Published by Angus on 13 Oct 2009
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Building a vibrant online community is hard work. It’s so easy these days to start online groups – for example, a few clicks and you can a working group on WiserEarth. So what do you do if you start to think your community-building effort is going nowhere fast? You have lots of options – so don’t be antisocial and leave a ‘zombie’ group out there. › Continue reading… |
Published by Angus on 22 Sep 2009
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Let’s face it, it’s easy for a nonprofit to get seduced by the latest web technology and distracted from their actual mission. This is even more the case with open source tools like Joomla!, Drupal, and Plone that promise free social websites at the touch of a button. What many people don’t realize is the cost of customizing some of these so-called free tools often runs around $40,000 in consultant fees and staff time. On top of that you are saddled with ongoing maintenance and hosting costs. Running your own souped-up website appeals to many because it implies control and ownership. But does this really help you in today’s social web? Here is a checklist to review before you take the plunge. › Continue reading… |
Published by Angus on 14 Jul 2009
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Several informal communities on WiserEarth have grown to the size that they want to raise money and become formal non-profit organizations. Here is some advice on options to consider before you take the plunge. You may well find, like the NorCal Rainwater Catchment Association, you are better off becoming a fiscally sponsored project. › Continue reading… |
Published by Angus on 20 May 2009
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Wouldn’t it be great if we had a simple model for how to engage people in an online community? There are a number of models out there, but none of them are tailored to the social sector. We thought it would be worth sharing our approach: ‘The Community Engagement Pyramid’. › Continue reading… |
Published by Angus on 15 Apr 2009
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Communities thrive based on trusted relationships between members. Too often online communities rely on a ‘low touch’ communication channels which don’t provide for building much trust. The key is to get the mix right – combining less frequent trust building opportunities like face to face meetings, with lower cost relationship maintenance channels, like wikis, to get the work done in between. Here are some simple steps to make sure your communication tools are the right ones for your community. › Continue reading… |
Published by Angus on 09 Apr 2009
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Content is key to breaking the social ice in online communities. It’s usually a big part of why people come, what they talk about while they are there, and what brings them back. Getting your content strategy down and working for the long term is a key task for a community manager. › Continue reading… |
Published by Peggy on 25 Mar 2009
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Last week I attended the Online Community Business Forum in Sonoma, CA. It brought together a select group of business leaders who manage online communities. Over two days we shared our learnings and challenges. All of us agreed that building communities online is hard work, yet highly rewarding. Here are a few key topics that we discussed: › Continue reading… |
Published by Angus on 24 Mar 2009
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Your community’s purpose is key to recruiting new members, raising funds, and staying on strategy. But too often in the rush to create online communities, we skip over this crucial step. Here are a couple of tips for developing that compelling statement of purpose to get your group off on the right foot. › Continue reading… |
