Don't Compete With Your Own Fans

Don’t compete with your own fans, it’s stupid.

Digitas created this group for their Flickr Vauxhall Astra campaign. To date, it’s attracted 11 members. They launched it and left it. It’s a failure (which they choose to feature on the BIMA showcase).

The madness is they decided to compete with their own fans. There are 9 more successful Vauxhall groups.

The very first step should have been to make contact with creators and top participants in each group. Explain your objectives, listen to their advice, offer them official Flickr Ambassador positions and let them launch the group together.

By doing this you accomplish 5 things.

1. You build relationships with very influential people.
2. You give them ownership over an element of community.
3. You provide recognition for their existing work and increase their status amongst their followers. They will love you for that.
4. By connecting existing communities to each other, you create one community around your company.
5. You identify people that want to help you! (they’re invaluable for your next campaign).

The second step would be to care. You can’t launch a community amongst other communities by being worse than them. You have to participate more. Fill out your profile. Reach out to 5 new people a day. Highlight the best content and treat every campaign like it’s going to last forever.

Comments

[Andrea]

Can you share some ideas on *how* to engage your community?

I started a Facebook Group for artisans to basically share their ideas and art with their peers.

Everyone that I have invited to join has joined but no one is participating. I tried to kick things off with a "show off your work" thread ... but nothing.

Any ideas would be helpful and appreciated.
Thanks.
Andrea