What's
Inside:
Greetings Online Communizens,
This month's issue of the Online Community Report is full of great insights (and positive energy) from this year's online community unconference that was held on June 10th. There are plenty of highlights from the Unconference below, including session notes, pictures, observations, and a massive twitter stream.
In addition to Unconference coverage, we take a look at the role of social media in the Iranian election aftermath and take a hard look at the role of "Social Media Expert".
On to the report!
Bill Johnston, Editor
bjohnston@forumone.com
(follow @billjohnston & @ocreport on Twitter)
A Message From Our Sponsors:
Leverage Software
Leverage Software creates enterprise-ready social networks that help you leverage what you already know to make everyone as good as your best. To date, our 100% On-Demand platform powers over 250 communities, including 15 of the Fortune 100.
http://www.leveragesoftware.com
Online Community Research Network
The OCRN is collaboration of online community and social media practitioners. Our members have access to unmatched peer to peer collaboration opportunities through monthly roundtable calls, quarterly webinars, a member's only network and six research studies throughout the year on timely social media and online community topics.
Join today and get ongoing access to collaborate with other smart social media and online community pros.
Go here to sign up
Online Community Highlights
Online Community Unconference 2009
The Online Community Unconference took place a couple of weeks ago on June 10th. Over 220 people attended the event and the agenda included 57 breakout sessions throughout the day. Notes for most sessions are captured on the Unconference wiki. The wiki is now open for public reading (editing and commenting are reserved for Unconference attendees).
A few highlights from the session notes include:
Managing the Mob: What to do when things go wrong
Melissa Daniels of Yahoo! convened this session to discuss how to integrate your community into the organization's decision making process, even when the community mood is dark.
Social CRM : Mapping Social ID's, Behavioral Targeting & Common Profiles
A session about managing customer relationships across multiple domains, convened by Ajay Ramachandran of SourceN.
Using Community in Strategy Development
Nilofer Merchant of Rubicon Consulting convened this session to explore how companies can use communities as a strategic tool and integrate feedback and learning from communities into product development and company strategy.
Online Community Unconference Wiki (see all available session notes here)
My take-away from the Online Community Unconference - Open Business
Online Community Unconference 2009- the groupery
Back from Online Communities Unconference 2009 - Stefano Maffulli
Online Community Unconference 2009 Wiki Open & Session Highlights - OCR
Who's a Social Media Expert?
The mainstreaming of social media has created a slew of so called experts, which is causing lots of discussion around what a Social Media Expert really is. While many believe that being an ace social networker qualifies them at the expert level, social media is not about social networking. It’s a tool to connect, engage and reach your customers / users / audience. Ultimately, a social media expert is someone who creates actionable strategies with proven results.
Social Media is Rife with Experts but Starved of Authorities - PR 2.0
Beware the Social Media Charlatans - PCWorld
What is a Social Media Expert these days? - broadstuff
The Social Media Expert - Wicked Problems and Failure - redcatco
6 Reasons You Shouldn’t Brand Yourself as a Social Media Expert - Personal Branding Blog
Social Media in Iran
Social media is playing an amazing role in the Iran election protests. Twitter, YouTube, FriendFeed and Facebook have opened up lines of communication from the people in Iran and given many people in other countries a clear view into the travesties that are occurring in Iran now. The Iranian government is having a hard time censoring the latest Web 2.0 technologies and the word has already spread to everyone listening.
Social media shining in Iranian conflict - VactorNews
Iran Crisis Timeline Through Social Media - About.com
#IranElection Crisis: A Social Media Timeline - Mashable
Iran and Social Media – watershed moments in history - The Inquisitr
More Highlights:
Social media is key for professionals in a weak economy - WTN News
An article that shows how professionals may use social media to promote themselves to potential employers.
DOD weighs greater use of social media - GCN
The Pentagon wants to be linked in to young people, but must remain wary of compromising operational security
iPhone OS 3.0 Released: What You Should Know - Mashable
Apple released their new iPhone 3.0 OS software, bringing dozens of new features to iPhones everywhere. Learn about what they are and what’s coming in the future.
Companies missing online big picture - NB Business Journal
Internet Local firms need to realize that marketing through social media is not about sending one-way messages, expert says.
Great Wall of Facebook: The Social Network's Plan to Dominate the Internet — and Keep Google Out - Wired
Instead of working together to reach the promised land of online brand advertising, Facebook and Google are racing to see who can get there first.
Twitter Targets Revenue This Year From Starbucks, Whole Foods - Bloomberg
Twitter will roll out it's new revenue model that verified business accounts, multiple accounts to large businesses and better statistics and reporting.
Killer Facebook Fan Pages: 5 Inspiring Case Studies - Mashable
Example of companies that are actively engaging with their fans.
Online Community Events
Online Community Summit
October 8-9, 2009
Sonoma, CA
The Online Community Summit is an industry-leading, invitation-only event bringing together leaders in online collaboration.
Held each October in Sonoma, California, the Summit draws senior participants from industry (Amazon, AOL, Apple, Cisco, Microsoft, others); leading online community groups (ezboard, MEETUP, Motley Fool); non-commercial organizations (World Bank, PBS, American Academy of Pediatrics); media (BBC, Univision); philanthropy (Packard Foundation, Skoll Foundation, Omidyar Network) and many others.
The goal of the Summit is to allow practitioners from many disciplines -- who would not ordinarily meet -- the opportunity to share current and best experiences regarding online collaboration.
Click here to request an invitation or email me directly at bjohnston@forumone.com.
Other Events:
Thank You, Come Again: Audience-Centric User Experience
November 5, 2009
Washington, DC
In this day and age, organizations can no longer rely on their mission or reputation to draw visitors to their site. People are busy, attention spans are short, and the web is becoming increasingly crowded. There are many competing destinations and messages vying for your target audience’s limited time and interest.
To guarantee that your first-time browsers become repeat visitors, your site must be sticky, engaging, persuasive, and easily navigable.
But what tools and techniques can be adopted to create a compelling user experience? How do you attract and keep your target audience? What are the keys to visitor loyalty? How make them come again?
In this Web Executive Seminar, NGOs experienced in user engagement and audience-centric design will share their lessons learned and provide tips on:
* Participatory tactics
* Social media strategy
* Interactive web features (from online games to user-produced visualizations to mobile alerts)
* How to increase the portability of your content and much, much more…
Go here to register: http://userdesign.eventbrite.com/
OC Expert Interview: Patrick O’Keefe, Founder, iFroggy Network
This month's Online Community Expert Interview is with Patrick O'Keefe, founder of the iFroggy Network, a network of websites covering various interests. Patrick's been managing online communities since 2000 and currently runs KarateForums.com, phpBBHacks.com, PhotoshopForums.com and other sites and blogs about community management at ManagingCommunities.com. He authored the book “Managing Online Forums,” a practical guide to managing online forums, communities and social spaces.
Q1: You run a network of independent communities. How has the economy affected the business of running these communities? What lessons have you learned? Has the economy had an effect on participation?
The economy has affected most businesses in a negative way, and online communities are no exception. Generally speaking, since most revenue is generating through advertising and advertising has been hit hard, it has been difficult. But, you can only do what you can do, work hard and find a way. I don’t know if I’ve learned anything in particular: at the end of the day, when the economy is bad, most everyone is going to be worse off. You just have to experiment, try new things and see what works. I don’t think that the economy has had a determinable effect on participation. People will always have the desire to connect with likeminded individuals and to take a break, regardless of the economy.
Click here to read the full interview.
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.
AAA Mid-Atlantic
Social Media Community Specialist
Social Media Community Specialist (Level II)
Care2 Inc.
Product Manager for Community
Clear Capital
Community Manager
CODEPINK
Online
Community Organizer
Communispace
Community Manager
Corporate Accountability International
Online Director
Forum One
Senior Programmer - Technical Lead
Web Developer
Lithium
Online Moderator (Part-Time), Remote
Salter>Mitchell / Marketing for Change
Web Developer
SmartLife
Director of Online Community & Content
Online Content & Community Manager
Sulake Corporation
Community Manager (London)
The Global Fund
Senior Web Editor / Lead Facilitator
Trade2Win
Community Manager
Virgin Media
Virgin Media Community Senior Producer
Walmart
Community Manager, Health and Wellness
Community Analyst
To unsubscribe to this email, please
click here.
|
