What's
Inside:
Greetings Online Communizens,
2008 seems to be going out with a bang. We started the year with unbridled optimism about the online community and social media space, and we are ending on a note of cautious optimism. Participation in communities and consumption of social media continues to rise. The question for 2009 will be: will organizational interest and financial support continue at close to current levels? Or potentially increase? We will be looking at our most recent research around economic impacts to online communities in the first 2 weeks of January. Until then...
On to the report!
and Happy Holidays!
Bill "Bing"Johnston, Editor
bjohnston@forumone.com
(follow @billjohnston on Twitter)
A Message From Our Sponsors:
SolutionSet
Strategic consulting with custom creative and technology solutions to achieve your organization's Community goals. SolutionSet works with you.
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Online Community Research Network
Join the leading network of Online Community professionals and collaborate with experienced online community and social media pros about best practices for building and managing communities. Sign-up now and take advantage of our end of the year discount of $200 off of a one year membership!
Go here to sign up (discount applied on registration page)
Online Community Highlights
State of Online Community Webcast
The State of Online Community webcast took place last Thursday, December 11th. The webcast was based on the research we've conducted as part of the Online Community Research Network, and highlights 10 key trends from 2008, as well as taking a peek into emerging trends for 2009. This webcast and slide deck represent a large body of work from the Forum One Networks team, and reflects input from over 2000 online community professionals from all over the world.
Topics from the webcast include:
- Community Strategy
- Community Ownership
- Community as an Ecosystem
- Metrics
- Dimensions of Value - The Elevator Question
- Reporting
- Budgets & Headcount
- Evolving Role of Management & Moderation
- Compensation
- Unmet Expectations
To view an archive of the webcast (with audio and slides, requires short registration), please click here:
Social Networks Under Fire
As we near the end of the year and marketers project advertising spend for 2009, many are questioning the efficacy of advertising on Facebook and other social networks. Each new advertising offering is the shinny new bobble, but some question the staying power to keep users engaged with the brand. 2009 offers an opportunity for Facebook and others to develop new ways for brands to add value to their users.
Advertisers Face Hurdles on Social Networking Sites - NYT
How Can Facebook Crack its Advertising Problem? - Mashable
Apps: The Newest Brand Graveyard - AdWeek
Social Network Advertising Must Change for Brands - Digital Influence Mapping Project
Online Communities: Establishing a Community's Culture
We initiated the Online Community Culture study in October of 2008, as part of the ongoing research agenda of the Online Community Research Network. The intention of the study was to get a broad look at the factors that influence online community culture, and the steps community managers and strategists take in cultivating, and in some cases influencing, a community’s culture. We had over 75 participants in the research, representing many sectors, including software, tech, traditional media, social media and online community, and non-profits. Respondents seniority skewed towards Manager (44%), Directors & VP's (12%).
Key findings from the report:
Three most important factors in establishing and maintaining a community's culture (top three responses in order):
- Quality, up-to-date content
- Have a clear objective / value statement 11% (12)
- Strong moderation / facilitation 12% (13) of the community site was a critical factor
Steps the respondents took to establish a new community's culture:
- Recognizing positive participation
- Soliciting and Responding to member feedback
- Communicating with Members
For More Information
The full report "Online Community Culture: Establishing, Maintaining and Changing" (Published 11/08, 40pgs) is available to Online Community Research Network members, and includes additional information on:
- Factors that have a negative impact on culture
- Processes for collecting ideas, memes, and "stories" from members
- Managing external factors effecting culture
- Managing a negative culture
Online Communities: Establishing a Community's Culture - OC Report
Online Community Culture Research - Fast Wonder Blog
More Highlights:
Yahoo begins rolling out social, extensible e-mail inbox - ars technica
Yahoo is rolling out a beta version if their new social email offering.
Hunker Down Or Double Down? Making The Case or Mobile Advertising In A Down Economy - MediaPost
A look at how advertising in the mobile space might be a companies' best bet in the economic downturn.
AOL Gets More Social With Renovation of Bebo (But There’s Much More to Come) - All Things Digital
AOL re-joins the social networking space with a newer better version of Bebo.
Charities Use Social Sites to Boost Holiday Cheer - ClickZ
Some charities are hoping that marketing themselves on social networks and online communities will boost the desire to give and stem meager holiday proceeds.
eMarketer cuts social-network ad spending estimates - CNET
Social network advertising spending is expected to be 1.3 billion in 2009.
Mobile Social Networking Usage Low but Set to Change - TMCnet.com
This disparity in usage between online and mobile social networks is predicted to shrink over time as consumers become more comfortable with using their mobile phone as one of the primary means of keeping in touch.
Bright Side of Online Ad Markets - adotas
This article discusses the more positive sides of online advertising and paints a more positive picture of the future.
Online Community Events
Online Community Unconference East
February 11, 2009
The Online Community Unconference East is a gathering of online community professionals - managers, developers, business people, tool providers, investors - to discuss experience and strategies in the development and growth of online communities. Those involved in online community development (and social software in general) share many common challenges: community management, tools, marketing, business models, legal issues. As we have found with our past events, the best source of information on all of these challenges is other knowledgeable practitioners.
PLEASE NOTE: Early bird pricing ends January 19.
Click here to sign up for one of the discounted tickets.
Online Community Business Forum
March 19-20, 2009
The Online Community Business Forum is an invitation-based event bringing together business leaders who drive active online communities. Based on the industry-leading Online Community Summit, the Business Forum focuses specifically on online community business models and tactics, what works, and what is on the horizon.
In the 2009 Business Forum, scheduled for March 19-20 in Sonoma, California, we'll have an in depth review of online community business topics such as advertising models; subscriber models; ROI frameworks; new revenue models; and other important topics for the online community executive. We limit attendance at our executive events to allow true discussion during our sessions.
Click here to request an invitation
Mobile Social Media Unconference
April 23, 2009
The Mobile Communities Unconference is a gathering of strategists, community hosts, device manufacturers, service providers, and content developers to discuss the emerging opportunities and challenges that mobile communities present.
Several factors are driving the importance and relevance of this topic, most notably the fact that the number of mobile handsets in use globally dwarfs the number of personal computers. This fact, combined with the increasing sophistication of mobile devices, increasing speed of data flowing on mobile networks, the increasingly robust web experiences available via mobiles, and the explosion in interest around social networking begs the questions: what impact will mobile have on pc-bound online community experiences? And what are the unique opportunities for mobile-only experiences that transcend voice?
Click here to register
Online Community Unconference
June 18, 2009
The Online Community Unconference is a gathering of online community practitioners - managers, developers, business people, tool providers, investors - to discuss experience and strategies in the development and growth of online communities. Those involved in online community development (and social software in general) share many common challenges: community management, tools, marketing, business models, legal issues. As we have found with our past events, the best source of information on all of these challenges is other knowledgeable practitioners.
Click here to register
Other Events:
Word of Mouth Marketing Crash Course
January 21, 2009
In one day, you will learn how to succeed with word of mouth marketing. You will learn how to replace expensive marketing with renewable, free leads from your army of raving fans and happy customers. You’ll learn everything you need to know to get fantastic word of mouth: how to start and how to manage it, from the basics to advanced techniques. You will learn practical things you can implement the next day. Results are guaranteed. Led by Andy Sernovitz, author of “Word of Mouth Marketing,” the Crash Courses are hosted by GasPedal.
OC Expert Interview :
This month, we take a look back at the expert interviews from 2008. We have a mix of video, blogged and live interviews with experts in the community.
Robin Harper, Linden Lab
"We see nothing but potential on the horizon as the world continues to grow and diversify. Of course there are challenges brought on by the intersection of real world and virtual, but in the end we believe there is a net gain in the creation of new economic and social value."
Ross Mayfield, Socialtext
"While we advance the state of the art for wikis as a tool and the best practices for deriving value from them, I think you will see Socialtext become more social. There is a lot of room for innovation in this large marketing opportunity."
Patrick O'Keefe - Managing Online Forums
"As far as number of moderators, etc., it kind of goes back to what I said to an earlier question. At the start, I may bring on people I know. But, as the community grows, I'd look to bring people from the actual community, onto the staff. The ideal members would be invited to become moderators. If there weren't any ideal members that had spent enough time at the site, I'd take a pass on promoting anyone, however."
Christine Perey, Informa Telecoms & Media
"The most challenging domain for online community service providers to tackle will be in the area of revenue. As community participants have become accustomed to having access at no cost, they are reluctant to begin paying for equivalent or inferior services. As the mobile advertising market heats up and brands feel more comfortable with their community campaigns, this obstacle will gradually decline."
Vanessa DiMauro, Leader Networks
"Online collaboration with an enterprise’s customers is no longer a 'nice to have.' It is a business mandate on so many levels. Companies need to listen to and communicate with their customers/clients in order to survive because they can no longer afford to make product and service mistakes."
Mario Anima, Current
"Diffusing situations is commonplace in communities, but more often than not, our team finds themselves diffusing dustups between community members who are undergoing an ideological clash of greater proportions. It’s both rewarding and challenging to be caught in between two people who really are committed to being informative, but are on the polar opposite sides of the spectrum ideologically."
Paula Drum, H&R Block
Jake McKee of CommunityGuy.com interviews Paula Drum of H&R
block about their community & social media strategy, and working
with legal. Great insight from a big brand.
Sean O'Driscoll, Community Group Therapy
Jake Mckee interviews Sean O'Driscol on working with your legal team
when developing online community projects. Sean spent 15 years working
on community projects at Microsoft, and has recently started his own
consulting practice. Sean shares four main areas of focus related to
online legal issues.
Tom Diederich, Cadence Design Systems
"Our new Website also puts “community” front and center – right on the landing page of cadence.com. I don’t think there is another company in our industry (or many others) that does that. It’s the first thing visitors see and it pulls them in."
Heather Gold, Subvert and Carly Roney, The Knot
Bryan Pearson of LiveWorld interviewed comic Heather Gold and co-founder and editor-in-chief of The Knot, Carley Roney at the Marketing and Online Communities Conference in November. Though Heather and Carley approach marketing from differing perspectives, the concepts of authenticity, trust, and relationships are common threads throughout there interviews.
Know an online community expert with an
interesting story to tell? Or are you one yourself? Email me, and
you may be the next expert interviewee.
Online
Community Jobs
A current list of Online Community job opportunities. If
you would like
to include an open position in the next issue of the newsletter, please
email
me with the title and link to the job description.
CafeMom
Community
Manager
Care2, Inc.
Product Manager for Community
CODEPINK
Online
Community Organizer
Hapax
Development Project Leader
Development Programer/Analyst
Community Engagement Manager
Community Content Manager
eHarmony
Community Coordinator
EternalSpace
Senior Leadership in Sales, Marketing and Business Development
Facebook
Platform Developer Online Community Manager
Forum One
Internet Strategist/Project Director - Seattle
Senior Programmer - Technical Lead
Information Architect
Internet Research
Analyst - Seattle
Internet Research Analyst
Gaia Online
Acquisition Marketing Manager
Customer Retention Marketing Mgr
Gas Pedal
Web Designer / User Experience Designer
Imagination
Community Manager
Leverage Software
Client Services Manager
Lithium
Online Moderator (Part-Time), Remote
Mzinga/Prospero Technologies
Community
Manager
National Association of Realtors
Manager, Social Media
Ning
Associate
Community Advocate
Peak 6
Social Media Specialist
the groupery
Online Community / Website Manager
Virgin Media
Virgin Media Community Senior Producer
Walmart
Community Analyst
Young Presidents' Organization
Director, Member Communities
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