Cut The Distractions

If your online community has accounts on dozens of social-media platforms, you have a lot of distractions.

Two brilliant non-profits, Amnesty International and Make Your Mark, are a great example of this mistake. They each have a dozen social media accounts but not one has a vibrant community.

If you don’t have a strong reason to register a MySpace account, don’t do it. Every new account must add something valuable that your community wants.

For example, if members of your community have a lot of pictures to share pictures, create a community Flickr account. But find someone to run it.

You will need someone that keeps people updated about new pictures and picks out a selection of the best each week for the community to see. Someone that stimulates discussions about pictures and will happily put together a team of people to tag the pictures properly.

Otherwise, single-mindedly focus your efforts on developing a concentrated community.

Comments

[John Haydon - CorporateDollar.Org]

Richard,

You're comments about needing a vibrant community is right on the mark - social media is another name for conversations. Social media needs to be worked - stale SM sites say "we were interested in having a conversation with you, but not anymore. Come back later..."

You also write: "if members of your community have a lot of pictures to share pictures, create a community Flickr account".

Question: How would one know if their community takes a lot of pictures unless they dip their toe in the water and at least do a search on Flickr?

John

[Richard Millington]

Hi John,

I love the question, it's such a common one.

If the nature of the community is geared towards pictures, then ask the members if they want a Flickr account (and ask for a volunteer to run it).

If the pictures relate to the community i.e. events they've attended or how they're using the product, then it makes sense.

But, again, ask your community. Ask them if they have a lot of pictures they want to share with the rest of the group. Ask them for samples of their best pictures of the last meet-up, or them using the product.

Does this help?