Online communities, directories and job boards
A focused online community, directory or job board can become a valuable business - or a lot of work for little return. The ones that last serve a clear niche, start small, moderate well and earn trust. This guide covers choosing a model and platform, growing it, making money, and your responsibilities for what appears on your site.
In short
- Pick a specific niche you understand, where people need a place to connect, find suppliers or find work.
- Start on simple tools and prove people will use it before you build custom software.
- The hardest part is the chicken-and-egg problem - seed content and members yourself, one side at a time.
- Set clear rules and moderate actively. Businesses can be responsible for misleading posts on pages they control.
- Protect members' data, screen listings and job ads for scams, and be honest about any paid or featured listings.
Three models compared
| Model | What it is | Who pays | Hardest part |
|---|---|---|---|
| Online community | A forum, group or member site where people with a shared interest talk and help each other | Members (membership), sponsors, or it supports another business | Keeping people active and the tone healthy |
| Business directory | Listings of businesses or services in a niche or area, often with reviews | Listed businesses (featured listings, subscriptions) or advertisers | Getting both listings and visitors |
| Job board | Job ads for a particular industry, profession or region | Employers (per ad or subscription) | Attracting enough employers and candidates; keeping scams out |
All three are two-sided: they’re only valuable once there are enough people on both sides (members and contributors, businesses and searchers, employers and job-seekers).
Step 1: Choose a niche
General communities and directories already exist and are hard to compete with. Small operators succeed with a clear focus:
- An industry or profession: a community for independent physios, a job board for commercial kitchens.
- A place: a directory of trades in one region, a community for local small businesses.
- A shared interest or situation: new parents returning to work, owners of a particular type of vehicle, people starting a farm-stay.
Good signs: you know the niche well, people already ask where to find this information, and existing options are outdated, scattered or hard to use.
Step 2: Start simple
Prove people will use it before spending on custom software.
- Communities: start with an existing group platform, a newsletter with replies, or a simple forum tool. Move to your own platform once it’s working, if you need more control.
- Directories: a website with a directory plugin or a no-code database tool can handle hundreds of listings.
- Job boards: job board software, plugins and hosted services let you start with little set-up.
Whatever you use, make sure you own your member list and data and can export it. Building only on someone else’s platform means they can change the rules or close your group. See Building a small business website.
Step 3: Solve the chicken-and-egg problem
Nobody wants to join an empty community or search an empty directory. Fill one side first:
- Seed content yourself: write useful posts, answer questions, add the first listings (with permission) from public information.
- Invite founding members personally, and give them a reason to stay, such as early recognition or free featured listings.
- Focus on one small area first, then expand.
- Partner with associations, local councils, training providers or industry groups who already reach your audience.
- Be useful to search engines: directory and job pages that answer real questions can bring steady traffic. See SEO and GEO.
Step 4: Set rules and moderate
Good moderation is what keeps people coming back.
- Publish clear rules: what’s welcome, what isn’t (spam, abuse, harassment, misleading claims, discrimination, illegal content), and what happens if rules are broken.
- Moderate actively: check new posts and listings, remove what breaks the rules, and respond quickly to reports.
- Make reporting easy for members.
- Recruit volunteer moderators from trusted members as you grow.
- Keep records of moderation decisions.
You can be responsible for what’s on your pages. The ACCC says businesses are responsible for all posts on their pages, and may be held accountable for false or misleading posts by others that they leave up after becoming aware of them. Defamation law can also apply to comments and reviews you host. If you run a directory with reviews, the ACCC’s online review rules apply: don’t write or arrange fake reviews, and don’t suppress genuine negative ones. Get legal advice if you receive a complaint about content you host.
Step 5: Keep scams out
Directories and job boards attract scammers. Scamwatch warns about fake job offers that promise high pay for little work, ask for up-front payments or “training fees”, or involve moving money or receiving parcels for someone else.
- Verify advertisers: check ABNs, websites and contact details for new businesses and employers.
- Screen job ads for warning signs: no real company details, up-front fees, unrealistic pay, contact only through messaging apps.
- Give users a way to report suspicious listings, and act fast.
- Warn users with a short safety page.
Step 6: Make money honestly
Common ways communities, directories and job boards earn:
- Paid memberships or premium tiers with extra content, events or tools
- Featured or premium listings for businesses
- Job ad fees, per ad or by subscription
- Sponsorships and advertising from businesses that serve your niche
- Events, training and resources sold to members
Be transparent. Label paid and featured listings clearly so they’re not mistaken for independent rankings or recommendations, and keep any review or rating system honest. See Online business models that are legitimate.
Privacy and data
You’ll collect names, emails, profiles, CVs and messages.
- Have a clear privacy policy and terms of use.
- Collect only what you need, and protect it with strong security, multi-factor authentication for admins and regular backups.
- Some businesses are covered by the Privacy Act regardless of turnover, including those that trade in personal information. Don’t sell or share member data without clear consent; check the OAIC’s guidance.
- Only send marketing emails to members who’ve agreed, with an unsubscribe in every message.
See Cyber security and backups.
Measuring success
Track active members (not just sign-ups), posts or searches, listings, returning visitors, enquiries sent to listed businesses, applications per job ad, and revenue per member or listing. Ask members what they value and what’s missing.
Common questions
How do I start an online community or directory?
Pick a specific niche you understand, start on simple tools to prove people will use it, and solve the chicken-and-egg problem by seeding content and members yourself, one side at a time.
Am I responsible for what members post on my site?
You can be. The ACCC says businesses are responsible for posts on their pages and may be held accountable for misleading posts by others that they leave up. Publish clear rules, moderate actively and get legal advice about complaints.
How do I keep scams off a job board?
Verify advertisers’ ABNs, websites and contact details, screen ads for warning signs such as up-front fees, unrealistic pay or contact only through messaging apps, make reporting easy and act quickly.
How do online communities and directories make money?
Through paid memberships, featured listings, job ad fees, sponsorships and advertising, and events or training. Label paid and featured listings clearly so they aren’t mistaken for independent recommendations.