Building a Community from Scratch: Growing Social Media Organically
- Shalom Whitford
- Feb 27
- 4 min read
Updated: Mar 10
Executive Summary
Growing social media from scratch isn’t about quick hacks—it’s about showing up consistently, creating honest conversations, and becoming a valuable part of your industry’s online community.
When there are no followers, engagement, or audience, every interaction matters. Here’s how I approach community management and organic growth across multiple social platforms.
Growing Social Media from Scratch and Be Where the Conversations Are
💡 Instead of waiting for people to find a brand, I find the right conversations and join in.
When a social channel starts with no audience, the key to growing social media from scratch isn’t just posting—it’s actively engaging in the spaces where industry professionals are already talking.
My approach:
LinkedIn: I comment on trending discussions, provide insights on industry best practices, and build relationships with professionals.
Reddit: I tap into niche subreddits where professionals talk candidly about challenges. Instead of dropping links, I answer questions, share knowledge, and help solve problems.
Industry Forums & Groups: I participate in communities where professionals discuss tools, strategies, and challenges—adding value through engagement and relevant content, not just promotion.
👉 The Result? Even without followers, I ensure the brand I’m representing becomes part of the right industry conversations before people even realize they need it.
How This Works in Action
Once I establish where conversations are happening, I integrate the brand naturally—offering valuable insights, answering questions, and fostering discussions that matter. This approach has been key when growing social media from scratch, ensuring the brand becomes a part of the right industry conversations early on.
💬 LinkedIn: The Professional Town Square
LinkedIn is where industry professionals connect, so I focus on being helpful, insightful, and present—not selling.
For example, when working with Kolme Group & RAIDLOG.com, I:
Engage in discussions about project management tools like ClickUp, monday.com, Jira, and Smartsheet, tying in how RAID Logs improve project tracking.
Interacted with PMO leaders, Agile coaches, and industry experts, sharing insights from thought leaders like Kim Essendrup.
Promoted Office / Power Hours, webinars, and RAIDLOG.com’s certification courses in a natural and engaging way—not pushy.
Strategic content + industry engagement = a thriving LinkedIn community! Now, the focus is on deeper interactions and business impact.
👾 Reddit: The Underground Forum for Real Talk
Reddit is where professionals speak honestly about what works (and what doesn’t). It’s also where professionals ask for help—making it the perfect place to build credibility by offering real solutions.
With Kolme Group or RAIDLOG.com, I:
Contribute thoughtful, helpful responses in subreddits like r/projectmanagement, r/ClickUp, r/mondaydotcom, and r/Agile, focusing on risk management, task tracking, and Agile best practices.
Position Kolme Group as software integration specialists and RAIDLOG.com as a tool that fits into existing workflows instead of something that disrupts what people are already using.
Naturally introduced free Power Hours and webinars as expert resources—without spamming links.
🌐 Industry Forums & Groups: More Than Just Conversations
I don’t just engage in discussions—I also help shape them by contributing valuable content when it makes sense.
For example, when I worked with American Technologies Network, Corp., I:
Built a community of influencers by providing them with products to create content, which they shared in key forums—sparking engagement and discussion and;
Offered direct customer support in forums and groups where users experienced technical issues—helping them solve problems while reinforcing brand credibility.
By balancing engagement with content, I create organic conversations that feel authentic and helpful—never like a sales pitch.
The takeaway? Community-building isn’t about growing followers overnight—it’s about showing up consistently in the right places and providing value. Over time, that builds trust, engagement, and a loyal audience that sees the brand as a go-to resource. 🚀
Create Content That Solves Real Problems
📌 No followers? No problem. Content should still be useful—even before people follow.
I focus on questions people are already asking and create content that provides answers. Instead of just broadcasting messages, I make sure content is searchable, shareable, and engaging:
I share practical advice in industry-related LinkedIn threads.
I post thoughtful, non-promotional answers in Reddit discussions.
I create resources that give value first, making people want to follow.
The key? Making content discoverable through engagement, not just relying on an empty page with no audience.
👉 Result? Even with zero followers, content still reaches people—because it’s placed where they’re already looking for answers.
Invite, Don’t Sell
🚫 Nobody likes being sold to.
✅ Everybody likes discovering something helpful.
I never randomly drop links when promoting events, resources, or tools. Instead, I:
Offer free resources in response to honest discussions.
Mention upcoming events when they naturally fit a conversation.
Suggest solutions in a way that feels helpful, not pushy.
👉 Result? Instead of forcing promotions, I create opportunities for discovery—leading to organic engagement and new followers.
Engage Like a Human, Not a Brand
🚀 engagement is everything when building a new community.
I respond to every comment and message.
I interact with people outside of my own posts.
I build real conversations, making people feel heard and valued.
A brand (or personal page) with zero followers can still create an impact by being active in the right spaces. It’s not about shouting into the void—it’s about finding the right people and engaging with them directly.
👉 Result? Even a brand with no existing audience can feel alive, active, and worth following—because it’s genuinely part of industry conversations.
The Big Picture: From Zero to a Thriving Community
Organic social growth isn’t about chasing numbers—it’s about:
✅ Being present where industry discussions are happening
✅ Providing real value before asking for anything
✅ Creating content that people actually need and want
✅ Building conversations, not just broadcasting messages
This is how I’ve grown social channels from nothing to engaged communities—by focusing on connections over clicks, conversations over content dumps, and engagement over empty promotion.
Want to drive similar results for your brand? Let's connect! 💪