How do you build a community with millions of people you don’t know?
Most brands and social networks spend much of their time attempting to build community from nothing. They may build a product for a specific community, or they might provide a blank canvas product for users to make their own communities. Either way, it’s become common practice for brands to devote teams and resources to establish community groups on platforms.
If you take a step back and look at who these brands and platforms are actually engaging with, you’ll find they are likely creators.
Sure there are celebrity endorsements, but brands quickly learn that creators are the ones who have worked to create empowered audiences. With passion that is almost tangible through the screen, it’s not surprising that brands willingly spend millions of dollars a year to work with creators; it makes sense. With creators, we feel a connection. Creators spawn communities. With Clash, this has been our experience over the past two months. We’ve embraced it.
Come as You Are, on Clash.
So who is watching out for the creators and their communities? Clash and the team behind it are passionate about creating the most inclusive online communities, and even in our early days we’re seeing conversations around a variety of topics being handled with authenticity and respect. We thrive knowing that users are able to find more meaningful connections while on app.
This is why we’ve assembled a Community Team, made up of actual creators, who are dedicated to chartering an experience they wish they saw in their early days on other platforms. With daily creator check ins, feedback sessions, and Creator Fridays (more info soon), our Community Team is already building the pillars for a positive, transparent community.
This is a real community. This is what will drive us forward.
We want all of our creators to be able to share their experiences and create the communities, not just casting a wide net to an unengaged audience. Coupled with the monetization tools that Clash is developing, this will be essential in aiding creators earn their fair share of money so that they are not left to wonder who is looking out for them.
Safety First
More and more in the past few years we’ve watched social media devolve into a place of toxicity where misinformation runs rampant and abuse is widely spread from trolls hiding behind the comfort of a keyboard. We know that it’s impossible to monitor everything everyone does, but at Clash, we’re committed to being transparent with our creators, partners, and users to ensure that everyone has a safe experience.
Karyn Spencer, former Head of Creators at Vine and current Creator Advisor for Clash, deeply understands the struggles creators face. She has seen countless instances of an aggressive creator building a massive following, whereas more talented, creative people fade away because of the hate comments they receive.
“We’ve seen Black creators routinely have their culture-creating content stolen by white creators, who then monetize with brands that Black creators don’t have access to,” said Spencer. “We’ve seen algorithms encourage and even create conscious and unconscious bias, and we’ve seen hate hide behind the anonymity of the Internet. These are difficult problems to solve at scale without creating what can feel like a loss of freedom to some. I’m proud to work with the Clash team, who are giving creators a voice in building explorative solutions to these challenges and more.”
We’re not just talking the talk. Safety truly is a priority at Clash, so we’re partnering with people and companies who know the state of the Internet today, and want to fight back against hate speech and abuse to create a healthier space for everyone. We believe that if our platform is safe for everyone, then it will foster more creativity, stronger community ties, and enable an overall more authentic experience.
“The future of social media is going to be made up of companies that understand user safety and make it a priority,” said John Redgrave, Co-Founder and CEO of Sentropy. “Your job as a social platform is to create a fun experience where hate and harassment have no place — I’m excited to be working with a company like Clash that has this ethos built into the foundation of the company.”
We can’t wait to share more about how we’re working to build a safer online world, and we’re committed to providing the best experience for both creators and users alike. Stay tuned, we’ll be sharing more tools for creators to build and nurture a strong community in the future.
In the meantime, check out our friends at Sentropy.
See you on Clash
Brendon and the Clash Team
