How To Promote Contribution, Connection Pdf

HOW TO PROMOTE CONTRIBUTION, CONNECTION IN BRAND’S ONLINE COMMUNITY

YINKA OLAITO CCO, Michael Sage consulting Lagos Nigeria Websites: www.michaelsage.org www.yinkaolaito.com Emails: [email protected] [email protected]

Tel:

234-7029778785

HOW TO PROMOTE CONTRIBUTION, CONNECTION IN BRAND’S ONLINE COMMUNITY Many brand owners as well as community leaders, wonder why their online communities do not enjoy active participation. Online community like brands needs a lot of emotional interactions to promote active members’ involvement. Online community aim must rest on a regular provision, satisfaction of building common interest that endears community member to each other. Not that alone, it must promote community interaction, relationship building. Online community that will thrive must share generously information and experiences that strengthens individual and group cohesiveness. Online community that does something unique will always build a loyal community that help spread word of mouth and encourages strong ties. Interestingly another writer has said that in today internet savvy world, word of mouth is now world of mouth. Another thought that still appeals to me here is that of chad Levit when he says ‘What is clear is that those who do something different and create compelling content that is easy to distribute, find opportunities where others find closed doors’. In my understanding and experience, building a strong community takes time, dedication, commitment. When it is a corporate community building one is trying to build, there are features that need to be on the corporate website that can enhance active participation. These features include blogs, chat room, discussion groups etc. For personal website, which is often refers to as blog, there should be plethora engagement tools like comment sections, sharing tools like Digg, del.icio.us, RSS among others. These engagement tools promote contribution, interaction among community members. The followings are some of the major factors that will promote active participation, contribution as well as connection among brand’s community members.

1. Reliability, Truthfulness: This is also known as dependability and trust of the information n the community. More importantly, this will encourage community to openly share and connect.

2. Dedication: The dedication of the community owner, builder will have to be tested. People do not care how much you know but h ow much you care still holds water. Sharing and posting once in three months content will not help active participation. Most highly populated, active communities have something everyday or at worst thrice a week 3. Value/benefits: What is the value of the community? Does the community promote global interaction? Will it cause a positive change of perspective that can bring personal or communal empowerment? Is the content highly applicable or self serving, ego-promoting? 4. Community Design/Aesthetic: One other factor that draws people to a community aside from content is the brand community aesthetic, design. Many will revisit the community and comment just because the brand community design appeal to them. This may serve as a mean of emotional connection for some. Though the number may seem insignificant but it holds a possibility. 5. Setting right rules: Most active online communities have rules. They do not promote abusive words, exchange of hot words, and hatred among community members. 6. Absence of too much technicalities: Most active communities do not make it mandatory for members to learn new software before they can participate in discussion, before expressing their opinions. I have come across few communities which I really liked but which require that I sign unnecessary forms, I normally move away.

7. Making sharing easy process: in today’s 24/7 online word, sharing is power as opposed to knowledge is power. So any community that does not make sharing easy may be chasing community members away without knowing. Ensure the community has features like RSS, Digg. Facebook compatibility.

8. Speak the tribe’s language: Is the online community speaking the tribe’s language? No matter how good a public speaker is if he/she does not speak the language his/her audience understands, the efforts put in are exercise in futility. Community member needs to be a t home with proverbs, jargons that the tribe speaks. An exception though is that the use of general language that everyone understands is necessary in some cases. So find what works for your community. 9. Send customized messages; sending direct, personalized messages is also helpful in building connection among comm unity members. This gives a sense of belonging and appreciation especially when the group is large. It shows that the owner is not looking at every member as part of the crowd but as a significant individual who make up the community. 10. Response time: active community that will enjoy members’ participations is not an easy task. Though the dividends outweigh the inputs at long last; such communities carry huge responsibilities. That is why such always have dedicated hands or whereby it is a personal site, the owners always encourage contributions from known members of the community or accredited hands that he/she can trust. So when community members require clarifications and further information it does not take unnecessary long delay to reply.

11. Investment in Brand credibility: To also promote brand’s contribution, the owner may need to consider investment in the online community credulity. Promote, the community, seek relevant accreditation of respect authorities around. There is also the need to create greater report with mainstream media so that the commu nity can be covered whenever issues that relate to the brand’s niche is being discussion. Everyone loves to be associated with success. Strong mainstream endorsement for the community by reputable mainstream media can also promote connection and contributions. Aside from the above, disposition of community owner, builder to negative comments may also affect active participation as some may see the community as intolerant to opposing views. In all, active community is not a product of overnight success; they are products of unwavering, relentless commitment to a passionate cause it believes in. I will appreciate your feedback

Author: Yinka Olaito is a Brand, Public Relations expert, Social media advocate, Certified Trainer and speaker .He is the Chief Consulting Officer of Michael sage Consulting-www.michaelsage.org, Lagos Nigeria. Michael sage consulting is a Brand, Digital Public relations Management firm. Yinka Olaito is the author of the award winning blog- The Branding Gavel, www.yinkaolaito.com. He can be reached on Tel: 234-07029778785, Email: [email protected]