By Neil Patel

Yahoo Groups was one of the original online communities. You could use it to create or participate in online chats with people from across the world who have the same interests and ideas as you.

A host of new online communication tools have been released in recent years. Many of these new platforms offer features Yahoo Groups doesn’t. After lagging behind their competitors for a few years, Yahoo Groups officially shut down in December of 2020.

Thankfully, if you were a fan, there are a plethora of alternatives to Yahoo Groups. Below, we’ll discuss our favorites so you can pick the best online group platforms for you.

What Was Yahoo Groups Used For?

Yahoo launched Groups in January 2001. Users could post messages, polls, photos, events, files, mailing lists, links to websites, and more. The platform soon became a popular host for vibrant online discussion boards.

If you owned a group, you could also assign moderators to help you run and oversee all the group’s activities.

Online businesses and marketers took advantage of the platform. This is a place where you could easily post a recent blog, image, or file to drive brand awareness and increase website traffic.

I know what you’re thinking—this sounds very similar to many of the online tools we have today. That’s because Yahoo Groups was similar. In fact, you could argue that Yahoo Groups was the foundation for many popular social media and online groups.

At the height of its popularity, Yahoo announced it had 115 million users and 10 million groups.

But a quick search for the platform today will show you this:

Where do you go from here?

Here’s a list of the best Yahoo Groups alternatives to create valuable online connections with your market.

What Are the Best Alternatives to Yahoo Groups?

If you used Yahoo Groups and want to continue creating online communities with like-minded people, drive traffic to your website, or build brand awareness, it’s essential to look for an alternative that will meet your needs—and the needs of your audience.

Here are five options to consider.

1. Facebook Groups

Facebook has over 2 billion monthly active users, and over 1 billion users participate in Facebook Groups each month.

Besides catching up with old and new friends, creating a group on this platform makes sense, especially for businesses. It can help you position your brand, find potential customers, and build long-term relationships with them.

Like Yahoo Groups, Facebook Groups allow you to schedule group events, share files, images, and other useful tools to continue engaging and connecting with your market.

While many brands may have Facebook Pages, Facebook Groups are where the magic lies because they see a lot more engagement than Pages.

Facebook Groups allow members to start and participate in conversations easily. They can also be private—when you have a closed group, members …read more

Source:: Kiss Metrics Blog

Author: Aaron