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Growing a community group comes down to showing up, spreading the word, and making every new person feel like they belong. Most of the best growth tactics are free - they just require a bit of consistency and intention.
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Messaging that works
When promoting your group, lead with the emotional benefit, rather than the logistics.
| From this |
To this |
| "Walk every Tuesday at 7am in Marrickville" |
"Start your Tuesday feeling good. A casual morning walk in Marrickville - all welcome." |
| "Run club for all levels" |
"Find your running people. Join us Saturdays in Newtown." |
| "Yoga group, free, Mondays" |
"Start your week strong. Yoga in the park with good people - no experience needed." |
Choosing your promotional channels
You don't need to be everywhere - you can pick one or two channels and do them well
- Word of mouth: the highest-converting channel for community groups. A personal recommendation from someone a friend trusts will always land better than any post or ad. Make it easy for members to share by giving them something worth talking about, and ask every early member to bring one person they think would love it
- Active Locals: our app helps put you in front of locals actively searching for groups near them. A complete listing with photos and a clear description makes a big difference. Submit your content to us and we'll amplify it across our socials too
- Cross-promotion: think about who already has your target member's attention and can send them your way. Local cafes, physios, yoga studios, sporting clubs, and childcare centres are natural partners. Offer to cross-promote in exchange for a noticeboard spot, an email mention, or a shoutout on socials
- Instagram & TikTok: particularly great for younger demographics. Candid photos and videos beat polished content, so it’s great to share after sessions rather than before. Stories and location tags both drive local discovery
- Facebook & Whatsapp Groups: sharing into existing Facebook & Whatsapp communities is a great way to get visible if you it in the right way (not spamming and making sure that it’s relevant and aligned to the group). Facebook is not great for younger generations, but is where older demographics, suburban communities, and local parents spend time
- Posters, stickers and flyers: physical presence in the right spots (cafes, gyms, community noticeboards, on the street) can convert to new leads. People who see something in their neighbourhood often trust it more than a digital ad!
- PR: local media is often more accessible than people think. Suburb-based newsletters, council publications, and lifestyle journalists at online accounts like Time Out and Broadsheet are always looking for feel-good community stories. Local Instagram pages with big followings are also worth a direct message. If your group has a compelling angle (a gap you're filling, an underserved community, a milestone) it's worth sharing a short pitch
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👉 Need help growing your group? Book a call with Georgia or shoot us a message
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