How Community Coworking Spaces Can Level the Playing Field

Small, community-focused coworking spaces face an interesting challenge. Amid chatter of the industry’s insane growth and the mind-boggling valuations of corporate coworking spaces, operators of community coworking spaces—especially those in crowded markets—have to figure out how to differentiate and elevate above all the industry noise.

There’s a simple way to level the playing field between you and the corporate coworking spaces: content.

Consistent, high-quality content that tells the unique stories of your space, spotlights your community and puts a human face on your business is a powerful tool to put in your marketing toolbox.

I talk with a lot of coworking space operators and they all say the same things. They want content, they need to boost their search engine results, they know they need a solid content strategy, but they’re not prioritizing it because of one or all of the following:

• They don’t have the time
• They don’t have the resources (human and/or financial)
• They don’t know what to write about
• They don’t have a schedule or any organizational system in place
• They don’t have accountability around content creation

Does this sound familiar?

I’m here to nudge you to move content from the bottom of your to-do list up high enough in your list that it actually gets talked about in your next team meeting.

Content is an incredibly effective way to get found online, to invite people into your space, to show your town what your coworking community is all about, to strengthen your existing community, and, when done well, to level the playing field between you and the deep-pocketed corporate coworking spaces. Content really is all that.

I’m not just saying this as a content creator and fangirl (which, admittedly, I am). I’m saying this as someone whose life was changed by coworking, someone who is all-in on the global coworking community, someone who really loves reading and hearing about what my fellow coworkers are doing.

I want community coworking spaces to be what people think of when they think of coworking. I want to make sure the original core values of coworking—collaboration, openness, community, accessibility and sustainability—continue to drive the movement. I want to help community coworking spaces get heard above all industry noise.

Making content part of your marketing strategy is smart. No one wants to be advertised at, but tell us an engaging, inspiring or informative story and we’re all ears.

By telling stories that resonate, by providing helpful tools and resources, and by sharing insights, you spotlight what makes your space and community something special and you increase your visibility.

This is where you have a serious advantage over corporate coworking spaces. You are community-rooted and community-focused already. Tell that story. Tap into that spirit of connection and collaboration and community, then share what you find with your local community and the global coworking community.

We’d love to hear it.

Note: Every week I email coworking space operators and industry professionals tips, resources and interesting reads. If you’d like to join the community, subscribe here.

Photo: Robert Katzki (CC-0)

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