an overview of internet community fundamentals and operations management by digital places
TRANSCRIPT
An Overview of Internet An Overview of Internet Community FundamentalsCommunity Fundamentals
and Operations Managementand Operations Management
byby
Digital PlacesDigital Places
www.digiplaces.comwww.digiplaces.com
Digital Placeshttp://www.digiplaces.com
Capitalizing on “Community”Capitalizing on “Community”
SponsorSponsor communities frequented by target communities frequented by target customerscustomers
Participate Participate in communities frequented by your in communities frequented by your high margin target customers, partners and high margin target customers, partners and employees.employees.
Build Build communities to be frequented by those communities to be frequented by those with whom you have the most valued relationshipswith whom you have the most valued relationships
Digital Placeshttp://www.digiplaces.com
Communities are more cost effective than content-Communities are more cost effective than content-focused services because they positively influence each of focused services because they positively influence each of the four factors in the online service equation:the four factors in the online service equation:
Members create content which Members create content which reduces the costreduces the cost to produce the service. to produce the service. Active members establish reputations within the community, become Active members establish reputations within the community, become
committed to remaining and tell friends about it. These dynamics committed to remaining and tell friends about it. These dynamics contribute to contribute to increasing the average customer lifeincreasing the average customer life and and decreasing the decreasing the average cost of customer acquisitionaverage cost of customer acquisition..
Marketers will Marketers will pay morepay more for access to committed, active community for access to committed, active community members who constitute a tightly-focused target market.members who constitute a tightly-focused target market.
NetProfit/Loss
=Cost
AcquiringCustomer
-Lifeof Customer[ ]Revenue
Avg/CustomerCost
Avg/Customer( )- *
The Online Service EquationThe Online Service Equation
Digital Placeshttp://www.digiplaces.com
Operational HighlightsOperational Highlights
Organize internally for success Organize internally for success Manage the Social factorsManage the Social factors
– Carefully select and train “Caretakers”Carefully select and train “Caretakers”– Support the MotivatorsSupport the Motivators
Provide Provide – Value for their informationValue for their information– ApplicationsApplications– ““Presence Infrastructure” & search/browsePresence Infrastructure” & search/browse
Digital Placeshttp://www.digiplaces.com
Community ApplicationsCommunity Applications
Msg boards, chat, listserves, IMMsg boards, chat, listserves, IM Homepage/Profile building and searchHomepage/Profile building and search
Digital Placeshttp://www.digiplaces.com
AgendaAgenda
Membership and PresenceMembership and Presence Community ProfilesCommunity Profiles Community Management RolesCommunity Management Roles
Digital Placeshttp://www.digiplaces.com
What Is Community?What Is Community?
Any online group wherein the site Any online group wherein the site developer provides facilities that enable developer provides facilities that enable communications among members. May be:communications among members. May be:– typical message boards and chattypical message boards and chat– feedback mechanisms like eBayfeedback mechanisms like eBay– elaborate virtual worlds like Palace & elaborate virtual worlds like Palace &
WorldsAwayWorldsAway
Digital Placeshttp://www.digiplaces.com
Organizational GoalsOrganizational Goals
WhyWhy aare you investing in developing anre you investing in developing an
online community?online community?
Digital Placeshttp://www.digiplaces.com
Defining Your MembershipDefining Your Membership
Who is your Target Audience? Who is your Target Audience? – DemographicsDemographics– Psychographics Psychographics – Wants and NeedsWants and Needs
Digital Placeshttp://www.digiplaces.com
Online PresenceOnline Presence
Enable individuals to express their identity Enable individuals to express their identity and/or develop a reputation onlineand/or develop a reputation online
Expanding presence increases interactionExpanding presence increases interaction Presence => Member communications => Presence => Member communications =>
Community ExperienceCommunity Experience
Digital Placeshttp://www.digiplaces.com
Creating PresenceCreating Presence
Individual ProfilesIndividual Profiles– Information about the memberInformation about the member– Provided by the memberProvided by the member– Structured by Community DeveloperStructured by Community Developer– Contains information important to the Contains information important to the
communitycommunity– Richness increases depth of engagementRichness increases depth of engagement
Digital Placeshttp://www.digiplaces.com
Member Involvement
Caretakers - .5% Motivators - 3% Actives - 15% Passives - 80%
Digital Placeshttp://www.digiplaces.com
Figallo’s Community ProfilesFigallo’s Community Profiles
InteractivityInteractivity FocusFocus CohesionCohesion
Digital Placeshttp://www.digiplaces.com
InteractivityInteractivity
Shrines -------- Theatres --------- CafesShrines -------- Theatres --------- Cafes CafesCafes
– Don’t impose strict controlsDon’t impose strict controls– Advertisements are more toleratedAdvertisements are more tolerated
ShrinesShrines– Host knowledge of subject is very importantHost knowledge of subject is very important– Heavy participation by host requiredHeavy participation by host required
Digital Placeshttp://www.digiplaces.com
FocusFocus
Bazaars -------- Malls ---------- BoutiquesBazaars -------- Malls ---------- Boutiques BazaarsBazaars
– Games & play, little focused interactionGames & play, little focused interaction MallsMalls
– May act as portal sites, ads more toleratedMay act as portal sites, ads more tolerated BoutiquesBoutiques
– Deliberate participation, subscription models Deliberate participation, subscription models more likelymore likely
Digital Placeshttp://www.digiplaces.com
CohesionCohesion
Loners ------- Associates -------- FamiliesLoners ------- Associates -------- Families LonersLoners
– Warning signWarning sign AssociatesAssociates
– Core of loyal users, lots of interactionCore of loyal users, lots of interaction FamiliesFamilies
– Pre-packaged, value history and traditionsPre-packaged, value history and traditions– Message boards more effective than chatMessage boards more effective than chat
Digital Placeshttp://www.digiplaces.com
Management RolesManagement Roles
Executive ProducerExecutive Producer– Responsible for fiscal success of the businessResponsible for fiscal success of the business
Community ManagerCommunity Manager– Responsible for social success of the communityResponsible for social success of the community
Online StaffOnline Staff– The bridge between you and your communityThe bridge between you and your community
Digital Placeshttp://www.digiplaces.com
Management RelationshipsManagement Relationships
Executive Producer
Content &E-commerce
Webmaster& Designers
CommunityManager
RemoteStaff
CustomerService
Training& Events
Digital Placeshttp://www.digiplaces.com
Executive ProducerExecutive Producer
Duties/ResponsibilitiesDuties/Responsibilities– Directs creation of total service Directs creation of total service
» Content, e-commerce, and communityContent, e-commerce, and community
– May decide business direction and modelsMay decide business direction and models– Keep community consistent with these goalsKeep community consistent with these goals– Revenue attainment & cost containmentRevenue attainment & cost containment
Digital Placeshttp://www.digiplaces.com
Executive ProducerExecutive Producer
QualificationsQualifications– Conscious user of online mediaConscious user of online media– Technically savvyTechnically savvy– Business savvy - understands cost/return Business savvy - understands cost/return
tradeoffstradeoffs Performance MeasurementsPerformance Measurements
– Total membership, growthTotal membership, growth– Revenue, Profit/LossRevenue, Profit/Loss
Digital Placeshttp://www.digiplaces.com
Community ManagerCommunity Manager
Duties/ResponsibilitiesDuties/Responsibilities– Selects, trains and monitors hosting staffSelects, trains and monitors hosting staff– Guides social aspects as they relate to the total Guides social aspects as they relate to the total
service (content, e-commerce, etc.)service (content, e-commerce, etc.)– Liaison between community members, hosts, Liaison between community members, hosts,
producersproducers– Enforce/Implement site policiesEnforce/Implement site policies
Digital Placeshttp://www.digiplaces.com
Community ManagerCommunity Manager
QualificationsQualifications– Naturally sociable personNaturally sociable person– Sensitivity and knowledge of legal environmentSensitivity and knowledge of legal environment– Able to motivate staff and participantsAble to motivate staff and participants
Performance MeasurementsPerformance Measurements– Member retention (quality & quantity)Member retention (quality & quantity)– Ratio of community staffing costs to total Ratio of community staffing costs to total
membersmembers
Digital Placeshttp://www.digiplaces.com
Online Staff RolesOnline Staff Roles
Advisors, Allies, Ambassadors, Community Advisors, Allies, Ambassadors, Community Proxies, Feedback Gatherers, Greeters, Proxies, Feedback Gatherers, Greeters, Mediators, Moderators, Representatives, Mediators, Moderators, Representatives, Role Models, Supporters, Teachers….Role Models, Supporters, Teachers….
Digital Placeshttp://www.digiplaces.com
Online Staff Skills/QualificationsOnline Staff Skills/Qualifications
Helpful, patient, tolerantHelpful, patient, tolerant Initiator, entrepreneur, leader, respected Initiator, entrepreneur, leader, respected
within communitywithin community Natural enthusiasm, know their tools, know Natural enthusiasm, know their tools, know
their own limitstheir own limits
Digital Placeshttp://www.digiplaces.com
Online Staff - Special SkillsOnline Staff - Special Skills
ChatChat
Message BoardsMessage Boards
EventsEvents
Backend ToolsBackend Tools
fast typist, efficient communicator, fast typist, efficient communicator, attentiveattentive
higher degree of communication, higher degree of communication, summarizationsummarization
moderation, motivation, preparationmoderation, motivation, preparation
broader technical savvy, feedback broader technical savvy, feedback solicitation and summarizationsolicitation and summarization
Digital Placeshttp://www.digiplaces.com
Recruiting Online StaffRecruiting Online Staff
Online communities are a burgeoning Online communities are a burgeoning training groundtraining ground
Recruit from services you respectRecruit from services you respect Balance observation with application Balance observation with application
processprocess
Digital Placeshttp://www.digiplaces.com
Training Online StaffTraining Online Staff
Set expectations of effort and conductSet expectations of effort and conduct Train to meet those expectationsTrain to meet those expectations Teach “how-to” not “do-for” – sowing the Teach “how-to” not “do-for” – sowing the
seeds of future staffseeds of future staff
Digital Placeshttp://www.digiplaces.com
Managing Online StaffManaging Online Staff
MotivationMotivation– Lessons to be learned from DOL versus AOLLessons to be learned from DOL versus AOL
CompensationCompensation– ““The 10th best worker is a volunteer – you The 10th best worker is a volunteer – you
can’t make them do what you want to do…”can’t make them do what you want to do…”– Scott Kurnit, CEO of MiningCo.comScott Kurnit, CEO of MiningCo.com
BurnoutBurnout– Only you can prevent forest fires.Only you can prevent forest fires.
Digital Placeshttp://www.digiplaces.com
Question:Question:
What is the most important element of any What is the most important element of any community?community?
??
Digital Placeshttp://www.digiplaces.com
Answer: Answer:
The MembersThe Members
Digital Placeshttp://www.digiplaces.com
Trust is CentralTrust is Central
The community belongs to the members.The community belongs to the members. Serving the members is the first and Serving the members is the first and foremost goal. Decisions that subordinate foremost goal. Decisions that subordinate this goal can undermine trust and jeopardize this goal can undermine trust and jeopardize the stability of the group.the stability of the group.
Digital Placeshttp://www.digiplaces.com
Violating TrustViolating Trust
Things that undermine trustThings that undermine trust
Digital Placeshttp://www.digiplaces.com
Generating TrustGenerating Trust
One idea for generating trust in community One idea for generating trust in community membersmembers– Ideas will be posted on www.digiplaces.com by Ideas will be posted on www.digiplaces.com by
April 30.April 30.
Digital Placeshttp://www.digiplaces.com
Keys to Successful CommunitiesKeys to Successful Communities
Establish trustEstablish trust Make visitors feel welcomeMake visitors feel welcome Participate with the usersParticipate with the users Select Caretakers carefullySelect Caretakers carefully Control membership influxControl membership influx
Digital Placeshttp://www.digiplaces.com
Where is Your Community Going?Where is Your Community Going?
Plan your community to meet Plan your community to meet organizational goalsorganizational goals
Costs vary based on Interactivity & Costs vary based on Interactivity & CohesionCohesion
Control and guide this to meet business Control and guide this to meet business goalsgoals
Digital Placeshttp://www.digiplaces.com
Where is Your Content Going?Where is Your Content Going?
Is your content appropriate to your Is your content appropriate to your members needs?members needs?
To your needs?To your needs? Control your content, don’t let it control Control your content, don’t let it control
you.you.
Digital Placeshttp://www.digiplaces.com
What are Your Goals for ...What are Your Goals for ...
Interactivity?Interactivity? Cohesion?Cohesion? Focus?Focus?
Digital Placeshttp://www.digiplaces.com
Wrap UpWrap Up
What one thing will you change, and when What one thing will you change, and when will it be done?will it be done?– What resources are you missing?What resources are you missing?– Where will you get them?Where will you get them?
Community ManagementCommunity Management
Digital PlacesDigital Places
www.digiplaces.comwww.digiplaces.com
650-224-4567650-224-4567