Question Everything (and Watch Your Community Thrive!)

In my last blog post, I suggested “asking questions” as one of the methods to learn how to speak “developers’ language”. But actually, we can go even further with this topic. Guess what? One of the most effective ways to get to know your community better is by asking questions!

As a community manager, your primary goal is to build a thriving community that is engaged, supportive, and collaborative. Whether you are seeking feedback, sparking engagement, or fostering connection and collaboration, asking the right questions can be an incredibly powerful tool.

And I will repeat once again: create your community not only “for” but also “with” your members. So go and ask some questions, instead of guessing.

Here are some ideas on how asking questions can help you to build a successful community.

Gathering Information

Let’s start with the obvious stuff. One of the most important roles of a community manager is to understand the needs, interests, and opinions of your community members. By asking questions, you can gather valuable insights and feedback that can help you to improve your products, create more compelling content, and make better decisions for your community. Some examples of questions:

• What topics or content would you like to see more of in this community?
• How can we improve our products or services to better meet your needs?
• What challenges are you facing that we might be able to help with?

Sparking Engagement

Another goal for any community manager is to create engagement and connection within the community. Asking questions can be a powerful way to spark conversation and encourage members to participate. When you ask interesting and thought-provoking questions, you can inspire members to share their thoughts and ideas, and it can be a starting point for many interesting discussions. Some examples of these kinds of questions:

• What’s the best book you’ve read this year, and why?
• What’s one thing you’re grateful for today?
• What’s your favorite way to relax after a busy day?

Fostering Connection and Collaboration

Finally, asking questions can help to foster a sense of connection and collaboration within your community. By encouraging members to share their experiences and perspectives, you can create a sense of belonging. This can be important for communities that are focused on personal or/and professional development, where members are seeking to learn from one another and support each other’s growth.
So what we can ask?

• What’s one thing you’ve learned recently that you’d like to share with the community?
• How do you stay motivated and focused when working on a challenging project?
• What’s one thing you’d like to accomplish in the next six months, and how can the community support you?

You can simply use these kinds of questions for your weekly rituals and community well-being check-ins. It definitely can help you be more updated on what is going on in your community, re-evaluate needs, and address them.

And yes- lots of questions I suggest you can find to be obvious, but trust me — it is so easy to forget about basics.

The power of asking questions should not be underestimated. By using questions strategically, you can help to create a vibrant and engaged community that thrives on shared learning, growth, and connection. So, the next time you are looking to build a stronger and more successful community, start by asking a few thoughtful and open-ended questions.