Launched in 2014, Slack has become one of the fastest growing business apps today. With 8 million daily active users, and 500,000 organizations connecting, Slack gives people from all over the world a way to improve, no matter their industry or niche – including blogging.
Slack aims to bring teams together to boost productivity and efficiency in the workplace (after all, you can share documents, privately message team members, and create threads in community chats).
That said, today I am going to take a look at what Slack channels are, why you should consider joining a Slack community, and some of the best Slack channels for bloggers.
So, let’s get started.
How does Slack work?
Slack is a collaboration hub that connects people from all over the world so things can get done. It organizes teams into workspaces and acts as a place for people to communicate with others.
Workspaces
Workspaces are where all the activity happens.
You can be a part of many different workspaces. They remain independent of each other, though you can easily switch back and forth between them whenever you want.
Channels
Your Slack workspace is divided into what are called channels.
Channels are where you’ll find messaging, tools, and files. Most of the communication you have with people will happen here.
Messages
Besides being able to message people within public or private Slack channels, you can also privately message anyone in the workspace.
So, now that you have a general idea what Slack is all about, let’s take a look at how Slack communities work and why you should join one.
What are Slack Communities and why should you join one?
If you have been blogging for some time now, it’s likely you know about communities such as LinkedIn and Google+. After all, these platforms bring together people that usually have a shared interest.
Well, as you might have guessed, Slack does the same thing. Not only is it an exceptional tool for businesses to keep their teams working together efficiently, Slack offers people with shared interests a way to connect and communicate as well.
In fact, Slack has been expanding into the public space for some time now. It’s no longer just for organizations that need a way to communicate internally. In fact, it’s being repurposed into an external communication forum.
Not sure why you should join a Slack community? Check out these compelling reasons:
- Smaller Communities. As of now, there are 4,903,785 active groups on LinkedIn. Since Slack communities are still new (there are only approximately 1000), finding a high-quality community to join is a lot easier.
- Higher Engagement. Since Slack is a real-time messaging platform, you’ll see higher engagement from those in each community.
- Less Spam. With Slack, you cut out most of the spam and replace it with good old conversation, which is much more valuable.
- Networking. Slack offers members a new platform for networking with those that work in the same industry.
But if you’re a blogger, how do you know which blogging communities are the best to join?
Well, it just so happens I have rounded up some of the best Slack channels for bloggers that you should consider joining right now.
Slack Channels for bloggers you have to join now
1. Online marketing
Online Geniuses
Online Geniuses is one of the biggest and fastest growing Slack communities for online marketers to date. It boasts members from major companies like Amazon, Microsoft, Google, and Facebook so you know engagement is high and valuable.
There are over 30 Slack channels to participate including #socialmediamarketing, #CRO, #SEO, and even #hiring if you’re looking to expand your own team of experts. Not to mention, they have a unique channel called #AMA, which stands for Ask Me Anything.
They have featured guests like Daniel Tyre (Director of HubSpot) and Mike Levy (VP of Outbrain) answer all your questions. They also have a monthly newsletter you can sign up for that’s packed full of useful information.
Free
Members: 13,416
Buffer
Buffer is well known in the social media space as one of the top tools for managing your online marketing efforts. That said, it makes sense that they would make the jump and start a Slack channel so people could connect in real time and share their expertise on a range of topics like blogging, entrepreneurship, content marketing, and of course, social media.
One of their top channels includes the #weekly-goals one where you can set goals, get help, and be held accountable.
In addition, network with new people in their #meet-someone-new channel and get to know those in the community. Lastly, Buffer gives you the chance to chat with the product team once a month during Product Office Hours and discuss social media challenges during the weekly Social Media Mastermind.
Free
Members: 4,000+
Marketers Chat
Marketers Chat is a Slack community geared towards those in affiliate marketing, and was created in response to the gap in communication Skype was causing. It has members with expertise in social media marketing, PPC advertising, SEO, and even mobile marketing.
Channels in this Slack community include #SEO, #tools, #events, and even #promo_zone where you can promote your products and services with other members of the community without spamming the conversations.
They also have a dedicated #news channel that links to some of the industry’s best blogs so you can keep up on current trends.
Free
Members: 2,586
CreativeTribes
CreativeTribes is a global Slack community that aims to connect you with people in your industry. Though its focus is on SEOs and digital marketers, this community also expands to startup founders, designers and developers, and solopreneurs looking to share their experiences and connect with others in the niche.
Popular channels on CreativeTribes include #developers, #tools_resources, #writers, and #nomads. This variety of channels gives you insight into the kind of community they’re trying to build – one that is full of versatile members, all with unique perspectives, that are ready to share and learn with others who are just like them.
Paid
Members: 1,000+
Startup Chat
Startup Chat has members that are startup founders, entrepreneurs, and other professionals looking to expand their businesses.
They run regular AMAs (Ask Me Anything) and Q&A sessions so people can share how they got started. This way people interested in getting their own startup going have something to work with and a chance to build relationships with those that know best.
They have channels dedicated to every country on earth, so no matter who you want to talk to, or where you’re going, there’s someone already there that knows what to do. You can also find opportunities for partnerships and rest assured the information you’re learning is relevant to you and your target audience.
Paid
Members: 7,108
2. Writing and content creation
Digital Freelancer
Digital Freelancer is a Slack community suitable for those who know what it’s like to be a freelancer in this competitive online world. And, as you know, many freelancers are writers, making this an exceptional community to join. Form relationships, share tips, promote your business and find freelance opportunities all within this one community.
In addition, access freelance courses to help you grow your business, the Job Stream to find high quality leads, the chat room so you can talk to others just like you, and even access actionable articles designed to give you top-notch advice on becoming a successful freelancer.
Free
Members: 7,033
World of Writers
World of Writers is a smaller community compared to the ones we’ve been looking at so far, though that doesn’t mean it lacks in quality. Filled with writers, editors, and bloggers, all eager to help those seeking advice, this Slack community is an intimate place where you can hone your writing skills.
Get involved in active conversations with others in your industry, check out paid work opportunities, and share your experiences with others in return for the helpful tips and tricks existing members share with you.
Check out popular channels like #blogroll to feature your own blog for others to see, #chit-chat if you need a break from work, #copywriters, and even #seo-marketing if you need to brush up on how to drive traffic to your blog.
Free
Members: 238
3. Web development and design
#Launch
#Launch goes back before Slack was even a thing. In fact, Launch was originally a forum for entrepreneurs, developers, designers, and marketers in the tech space to get together to exchange ideas, get advice, and promote their projects. Then, when Slack was launched, they made the transition to keep things more organized for their forum members.
Members work for major companies like Salesforce, Dropbox, and even Stripe so you know the conversations are going to be packed with helpful and reliable information that you can put into practice. Get inspired by fellow development and design members, find work, and even find a co-founder for your next big project.
Free
Members: NA
Designer Hangout
Designer Hangout is one of the most active Slack communities there is for UX designers and researchers looking to discuss trends, dole out advice, share experiences, find opportunities for work, and even connect in person with other experts. They claim to be the source that will progress your web design career, even in this fast-paced tech world.
Enjoy real-time chat, influencer Q&A sessions, the job board for finding reliable work, and even a newsletter full of high-quality articles designed to help you advance your skills. Not to mention, Designer Hangout holds local events so you can meet up in person, and even encourages mentors taking on those looking to succeed.
Free
Members: 10,000+
4. WordPress
WP Developers’ Club
WP Developers’ Club is perfect for WordPress developers who want to come together to share ideas, answer questions, and help others learn and grow their development skills. There’s a private space to ask and answer questions, as well as a place to promote your gigs so you can get feedback and help when needed.
In this Slack community, you’ll also have access to community code reviews to make sure your work is up to WordPress standards.
In other words, this space is for developers looking to get away from clients and bosses so they can focus on fine-tuning their work. In addition, they recommend their paid Slack community “Know the Code” for those looking to really advance their careers.
Free
Members: NA
WordPress + Slack
WordPress + Slack boasts thousands of members and aims to connect people in the WordPress space, no matter their skill level. In fact, this community is geared towards those wanting to join the WordPress Project. Since WordPress is open-source and free to use, anyone can contribute to WordPress and take part in its growth.
By joining this Slack community, you can help work on WordPress projects, meet and interact with some of the best WordPress contributors to date, contribute to an open source project and enhance your skill set, and find business opportunities thanks to the large community you’ll come in contact with. Plus, you can help rate and review WordPress plugins and themes too.
Free
Members: 15,000+
5. Startups and entrepreneurship
#FemaleFounders
#FemaleFounders is a unique Slack community focusing on powerful women that want to start their own businesses and succeed in this competitive world. As the first women-only Slack community, the goal is to empower women to share their ideas, give feedback, and build successful careers for themselves.
You can submit your own startup to their sign up page so people can see the work you’ve done. You’ll also find inspiring articles written by #femalefounders documenting their struggles and successes as female startup owners.
Paid
Members: 700+
#smallbiz
#smallbiz is a smaller Slack community designed to give small businesses across the globe a place to chat about their businesses, exchange ideas, and learn how to expand and grow in their success. You can chat with startup founders who are just starting their journey, give advice and share experiences about your own startup journey, and connect with people both in and out of your industry.
If you run a small business and find it harder than ever to compete with local big name brands, and booming online business that seem to get everyone’s business, join this Slack community. This way you can tap into ideas you may have never otherwise thought of so you can pull some of their customers away and make them your own.
Free
Members: 1000+
Final words
And there you have it! Some of the very best Slack communities complete with some of their best Slack channels that anyone in the blogging business can benefit from.
Whether you want to boost your online marketing efforts, start a small business, launch a blog or start contributing to the WordPress community, trust me, there’s a Slack community available for you to join.
Guest author: Matt Ahlgren is a web developer and online marketer with nearly 15 years of experience in the online marketing space. When he’s not out taking his pugs for a walk then you’ll find him blogging about WordPress, web development and web hosting over at websitehostingrating.com