europcom2015 opener - first draft

Fresh Integral http://bit.ly/fintegral 1

Online Communities

More Than a Comms Tactic


WHAT, WHY, WHEN, WHO & HOW?Mathew Lowry


What, Why, When, Who & How?

• What are online communities & Why should I care?– Definitions, Usage scenarios, Key Issues to look out for

• Who is going to tell me How?

Steve Clift Christel Vacelet Olivia Butterworth

• Finally: Panel, Q&A


Informal network of people with a common interest

• Online and/or Offline– Online community <-> a Conference’s killer app

• More than a "community of learners": a "community that learns”, applying collective knowledge -> each Member’s problems– Share problems, solutions, ideas & stories– Learn, teach, network, influence, visibility, establish

mindshare & expertise …• Community of Practice (homogenous, practitioners)

or Community of Interest (hetereogeneous)

What?


Attract – even create – an audience for your content

• Are you fighting for every click?

Why?


Attract – even create – an audience for your content

• Are you fighting for every click?

• Community Members – Invest in their

community– Advocate for it– Help manage it– Multiply it to

their networks

Community Members

Why?


Build bridges, Create networks

• Between people & organisations, Across barriers– geographic, organisational, cultural, language ...

• Help best practices travel, replicate , improve• Help members network & help each other

Why?


Community as Participation Platform

• Contributions often Numerous/Shallow or Rare/Deep

Why?Q

uanti

ty

Depth

Slacktivistse.g., Facebook Poll

(zero context, zero effort)

Usual Suspect Stakeholders

Detailed response to indepth Papers


Community as Participation Platform

• Communities widen useful participation

Why?Q

uanti

ty

Depth

Slacktivistse.g., Facebook Poll

(zero context, zero effort)

Usual Suspect Stakeholders

Detailed response to indepth Papers

Community MembersInformed & engaged

non-specialists


Halfway Point

3 reasons why• Create your

audience

• Build Bridges

• Platform forParticipation

Key issues• From vicious to virtual circle • USP: Be Clearly Unique &

Useful• Content & Community

Management Strategy• Integration with

organisation & offline (particularly events)

• Not a comms project

Community Members


Some good USPs• Influence: “Help us define our Conference Programme”,

“Join a Working Group to help shape policy”, “Raise your (organisation’s) profile”

• Get Help & Network: “Ask our community”, “Find partners, clients, suppliers, experts”

• Content : “best content from around Europe identified, categorised, summarised & translated. Submit yours”– News, Calendar, Opinions, Funding Opps, Resources, Jobs...– Requires Content Partnership: Subject Matter Experts + Content

team + Online Community Managers– Users promote their success -> promote site

How?


Key Issue: getting from vicious to virtuous

Vicious circle: Chicken and Egg

How?

Network value α #Members2

02 = ?

Virtuous circle: exponential growth

102 = 100


Key Issue: Online Community Management

“Voice of the Organisation

to the Community ...

and Voice of the Community into the

Organisation”

How?


3 Speakers

Key issues• A Unique USP• From vicious to

virtual circle• Online Community

Management• Integration

– Into organisation – offline

3 Speakers– Steve Clift: KnowledgeHub

• Executive Director, e-Democracy.org

– Christel Vacelet: eTwinning• Communications Manager,

European Schoolnet– Olivia Butterworth:

NHSCitizen• Head, Public Participation,

Patients and Information, NHS England

europcom2015 opener - first draft

Internet