just stopped responding. Maybe it's rude of me, but I don't see the point in this quick call.
"The company isn’t investing in you; you’re investing your trust and reputation in them" - absolutely love this!
Thanks a lot for sharing your learnings, Nika 🫶
@ruxandra_mazilu You are welcome, Ruxandra! :) It really depends on each other's position. If someone is bigger than a company, it devalue the influencer's value if the company is not legitimate.
This really resonates, especially the part about visibility creating quiet pressure. I’ve found that the more active you are, the more people assume you're always available, when in reality, it takes real discipline to protect your energy and stay intentional.
For me, one big lesson was that community-building isn't about being everywhere. It's about showing up well where it matters. I’ve said yes to a few things just to be nice or stay connected and later felt that weird mix of burnout and regret.
@suvam_deo Reality is: The more visible you are, the less time you have. :D What is your main social media to show up?
@busmark_w_nika I have phases there haha.
I used spend a lot of time at Instagram back then i start using linkdln. Now, Product hunt is also a major.
So, I have been using all the social media mediums. I think there are diffrent types of viewers and user according to the platform. What do you think about it ? Are you on all social platforms and how you see every platforms?
@suvam_deo I am not on every social media platform – my crucial ones are PH, LI, X, Newsletter, YouTube and Substack – literally according to my dedicated time in this order.
First, try to acquire only one and build a strong presence there.
@busmark_w_nikaI think that's a smart move. Leveraging at for some apps first.
I've hosted several offline generative AI events in Japan myself. Basically, I wanted to gather as many people as possible, so I tried to create a community where anyone could come. But I learned that was my biggest mistake.
At every event, users would leave dissatisfied and never show up again. After reading "The Art of Gathering: How We Meet and Why It Matters," I understood why. Never invite Bob to your event.
@ekusiadadus How did you market around the offline event?
Intellectia.AI
Completely agree. Rejection is not personal, sometimes people and products are just not a match. Saying yes to everything is draining and inauthentic. Glad I stumble upon this discussion.
@feichen_ I can sign up for everything that you have written here.
Such a thoughtful post, Nika, especially the part about how being “visible” often comes with quiet pressure to say yes to everything.
I’ve learned (sometimes the hard way) that the more your network grows, the more important your filters become. Not just for offers or reviews, but even for conversations. Some people genuinely want to collaborate. Others just want to extract.
In terms of community-building: one personal learning has been to treat “attention” as a limited resource. Visibility is great, but it only adds value when paired with intention.
Would love to hear how others here have set their boundaries while still staying open and generous.
@priyanka_gosai1 You named it so accur8. The more notifications I have, the more quickly I want to handle them, but it results in poor quality. That's why I am trying to focus on crucial things. (Still need to sort out my filter.)