This morning we're looking at community platforms, GQ and the metaverse, Elon Musk and Twitter and a brand new newsletter for London by Londoners.

Today's newsletter is brought to you by Peter.

Which community building platforms should you choose? — thefix.media

“Being part of something bigger” has always been a factor in magazine and newspaper subscription sales. And research has shown that feeling like you're part of a tribe is a key factor in taking on digital memberships. A desire for community was one of the six key motivations for readers to join membership programmes identified by the Membership Puzzle Project.

So far so good, but then where do you build that community. Facebook Groups, Twitter Communities or Discord? This piece from David Tvrdon on The Fix looks at the pros and cons of each and at some other platforms that have proved to be a bust for his own podcast community.

The pros tend to focus on popularity and ease of use; the cons on where the platforms are too complex to set up. The biggest takeaway for me though is to build your community on a platform that your audience is already using and to build just one at a time. Without founder focus, community building is a lost cause.

GQ jumps on Discord to reach Web3 early adopters and crypto-curious — www.voguebusiness.com

Speaking of community platforms, GQ is to expand into the metaverse by launching on Discord. It’s the first step in the Condé Nast-owned title’s Web3 strategy. Called GQ3, the Discord server will tap into the platform’s growing streetwear and sneakerhead audiences, which overlap with GQ readers’ interests. Discord started out as a place for gamers to chat, but has since found an audience among Web3 NFT collectors. Expect lots of chat about drops and stuff we don't quite understand.

Elon Musk's letter to Twitter raises doubts whether he will buy Twitter — www.axios.com

Yep, the Musk-Twitter thing is still going. Although Elon has been tweeting about the deal being on hold for ages, this is the first formal, legal suggestion that his agreement to buy Twitter is anything other than legally watertight. The bottom line is the tech crash means Musk is overpaying at $54 a share. Twitter knows that and wants its money. Watch this space.

Marie Le Conte's The Roost will 'bring the magic back into London living' — pressgazette.co.uk

Here's a nice story to end with. London is getting a new newsletter from the most excellent freelance journalist Marie Le Conte. She believes that current coverage of the capital isn’t “written for normal Londoners” and that there is room for more authentic magazine-style writing about the city. Each week, the paid Substack will deliver a new 1,000-word feature written by one of London's freelance journalists and edited by Le Conte.

Mediagazer is an up-to-the-minute homepage of breaking trends and commentary for publishers and media owners. They sift through thousands of sites to present the very best picks on a single page.

Go to mediagazer.com or follow them on Twitter @mediagazer.

This week's podcast

Raconteur Editor Sarah Vizard on using print to drive digital expansion — voices.media

This week we talk to Sarah Vizard, Editor of Raconteur. She explains what Raconteur’s unique angle on business stories is in a crowded field, how it uses its print publication to drive digital expansion, and what their recently launched New Voices programme hopes to do with giving writers from under-represented backgrounds a start in business journalism.

What Esther learned from listening to 150+ publisher podcasts — voices.media

For publishers, whether you’re looking to start your own podcast or have a jam-packed portfolio, there are a number of learnings our very own Esther can share from her many, many hours of listening for the Publisher Podcast Awards longlists.