Got a problem? There’s an online community for that!
Who would have imagined that books, clothes, shoes and mobile phones could be ordered to our home without moving out of a comfy chair? That it would make our lives so much easier? Some people did, and, today, we can buy almost anything online, whether it’s gadgets, electronics, food, educational courses, travel tickets, cars or even homes. And this has given rise to new dilemmas of excessive options, decision-making fatigue and information overload.
But the good ol’ internet and its netizens soon came up with a remedy for this, too. If you go looking for something on the internet today, but get overwhelmed by choices, chances are, you’ll find a helpful community to guide you.
Here are some online communities that are helping people make the most of the growing online world.
CAclubIndia.com: CA Club India is an interactive platform for a range of people from finance professionals to tax payers, as well as students studying finance. Students stand to benefit a lot by means of interacting with their peers, subscribing to online courseware and clearing study-related doubts in the community. On the other hand, finance professionals benefit through informative articles, discussions and job listings, while tax payers get all tax-related information, due dates and various forms. Members of the community can also ask or answer financial queries, or become an expert in the ‘CAclub Experts Zone.’
DesiDime.com: DesiDime is India’s largest shopping community of over 2 lakh online shoppers helping others make the most cost-effective and informed shopping decisions. DesiDime brings together deals, coupons and cash back offers from hundreds of stores in one place, thus making your job of discount-hunting easier. It also gives product ratings, store reviews and shopping advice through its forums, where any shopper can also post shopping queries or request for help. It has a nifty price comparison tool, too.
Indiaparenting.com: India’s number one family site, Indiaparenting, is a community that helps parents right from the stage of conception to the phase of dealing with teenage kids. It addresses numerous parenting concerns like conceiving a baby, pregnancy advice, newborn care, child’s healthcare, IQ development of kids, teaching children manners, discipline, Indian culture, prayers, religion, & etc. It also gives parents a number of cool, useful tools like ovulation calculator, height-weight calculator and vaccination reminders. Here, users can also interact with other parents in Discussion Boards to gain information and advice on parenting, relationships, beauty, diet, et al.
IndianRealEstateForum.com: If you are a real estate enthusiast, or just want to stay updated on the real estate scenario in the country, this is one of the best online communitiesto be a part of. Members can get reviews on various properties from experts, as well as non-experts, based on their experiences. They also get to clear any real estate doubts, do comprehensive area wise research and communicate with other members on the forum through the site’s private messaging system.
India-Forums.com: Initially started as a television news, critic and discussion forum, it has now branched out to include Bollywood, celebrity interviews, internet radio stations, fan clubs, movie reviews, sports, books and fashion. It hosts debates among members on various topics. The community has recentlylaunched podcast shows like Retro Café exclusively for their members, where they can listen to various Bollywood songs of their choice.
Indiblogger.com: Indiblogger is India’s largest community for bloggers, where they get to post their blog to reach larger audiences, connect with other bloggers and receive feedback from them. Bloggers can vote on articles, comment and gain ranks for their own blogs. The best bloggers have a chance to win the ‘Indian Blogger Award,’ too. The community also organises regular offline meets for bloggers to increase interaction and amity among them.
IndusLadies.com: It is one of the largest online communities for Indian women living around the world. Here, the ladies get to discuss, ask questions and get information on any and every topic like health, beauty, pregnancy, parenting and lifestyle. It also brings them information and entertainment like short stories, snippets, jokes, videos and food recipes. Women can join various groups according to their interests. The site gives women a platform to showcase their talent and get feedback from fellow members and friends in the community.
Pagalguy: It is India’s largest education community helping students studying for SSC, Engineering, MBA, Bank PO, UPSC, XAT, SNAP, CMAT, GRE, GATE and other competitive exams. Here, students can get information about various coaching institutes across India, take short term courses and get preparation tips for their respective exams. They can also know about important deadlines, application processes, fee structures, information about accepting institutes and find solutions to all their academic doubts through discussions with fellow students, alumni, teachers and career experts.
Team-bhp.com: Team BHP is India’s most comprehensive community catering to automobile aficionados. New car launches, industry analysis, road trip preparations, information about tuning and turbo charging engines are discussed on the community. Its impartial reviews help lakhs of buyers take better decisions, save money on ownership and get the best out of their cars. It also helps users buy and sell cars online, besides providing informative articles and updates on everything concerning the auto industry.
TripAdvisor.in: Trip Advisor is the world's largest travel site. It helps travellers plan and book a perfect trip. Here, people can not only book flight tickets, hotel rooms and get holiday suggestions, but get trusted advice on and reviews of places to visit, be it local or international. People can list their homes as holiday stays on rent under the site’s Holiday Homes feature. The site brings you some mobile apps that provide airport maps, city guides, restaurant information, & etc.
So next time you come across some problem, get on the Internet, which is very likely to have a solution ready for you.
About the author:
Vandana Baria is the content marketing specialist at DesiDime.com-India's largest online community for deals, coupons and shopping advice.