How To Build Your Nation - Taking tips from Stephen Colbert and the Colbert Nation to build community among your readers

Taking tips from Stephen Colbert and the Colbert Nation
to build community among your readers
How to build your nation
Presented by :
DB Ferguson
Webmaster, NoFactZone.net

XKCD on Community

The basics behind community
LEADERS

The No Fact Zone community
The Completists

What is community?
Community
≠
Audience
Community
=
Interactive
Conversation

What makes the Colbert Nation unique?
Focal point is always Stephen Colbert
Our name – the Colbert Nation
Call to Action
Bestowing the “Colbert Bump”
Treating the fans with respect and attention
Using the internet to grow the fan base

Defining your blog
YOUR FOCAL POINT

YOUR COMMUNITY – Questions to ask
What kind of communities already exist in your niche?
How is your community going to fill a need that is not being met?
What will be the structure of your blog – key defining points and attitudes of content?
What will your community standards be?

What kind of community do you want?
Shiny Happy Community
Sad Stressful Community

Give identity to your community
Naming your community

Define your possible reader base

Where to find readers
Friends
Message boards
Official site communities
Twitter

Build your own culture
No Fact Zone vocabulary
Zoner – A reader/community member of No Fact Zone
Completist– Staff member of No Fact Zone
Geoffrey why?! – From “Strangers With Candy”, an exclamation of disbelief or unhappiness
*HEADDESK* - Zoner equivalent to *FACEPALM* in Lulz speak
Colboarder – community member of ColbertNation.com boards
*Balloon Drop* - exclamation of happiness or celebration

Encouraging readers to be active in your community
CALLS TO ACTION

Why the Nation is so rabid
INTERACTION!!

Three words:
Make
It
Easy!!

Activities for your community
Encourage readers to submit content
Live meetups
Blog suggestion posts
Contests
Off-topic posts
Polls and Surveys
Message boards

Hosting your own message board?
Pros
Cons
Gives your community a better chance to know each other
Control off-topic content, channel away from main blog
Gives your readers a chance to guide content
Not as much control over guided conversation
Much more opportunity for dischord and conflict
Cliques could make new members feel unwelcome
Time suck – taking away from blogging

Featuring content from your readers and from other blogs
Bump your readers

Ways to feature readers
Blogroll
Guest posts
Reaching out to primary sources of news
Invite readers to become staff
Better Know a Staffer/Reader/Community Member

Gratuitous Eye Candy Slide

Treat your readers with respect and kindness to win their loyalty and devotion
Loyalty Through Kindness

Connecting with your readers
Social Networking (Twitter/Facebook)
E-mail commenters and thank them
Comment Reply Notification plugin
Participate in other communities
IM with people who have e-mailed you in Gmail
Offer your help to other bloggers/readers

Using online blogging tools to build your community
THE INTERNET IS YOUR FRIEND

WORDPRESS TOOLS
Threaded comments
Contact forms
Social networking plugins
Shout Out (Hey!) - Comment Rater plugin
Unique and prominentRSS Feed button
Woopra – Trending Topics

What makes your community unique?
Distinct focal point of blog and direction in your community
Your community name and culture
The activities within your community
Recognition of readers
Treating the readers with respect and attention
Using WordPress tools to grow your community

THANK YOU FOR LISTENING
DB Ferguson
www.nofactzone.net
db@nofactzone.net
Twitter - @dbferguson

How To Build Your Nation - Taking tips from Stephen Colbert and the Colbert Nation to build community among your readers

by nofactzone on Aug 29, 2010

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How To Build Your Nation - Taking tips from Stephen Colbert and the Colbert Nation to build community among your readers — Presentation Transcript