Online Community and Social Media Strategy
The propeller heads have looked at defining online community and the way that people engage. They have discovered that online community and social strategy is influenced and dependent on the technical communication structures provided.
Results show that these technical online community structures act as "channels", thus guiding human behavior.
This can most easily be understood by picturing a river being guided by the parameters of the river bank.
On the other hand the river bank could be very well structured, but with the absence of the water the river is nothing...
In the context of Online Community the water is the people, and more specifically the engagement between the people.
The technical online community structures chosen end up defining the nature of the community into genres. For example Blogs where only the webmaster can post, or in the example of Forums where many users can post. The golden thread being the visitors that arrive and engage with the Online Community, whether closed or open. There are many more genre of course...
Clay Shirky has published research on online community, specifically "community of practice."
This is where members of an online community pull together for the common good in order to make something better, or to assist someone in achieving a goal.
The bond in these communities is a result of the sentiment and affiliation that they have towards a cause, or hobby, or a brand. This is an opportunity for healthy online community and social media.
Online Community is a very powerful force. It has been noted by McKinsey & Company in 2001 that only 2% of transaction site customers returned after the first purchase.
They further noted that 60% of new online community users kept returning to community sites after their first experiences.
This is an opportunity for brands...
Speaking of opportunity in brand community? Many brands and retail firms have embraced online community and social media, and it has changed the way that they receive feedback and engagement from customers.
Much of this feedback is gleaned by actually listening to what the customer says, and then processing the data, and acting on it.
We are in the era of the CEO getting out of the ivory tower, and onto Twitter! Yep!
FNB in South Africa has been voted "The Worlds Most Innovative Bank" and has a very good example in their head honcho, Michael Jordaan.
He manages his own Twitter account @MichaelJordaan and is actually very accessible and engaging.
His strategy is backed up by their online community "personality" known as RB Jacobs @Rbjacobs .
Michael refers basic requests and ideas for @Rbjacobs and his team to handle, but the fact remains that the head dude is in the loop and knows exactly whats happening online and in his online community!
I believe that this is a good example as to the correct way to handle social in the corporate business space. 3 cheers!
Traditional business models are being adapted in the modern world, and fast heading towards being more social.
However, many brands just don't get it!
They use aspects of online community and social media to spray sales messages to their deaf n dumb n blind audiences! Hello? Anyone there?
This is not the manner that social media and especially online community should be used.
Real online community doesn't work successfully in this manner!
Online community is about interaction and engagement, listening and replying, and building genuine relationship. The sales are sure to follow...
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