Vent: People keep acting like community building is the same as it was 10 years ago

I see it all the time on this forum folks talk about starting a local group or an online community like you just need a Facebook page and a few posts. But I tried that last year with a neighborhood cleanup group here in Akron and after 3 months nobody showed up to the second event. What I learned is people now expect instant connection and a reason to care beyond just a shared location. Back in 2014 I ran a small hobby group and we met twice a month for 2 years because we all had the same weird interest. Now everyone scrolls past unless you offer something hyper specific like a benefit or a deadline. Has anyone else had to totally change how they pitch a community idea just to get a few replies?

2 comments

2 Comments

xena_murphy9d ago

Exactly. People want a hook now, not just a shared zip code. My neighborhood group died because "let's pick up trash" wasn't enough. You have to frame it like a limited time project or tie it to a local problem that directly affects them, like "we're stopping these alleys from flooding." The old "post and pray" method is dead.

adams.taylor9d ago

In my old neighborhood in Philly, I got people to show up for a block club by calling it "Save Our Sidewalks." I framed it as a 3 week project to fix cracks and plant flowers, not just a general meetup. I also texted everyone personally the day before with a specific time like "me at 5pm by the broken hydrant." Giving people a clear deadline and a direct problem to fix made them actually come out.