Grow engagement through community segmentation and a group strategy

Groups (sometimes referred to as sub-communities) are a powerful way to create focused spaces where your members can connect with others who share their interests, experience level, location, or role—making your community more valuable for everyone.

But how do you know when the right moment is to launch your groups (and how should you segment your community)?

How do you overcome low group engagement?

How do you ensure alignment with the wider community?

How do you find the right group leader?

Get answers to these questions and more in our comprehensive group strategy resource below!

PLUS, download our ultimate group creation cheatsheet—a fill-in-the-blank template that walks you through every aspect of creating a successful group!

Get the ultimate group creation cheatsheet

Understanding community segmentation and groups

Do your members have different interests, skill sets, goals, or experience levels?

As your community grows, so does its diversity—and it may become trickier to narrow in on and engage specific segments.
Community segmentation is a strategic approach to organizing members based on shared characteristics, interests, and goals. As communities scale, effective segmentation becomes crucial for maintaining engagement and delivering value.

Once you have segmented your community, you can create smaller groups within your community, offering focused spaces that create opportunities for deeper discussions and stronger relationships. These are places where you can offer your members more personalized resources, events, and support.

Let’s take a look at an example!

Say you have a community for graphic designers. Each member will have different specialities within graphic design. Some might be interested in motion design, while others might be more interested in web design! Creating groups for these subcategories of graphic design will enable you to give members super-targeted content based on what interests them most.

When done right, community segmentation and subsequent group creation can offer several key benefits:

  • Personalized experiences that cater to specific interests
  • Focused discussions that dive deeper into niche topics
  • Stronger connections between members with shared goals
  • Increased psychological safety in smaller group settings
  • More opportunities for learning, leadership, and contribution

For your community segmentation and group creation to be successful, you need a well-thought-out strategy. Starting a group too early or creating a sub-group without a compelling value proposition can do more harm than good to your community.

This resource will cover everything you need to consider to get your group strategy right!

How and when to create a group

Take everything one step at a time.

Only consider creating a group once your community is working effectively.

If the wider community is healthy, your groups are more likely to be successful.

Understanding your community landscape

Before launching your sub-groups, it’s essential to understand your community’s composition and natural dynamics. What might seem like obvious grouping criteria at first glance may not actually reflect how your members naturally interact and connect. Taking time to observe and analyze existing patterns of engagement can reveal surprising insights about what truly brings your members together and what kinds of sub-groups would best serve their needs.

Keep in mind

The most effective group structures often emerge from careful observation of organic community behaviors rather than predetermined assumptions.

To map your community landscape:

  • Analyze demographics: Look beyond basic metrics to understand member behaviors, interests, and participation patternsIdentify natural clusters: Pay attention to recurring topics and conversations that generate the most engagement
  • Map informal groups: Notice where members are already forming unofficial connections or discussion threads
  • Collect feedback: Use surveys, interviews, and community discussions to understand what members want

Types of sub-groups to consider

Different communities require different types of sub-groups. Here are some examples to inspire you:

Type Example
Interest-based groups FitnessFusion’s “Plant-Based Athletes” and “HIIT Enthusiasts” groups
Geographic/regional groups GlobalStartups’ regional hubs for entrepreneurs in different time zones
Experience level groups PhotoPro’s “Beginning Shutterbugs” and “Master Photographers” groups
Professional role-based groups MarketingMinds’ specialized groups for content writers, SEO specialists, and social media managers
Project/goal-oriented groups WriteRight’s “NaNoWriMo Challengers” and “Query Letter Workshop” groups
Mentorship circles TechWomen’s “Senior Leader Mentorship Program” groups
Event-specific groups CraftCommunity’s “Virtual Workshop Series” groups

Think carefully about the value a group will bring to members before creating it. Your community may comprise many individuals who share interests and commonalities, but you don’t need to create a group for every shared characteristic. Focus on creating groups that will bring value to your members and support the wider community strategy.

Top tip

To determine whether you should create a new group or decide what type of group to create, consider the following questions:

  • Do you have members with significantly different interests, skill sets, or preferences who would benefit from more personalized interactions or content?
  • Is your community firmly rooted at a local level?
  • Do you want members to be able to organize in-person events easily?
    Is language a barrier to effective communication in your wider community for some members?
  • Would people with a common language or cultural background benefit from being in a subgroup?
  • Do your members have varying experience levels that would warrant different content and support?

“Members of our community have a wide range of identities and affiliations. They have professional, academic, and creative identities; they identify with specific locations – whether cities, countries, or global regions; and they share personal characters, interests, and histories.

Hivebrite’s group functionality allows these multiple identities to flourish. Our community members become engaged and enthusiastic users as they can discover meaningful connections and collaboration opportunities through joining or founding groups.

Our most successful groups have clear visions and a strong community admin who can manage engagement. Providing clear guidance on creating and maintaining groups has been key in empowering our users to become confident group managers.”

–Rob Ellis, Community Manager, Fulbright

Strategic planning for groups

The success of groups depends on consistent, meaningful engagement and clear value propositions that distinguish them from the main community experience.

Here are some key planning elements:

Clear objectives
  • What specific need does each group address?
  • How does it align with your broader community goals?
  • What unique value will members gain from participation?
Success metrics
  • Define what success looks like for each group
  • Establish measurement criteria
  • Track member satisfaction and value perception
Resource requirements
  • Moderator time and training needs
  • Content creation and management
  • Technical support
  • Resources for exclusive offerings and events

Download our groups creation cheatsheet for more help with group planning and creation!

Keep in mind

Group members must be offered clear and distinct benefits that they can’t get from the main community.

If your group is centered around a specific interest, consider offering access to experts in that field. Group-exclusive content is also an excellent way to make membership valuable.

Sharing insider news, organizing specialized events, or giving members exclusive opportunities to weigh in on product or service developments will motivate active participation in the group.

Finding the right group leader

So, you’ve decided on the type of group you want to create. The next big question is: who will manage the group? This is a critical decision. The group administrator will represent your group and be essential to its success.

You have several options for filling this role:

  • Assign someone from your internal team
  • Recruit someone specifically for the position
  • Ask an existing community member to step up

Some members will take on this role for non-monetary incentives such as:

  • Recognition within the community
  • A greater voice in decision-making
  • Access to higher membership levels

This last option is an excellent way to extend your resources without increasing your budget.

Top tips

If you want someone from your community to take the role, ask the following questions to help identify your best potential candidates:

  1. Who is actively posting and replying to discussions?
  2. Who receives recognition from other members for their engagement?
  3. Who demonstrates moderation and leadership skills?

These members are your community champions. Consider reaching out to them when looking for a group leader.

Whether you choose a community member, someone external, or internal, here are some key tips to recruit the best person and ensure they excel in the role:

  • Write a clear role description, highlighting the benefits of the position
  • Create a thoughtful application and selection process based on the essential qualities needed
  • Set up a thorough onboarding process, including a reference guide for the group leader
  • Assign a team member to guide and support the group leader through launch, gradually transferring group ownership

“Preparing a thorough onboarding process for each group champion is essential. We have created a detailed manual and a test group to enable our new champions to get comfortable using the platform as an admin. We have also created a specific group for all our “champions” to enable them to share best practices and knowledge.”

–Sarah Rapp, Director, Alumni & People Engagement, JA Worldwide

Psssst

Hivebrite’s engagement scoring is a tool for administrators to track user activity and engagement within a network by assigning points for predefined events like liking a post or creating new content. This system allows admins to monitor engagement scores over specific periods and highlights the most active users. Discover how Hivebrite can enhance your community engagement.

Practical tips to ensure group success

Once you create a group within your community, you’ll need a group-specific engagement strategy.

Keep in mind

Keep in mind that this group remains part of your larger community. It should support your community’s overarching mission and vision while providing more personalized resources and support.

Consider these tips to help your group succeed:

Group setup and structure

Create a clear and complete homepage:
  • Explain group purpose, benefits, and expectations
  • Define who should join and why
  • Outline participation guidelines
Set up essential resources and documentation:
  • Welcome message/onboarding guide
  • FAQ section
  • Resource directory

Programming and engagement

Create a specific events calendar:
  • Mix virtual and in-person events when possible
  • Vary timing to accommodate different schedules
  • Include both educational and social activities
Provide tailored content:
  • Develop content themes relevant to group interests
  • Create exclusive resources
  • Encourage member-generated content
Foster meaningful connections:
  • Facilitate member introductions
  • Create discussion prompts
  • Host regular networking sessions

Member management

Know your members:
  • Track member profiles and interests
  • Gather feedback regularly
  • Identify potential contributors and leaders
Build a leadership team:
  • Recruit active members as moderators
  • Define clear roles and responsibilities
  • Provide training and support

Evaluation and improvement

Measure success:
  • Track engagement metrics
  • Monitor member satisfaction
  • Assess impact on main community
Regular review and optimization:
  • Quarterly strategy assessment
  • Content performance analysis
  • Member feedback implementation

Integration with main community

Maintain alignment:
  • Ensure group activities support overall community goals
  • Keep branding and messaging consistent
  • Share relevant updates with main community
Resource management:
  • Balance time and effort across groups
  • Share successful initiatives
  • Leverage existing community tools

Common challenges and how to solve them

Like any community-building initiative, sub-group creation comes with its own set of challenges.

Understanding these common hurdles and having strategies to overcome them will help you build more successful and sustainable subgroups. Here are the main challenges you might encounter and practical solutions to address them:

Low engagement and participation

Challenge:
  • Members join but don’t actively participate
  • Discussions and events have low attendance
  • Content receives minimal interaction
Solutions:
  • Start with a core group of active members to build initial momentum
  • Create engaging welcome sequences to activate new members early
  • Develop regular, scheduled content and activities
  • Personally reach out to members to understand their interests
  • Consider implementing gamification or recognition programs

Maintaining balance with the main community

Challenge:
  • Subgroup activities compete with main community events
  • Resources and attention become divided
  • Members might focus solely on subgroup, reducing main community participation
Solutions:
  • Create a coordinated content calendar across all groups
  • Cross-promote activities between main community and subgroups
  • Ensure subgroup activities complement rather than compete
  • Schedule events at different times to avoid conflicts
  • Regularly highlight subgroup activities in the main community

Resource constraints

Challenge:
  • Limited time to manage multiple groups
  • Stretched budget for additional activities
  • Insufficient staff to moderate effectively
Solutions:
  • Empower volunteer moderators from within the group
  • Create self-serve resources and documentation
  • Use automation tools where possible
  • Start small and scale gradually
  • Focus on quality over quantity of activities

Unclear purpose or value proposition

Challenge:
  • Members don’t understand the group’s purpose
  • Overlap with existing groups or main community
  • Difficulty articulating unique benefits
Solutions:
  • Clearly define and communicate the group’s purpose
  • Create specific objectives and success metrics
  • Regular assessment of group value and member feedback
  • Adjust focus based on member needs and interests
  • Document and share success stories

Leadership and ownership issues

Challenge:
  • Difficulty finding reliable group leaders
  • Inconsistent moderation
  • Burnout among volunteer leaders
Solutions:
  • Create clear leadership roles and responsibilities
  • Provide training and support for moderators
  • Rotate responsibilities among multiple leaders
  • Recognize and reward volunteer contributions
  • Regular check-ins with leadership team

Content relevance and quality

Challenge:
  • Maintaining consistent content quality
  • Creating targeted content for specific interests
  • Keeping discussions fresh and interesting
Solutions:
  • Develop content guidelines and templates
  • Encourage member-generated content
  • Create content themes and series
  • Survey members about their content preferences
  • Curate and share relevant external resources

Group size management

Challenge:
  • Groups too small to sustain engagement
  • Groups too large to maintain quality interactions
  • Uneven growth across different subgroups
Solutions:
  • Set minimum and maximum member thresholds
  • Create clear joining criteria
  • Consider splitting very large groups
  • Merge underperforming groups if necessary
  • Regular membership reviews

Cultural alignment

Challenge:
  • Subgroup culture differs from main community
  • Inconsistent enforcement of guidelines
  • Cliques or exclusive behavior
Solutions:
  • Establish clear behavioral guidelines
  • Regular reinforcement of community values
  • Monitor group dynamics closely
  • Address issues promptly and fairly
  • Foster inclusive environment

Measuring impact and success

Challenge:
  • Difficulty tracking group-specific metrics
  • Unclear ROI on time and resources
  • Comparing performance across groups
Solutions:
  • Define specific success metrics for each group
  • Regular reporting and analysis
  • Survey members about satisfaction
  • Track engagement trends over time
  • Document and share best practices
Psssst

Groups are central to Hivebrite’s community platform, offering a flexible structure that adapts to diverse organizational needs. They create personalized environments within a larger ecosystem, fostering relevant interactions and enhancing members’ sense of belonging. See Hivebrite in action!

Need a clear roadmap for building your group? Get our detailed checklist that covers all the essentials!

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