online communities: a social world

Sarah Hartley NATO Shape conference Oct 2008 Page 1

Online communities: A social world

This presentation will cover;What an online community is.How those communities operate.The issues this activity raises.

What is an online community?

►An interactive group of people joined together by a common interest.

What is an online community?A community without geographical constraints.A community which is non-time specific.Can have an offline dimension – but doesn’t have to.Utilises digital tools to communicate.

Examples

•A discussion forum where conversations develop•A custom application with profiles and connections•A group within an existing social networking site or email service.•A network of blogs.•Comments on a rating site.•Anywhere conversations and people connect and share.

Online community: Case study

Now has thousands of users a dayPolls.RSS feeds.Twitter stream.Video reports.Recognition of high-level of ownership.

A group of techies who organise Barcamps.International network of user generated conferences.Online and offline.

Online community: Any shared interest

What is an online community?The 10m strong group of players of World of Warcraft.

What is an online community?The definitions will be as diverse and varied as the human imagination.

All communities have in common;1. Tolerance2. Reciprocity3. Trust

“Interaction enables people to build communities, to commit themselves to each other, and to knit the social fabric.” (Beem 1999: 20).

How online communities form and developThe social networks or systems involved in a particular grouping or encounter.Welcome to Web 2.0

Social media

Once upon a time………………….Media companies built platforms.Websites, television, newspapers.People consumed news from “destinations”People used their phones for conversation and text.Sometimes called a one to many model.WEB 1.0

Social media

Web 1.0

Social media

NowWe have web 2.0People consume content from where they are.There’s interaction with the provider PLUSInteraction with other users.Technology is mobile.A many-to-many model.

Online community: What influences us

Social media

Web 2.0

Social media

Web 2.0

Social media

Web 2.0

Social media

Usage of Social Networks

2/3 of Teens use Social Networking sites at least monthly1/5 of teens use social networks daily1/3 of Adults use at least monthly

Source: North American Technographics Retail and Marketing Online Youth Survey, Q4 2007North American Social Technographics Online Survey, Q2, 2007

Communication and Self-Expression important

Activity Frequency

See what my friends are up to: 86%

Sent a message to someone: 79%

Posted/updated my profile: 70%

Looked at profiles of people I didn’t know: 65%

Searched for someone that I used to know: 59%

Send a friend/connection request: 53%

Listened to music: 47%

Read a blog or journal: 51%

Wrote on someone’s profile page (e.g., wrote on a wall, posted a testimonial):

Watched a video: 40%

Sources: North American Technographics Retail And Marketing Online Youth Survey, Q4 2007

The tools of interaction

Tools of interaction

Interaction is the life-blood

The tools of interaction: Case study 1

Welcome to Twitter

Egyptian democracy bloggersTweet when passing through checkpointsNews of arrestsLack of message alerts = detention

Tools of interaction

“However minor they seem, any tool that improves shared awareness or group coordination can be pressed into service for political means, because the freedom to act in a group is inherently political.” Clay Sharky. 2008 (Here comes everybody).

What is Seesmic?“Traditional media send messages, blogs start conversations”

"Ten artists will interpret the concept of time found in an immersive space that allows for varying yet concurrent moments of presence."

The pattern emerging

Communities use all available tools.Blogging is both an active and reflective community activity.Tools seamlessly integrate across platforms.Success in communities need an investment of time. "object-centered sociality." Jyri argues that social networks that succeed are based around objects, not relationships.

Building a community around a message

Stay engaged with your community by monitoring and quickly responding. Integrate your community with real-world events. Extend the reach of your community by cross-pollinating on existing social networks.

• Obama for America while also maintaining a presence on Facebook. Videos on YouTube, Facebook, and Obama’s own network

Obama, primary blog

Obama on MySpace

Obama on Facebook

Obama on Twitter

Online community: When things go wrong

There are also dangers

RMN_Berny: family members shovel earth into grave Wednesday, Sep. 10, 11:40 a.m. RMN_Berny: rabbi calls end to ceremonyWednesday, Sep. 10, 11:28 a.m. RMN_Berny: rabbi chanting final prayer in hebrewWednesday, Sep. 10, 11:27 a.m. RMN_Berny: earth being placed on coffin.Wednesday, Sep. 10, 11:22 a.m. RMN_Berny: rabbi recites the main hebrew prayer of deathWednesday, Sep. 10, 11:20 a.m. RMN_Berny: rabbi zucker prayingWednesday, Sep. 10, 11:18 a.m. RMN_Berny: coffin lowered into groundWednesday, Sep. 10, 11:18 a.m. RMN_Berny: people gathering at gravesideWednesday, Sep. 10, 11:14 a.m. RMN_Berny: procession beginsWednesday, Sep. 10, 11:01 a.m.

Online community

What can we learn from this?

… who’s in charge?

Control is in the hands of the participants, often yielding seemingly unpredictable results. Institutions must relinquish control or risk ending up with an empty community or — for companies — brand backlash.

Create a community policy, focusing on the desired behavior

Set the tone by developing community guidelines that outline the expected behavior of the community. Prominently publish desired guidelines focusing on the positive, rather than create a long list of prohibited actions. “Be Fun, Friendly, and

Informational.”

Figure 2: A Taxonomy Of Detractors

Legitimate complainer Needs help withproducts orservices orwants to warnothers

Raises legitimate issue; may use strong language but seems open to reason

Solve problems or explain policies, publicly if possible

Competitor Want to promote competing products

Continues to mention other brands; parrots their marketing messages

Engage rationally and respectfully with your company’s perspective

Engaged critic Think they can make things better

Makes suggestions, not just complaints; responds intelligently to others’ criticisms

Create forum to encourage discussion; recognize good ideas publicly

Flamer Like to argue with other members

Tend to participate in “flame wars” and may have specific other members they target

Refocus discussion on higher goals of community

Troublemaker Have a grudge against company; hope to create problems

Complains continuously and cannot be satisfied; uses incendiary language

Address individually and privately, if complaints continue in face of attempts to resolve, remove from community

Type of detractorWhy they

make trouble How to recognizeWhat youshould do

Recognise those dangers

A four step approach

People Assess your customers’ Social Technographics profile

Objectives Decide what you want to accomplish

Strategy Plan for how relationships with customers will change

Technology Decide which social technologies to use

Once more (without the management speak)

Understand the community – loves, hates, motivations.Be clear about what you expect.Plan for all eventualities – one certainty is not everyone will love you.Choose your tools wisely – just because you can doesn’t mean you should.

Remember the needs of the community and prepare to participate

Success depends on interests of members firstValuable Content is defined by what’s valuable to the community — which means most traditional advertising and marketing materials don’t count.

•Help docs•Behind-the-scenes videos •Sneak previews

Recommendations

Act more like a host at a party, rather than a cop.The power is in the hands of the community.Traditional marketing tactics do not apply.Develop your POST methodology.

• People, Objectives, Strategy, Tools

Understand Objectives.• Listening• Talking• Energizing• Supporting• Embracing

To conclude

Understand your community.Get to grips with the technology.But most of all……..

Participate for success.

Thank you!

Background information, follow up material and contact details.

Plus an ongoing conversation!

Available @

www.sarahhartley.wordpress.com.

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