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.

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 day

Polls.

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

The 10m strong group of players of World of Warcraft.

Online community: Any shared interest

The definitions will be as diverse and varied as the human imagination.

All communities have in common;

1. Tolerance

2. Reciprocity

3. 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 develop

The 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

Now

We have web 2.0

People consume content from where they are.

There’s interaction with the provider PLUS

Interaction 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 monthly

1/5 of teens use social networks daily

1/3 of Adults use at least monthly

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

Communication and Self-Expression important Sources: North American Technographics Retail And Marketing Online Youth Survey, Q4 2007 40% Watched a video: 55% Wrote on someone’s profile page (e.g., wrote on a wall, posted a testimonial): 51% Read a blog or journal: 47% Listened to music: 53% Send a friend/connection request: 59% Searched for someone that I used to know: 65% Looked at profiles of people I didn’t know: 70% Posted/updated my profile: 79% Sent a message to someone: 86% See what my friends are up to: Frequency Activity

The tools of interaction

Tools of interaction

Interaction is the life-blood

The tools of interaction: Case study 1

Welcome to Twitter

Egyptian democracy bloggers

Tweet when passing through checkpoints

News of arrests

Lack 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 ceremony Wednesday, Sep. 10, 11:28 a.m.

RMN_Berny: rabbi chanting final prayer in hebrew Wednesday, 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 death Wednesday, Sep. 10, 11:20 a.m.

RMN_Berny: rabbi zucker praying Wednesday, Sep. 10, 11:18 a.m.

RMN_Berny: coffin lowered into ground Wednesday, Sep. 10, 11:18 a.m.

RMN_Berny: people gathering at graveside Wednesday, Sep. 10, 11:14 a.m.

RMN_Berny: procession begins Wednesday, 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 Type of detractor Why they make trouble How to recognize What you should do Address individually and privately, if complaints continue in face of attempts to resolve, remove from community Complains continuously and cannot be satisfied; uses incendiary language Have a grudge against company; hope to create problems Troublemaker Refocus discussion on higher goals of community Tend to participate in “flame wars” and may have specific other members they target Like to argue with other members Flamer Create forum to encourage discussion; recognize good ideas publicly Makes suggestions, not just complaints; responds intelligently to others’ criticisms Think they can make things better Engaged critic Engage rationally and respectfully with your company’s perspective Continues to mention other brands; parrots their marketing messages Want to promote competing products Competitor Solve problems or explain policies, publicly if possible Raises legitimate issue; may use strong language but seems open to reason Needs help with products or services or wants to warn others Legitimate complainer

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 P O S T

Once more (without the management speak)