Match your needs with the ideal customer community solution for superior collaboration.
Smooth transitions to new platforms with full support and minimal downtime.
Strategic planning to align your enterprise community with business objectives and culture.
Equip your team with the skills for building online communities that scale with our expert guidance.
Expand the capabilities of your customer community with custom widgets, tiles, apps and integrations.
An online community platform is a digital space that allows users to connect, interact, and share information around shared interests, goals, or needs. These platforms provide tools for communication, collaboration, content sharing, and engagement through forums, chat, social media-style feeds, and other interactive features.
The best platform for a community depends on your organization's goals, budget, and the type of engagement you’re seeking. Higher Logic and Khoros are excellent for building highly customizable and scalable communities with advanced engagement tools and analytics. Verint offers robust community management and customer experience capabilities, while Salesforce Experience Cloud is ideal for organizations already using Salesforce and looking for deep CRM integration. Platforms like Mighty Networks or Discourse might be suitable for smaller or more niche communities, providing a lower-cost option with essential features for engagement and growth.
To choose a community platform, start by identifying your community’s needs, including the type of interactions (e.g., discussions, real-time chat, content sharing) and the level of customization required. Consider the platform’s ease of use, scalability, security, and integration with existing tools. It’s also important to evaluate the platform’s support, cost, and user experience to ensure long-term success for your community.
To start an online community, begin by defining your community’s purpose and goals. Choose a platform that suits your needs and set up the structure, including discussion categories, user roles, and guidelines. Invite initial members, promote the community, and encourage participation by creating engaging content and starting conversations. Moderation and regular communication with members are key to fostering a healthy, active community.
The cost of an online community varies widely, ranging from $500 to over $100,000 depending on platform choice, customization, and community size. Basic platforms like Facebook Groups or Slack are free or low-cost, while dedicated community platforms such as Higher Logic, Khoros, and Verint offer more advanced features, with pricing starting at several thousand dollars annually. Salesforce Experience Cloud is a higher-end option, with costs that can range significantly based on the level of customization and integrations needed, often starting at $12,000 or more per year. Enterprise solutions with advanced functionality can be even more expensive, depending on your requirements for support, scalability, and integrations.
