Comments on: 5 Steps in Building an Online Community http://www.netbusinessblog.com/5-steps-in-building-an-online-community/ Make Money Online and Work from Home. Sat, 13 Mar 2010 18:10:02 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.9 hourly 1 By: Gillberk http://www.netbusinessblog.com/5-steps-in-building-an-online-community/comment-page-1/#comment-99925 Gillberk Fri, 07 Nov 2008 06:27:00 +0000 http://www.netbusinessblog.com/5-steps-in-building-an-online-community/#comment-99925 Cultivate a sense of accountability and continuity so that community norms can develop.A flat discussion tags the newest comments onto either the top or the bottom of ones already listed.One thing many online writers have noticed over the years is that compliments are more likely to be sent to you by private email, while critical comments are more likely to be posted on public boards.The other geek-oriented discussion sites have moderation features built into the software that drives them. ------------------------------ Gillberk <a>CONNECTOR </a> Cultivate a sense of accountability and continuity so that community norms can develop.A flat discussion tags the newest comments onto either the top or the bottom of ones already listed.One thing many online writers have noticed over the years is that compliments are more likely to be sent to you by private email, while critical comments are more likely to be posted on public boards.The other geek-oriented discussion sites have moderation features built into the software that drives them.
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Gillberk

CONNECTOR

]]> By: Rosanne Lim http://www.netbusinessblog.com/5-steps-in-building-an-online-community/comment-page-1/#comment-98892 Rosanne Lim Thu, 01 May 2008 17:01:26 +0000 http://www.netbusinessblog.com/5-steps-in-building-an-online-community/#comment-98892 Hi Martin, Yes, wow! Many thanks for your insightful contribution. Your clarification in Rule 1 is particularly helpful because I was thinking that you should experiment with rules and procedures until you find the formula that works well for you. I was not actually encouraging continual experimentation but I wasn't able to point that out. Thanks again. Hi Martin,

Yes, wow! Many thanks for your insightful contribution. Your clarification in Rule 1 is particularly helpful because I was thinking that you should experiment with rules and procedures until you find the formula that works well for you. I was not actually encouraging continual experimentation but I wasn’t able to point that out. Thanks again.

]]> By: Online Communities http://www.netbusinessblog.com/5-steps-in-building-an-online-community/comment-page-1/#comment-98880 Online Communities Wed, 30 Apr 2008 22:08:06 +0000 http://www.netbusinessblog.com/5-steps-in-building-an-online-community/#comment-98880 Some good basic information here, just a shame you aren't able to go into more detail. I would like to comment on the five points you mention. #1 - Experiment with your rules and procedures I am not so sure this would be a great idea - sure, asking for member feedback is always good to do when it comes to online communities, however if you are continually changing your rules and procedures, you will confuse your members and break down levels of trust. #2 - Identify community leaders Yes, identifying community leaders is a positive step but what do you do once they have been identified? You need to ensure you don't treat such 'leaders' better than anybody else; everyone within your online community needs to be treated equally well otherwise you risk creating conflict. #3 - Cultivate community leaders Similar to point #2 - how do you cultivate a community leader without favouritism? Surely you should be cultivating every single one of your members - not just the apparent 'leaders'. Just because someone is more involved in the community than others, it doesn't necessarily mean they are your most valuable member. #4 - Reinforce participation You make a very good point here; one of the best ways of encouraging interaction in an online community is through asking questions. In my community building blog, I refer to threads without any responses as 'failed threads'. Put simply they should never be allowed to happen. Having an introductions area is a good idea, as long as people who introduce themselves are responded to in a personal manner and asked questions to encourage further interaction. #5 - Avoid ?churn? Retaining members is hugely important and, as you mention one way of doing this is through fresh, quality content. If your members aren't creating this for you then you need to step up to the plate and create this yourself. In this regard, online communities are not overly different from other websites - if you have no content, you will not succeed. It really is as simple as that. * Wow, I think this is the longest blog comment I have ever written - my apologies if I went on for a little too long. You made some great points in this article, but the community blogger in me couldn't help but elaborate a little further! - Martin Reed Some good basic information here, just a shame you aren’t able to go into more detail. I would like to comment on the five points you mention.

#1 – Experiment with your rules and procedures

I am not so sure this would be a great idea – sure, asking for member feedback is always good to do when it comes to online communities, however if you are continually changing your rules and procedures, you will confuse your members and break down levels of trust.

#2 – Identify community leaders

Yes, identifying community leaders is a positive step but what do you do once they have been identified? You need to ensure you don’t treat such ‘leaders’ better than anybody else; everyone within your online community needs to be treated equally well otherwise you risk creating conflict.

#3 – Cultivate community leaders

Similar to point #2 – how do you cultivate a community leader without favouritism? Surely you should be cultivating every single one of your members – not just the apparent ‘leaders’. Just because someone is more involved in the community than others, it doesn’t necessarily mean they are your most valuable member.

#4 – Reinforce participation

You make a very good point here; one of the best ways of encouraging interaction in an online community is through asking questions. In my community building blog, I refer to threads without any responses as ‘failed threads’. Put simply they should never be allowed to happen.

Having an introductions area is a good idea, as long as people who introduce themselves are responded to in a personal manner and asked questions to encourage further interaction.

#5 – Avoid ?churn?

Retaining members is hugely important and, as you mention one way of doing this is through fresh, quality content. If your members aren’t creating this for you then you need to step up to the plate and create this yourself.

In this regard, online communities are not overly different from other websites – if you have no content, you will not succeed. It really is as simple as that.

*

Wow, I think this is the longest blog comment I have ever written – my apologies if I went on for a little too long. You made some great points in this article, but the community blogger in me couldn’t help but elaborate a little further!

- Martin Reed

]]> By: Guitar Hero Aerosmith http://www.netbusinessblog.com/5-steps-in-building-an-online-community/comment-page-1/#comment-98870 Guitar Hero Aerosmith Sun, 27 Apr 2008 23:38:20 +0000 http://www.netbusinessblog.com/5-steps-in-building-an-online-community/#comment-98870 I started a forum for my gh site. It failed miserably becuase i dont have any time to put into it. I started a forum for my gh site. It failed miserably becuase i dont have any time to put into it.

]]> By: Pugsley - More Conversions http://www.netbusinessblog.com/5-steps-in-building-an-online-community/comment-page-1/#comment-98867 Pugsley - More Conversions Sat, 26 Apr 2008 14:07:36 +0000 http://www.netbusinessblog.com/5-steps-in-building-an-online-community/#comment-98867 Online communities seems to be a growing thing these days, just remember that there is a lot of work involved if you want to have a good forum. You have to not only consider everything in your article, but you have to keep everything up-dated and deal with all the problems to, if you understand all that, go for it. Pugsley Online communities seems to be a growing thing these days, just remember that there is a lot of work involved if you want to have a good forum.
You have to not only consider everything in your article, but you have to keep everything up-dated and deal with all the problems to, if you understand all that, go for it.

Pugsley

]]> By: Troy Duncan http://www.netbusinessblog.com/5-steps-in-building-an-online-community/comment-page-1/#comment-98856 Troy Duncan Fri, 25 Apr 2008 17:17:14 +0000 http://www.netbusinessblog.com/5-steps-in-building-an-online-community/#comment-98856 For me, this is a very timely article. I'm currently planning to start an online community. I'm trying to decide between Joomla or Drupal as my platform. For me, this is a very timely article. I’m currently planning to start an online community. I’m trying to decide between Joomla or Drupal as my platform.

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