On the eighth day of marketing my agency gave to me, website to build community.

These days a website is an entry to doing business – you have to have one to be taken seriously and seen as legitimate.

You can design it to varying degrees, everything from a simple WordPress site to a custom site with a 3D video. It can just be a place where you list your address, or sell your wares – or it can be a place where you build a community.

Where an audience listens, a community engages. It’s a deeper connection to you and your company, and represents brand loyalty that can’t be bought with a 25% coupon from a competitor.

Sleigh Bells, Inc. wanted a website that did more than just sell their bells – they wanted to create a place where their customers could share best practices, post pictures of their decked-out sleighs and sheet music for sleigh bell songs.

We optimized the website for engagement. It has a growing blog with guest contributors, a lively discussion board, and is fully-integrated with their social media efforts. Content drives the site – everything posted, whether it is from Sleigh Bells or a member of the community, is easily sharable.  Employees respond to posts within 24 hours, and like and retweet member’s social posts too.

A website can be any number of things – but make sure it’s responsive. Nothing elves hate more than not being able to comment on a video when they’re someplace over North America.

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