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why_people_join_communities [2015/09/13 23:10]
hawk 		why_people_join_communities [2024/05/03 02:11] (current)
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 These are usually the least healthy communities. YouTube comments might be the most obvious example here. These are specifically the kind of members and activity you don’t want in a community. These are usually the least healthy communities. YouTube comments might be the most obvious example here. These are specifically the kind of members and activity you don’t want in a community.
  
 +----
 +
 +
 +===== Sustaining healthy levels of participation =====
 +
 +
 +At the very top are healthy levels of participation. This is where members participate for intrinsic reasons. The quantity and quality of posts will be higher from members that participate for intrinsic reasons. These members will also participate for a longer period of time.
 +
 +When intrinsically motivated, members participate for genuine interest, enjoyment, or satisfaction of helping others.
 +
 +  - **Genuine interest.** Members participate because they have a genuine interest in the topic and want to explore it as much as possible with other members. ​
 +  - **Enjoyment. Members participate because they genuinely enjoy the act of interacting with one another.** You might meet up with friends at a bar because you enjoy their company. The same is true with communities.
 +  - **Genuine Satisfaction.** You might participate because you enjoy helping other members. You’re not participating to increase your own reputation or esteem, but because you truly enjoy the satisfaction you get from helping other members.
 +
 +
 +----
 +  ​
 + 
 +===== 3 means to increase healthy participation =====
 +
 +
 +Motivation theory has shifted a LONG way since Maslow looked at a group of rhesus monkeys and [[https://​en.wikipedia.org/​wiki/​Maslow%27s_hierarchy_of_needs#​Research|predicted (but never studied) what would motivate us]]. It’s shifted towards a field known as Self-Determination Theory; our level of competence, autonomy, and social relatedness affects our motivation.
 +
 +If you want to move members from short-term extrinsic motivation to healthy long-term participation,​ you need to increase their sense of growing skill, autonomy, and relatedness. A big part of this is changing the messages you send to non-members/​newcomers from those you send to existing, participating,​ members.
 + 
 +==== Skill ====
 +
 +
 +As someone participates in the community, they get better at the topic. As they get better they get at the topic, the more they enjoy it. The more they enjoy the topic, the more they participate in the community.
 +If you can increase the skill of members in your community, they participate more. Once someone has learned or solved one problem, you can guide them to other problems/​solution that many members found useful.
 +
 +For example, after a member has posted their first question, why not send them an automated message highlighting the biggest challenges facing members (along with places to find the solution).
 +You might also ask members to share their best piece of advice/​knowledge. This increases their perceived level of competence. The challenge here is to design a relatively automated system (in large communities) or use a good CRM system (in small communities) that will prompts members to learn and share at the right level.
 +
 +As members become more advanced, you can guide them to places that are more technical/​specific. You can also set up an online resource that documents the best knowledge and ensures members that share great information can see it documented in an online wiki.
 + 
 +==== Autonomy ====
 +
 +
 +Autonomy is the freedom to act in line with one's true beliefs.
 +
 +This means being free from control such as being forced/​told/​co-opted to perform a task. Tools like gamification undermine this sense of autonomy. ​
 +
 +As members participate more, we want to offer higher levels of autonomy that means greater freedom to do what they like. For example, this might mean having their own groups, columns, and powers within the community. This isn’t quite the same as volunteering roles.
 +
 +Members might begin in relatively restricted roles, but as they participate more you need to give them greater freedom to do as they like within the community. User levels is one option, so is letting members know when they have reached a level where they can have more freedom.
 +
 +You might also want to regularly be in touch with members to see if they like would take to take full responsibility for their own sections of the community. This isn’t free labour; it’s freedom from your interference.
 +
 +This also means showing support for the actions members have taken. Unexpected praise also works very well here.
 +  ​
 +==== Relatedness ====
 +
 +
 +Relatedness is the number of high-quality relationships we develop within a community. The more people we not only recognise, get to know, but feel genuinely close to influences our level of participation and satisfaction within the community.
 +
 +This is also where the ‘sense of community’ comes into play. The greater the sense of community, the more members participate. As members join and participate,​ you [[https://​www.feverbee.com/​senseofcommunity/​|need to ensure they get to know other members of the community]].
 +
 +There’s plenty you can do to increase the sense of community. One useful option is to have a growing system for members to get to know one another. Having members meet in person is a useful idea, as is finding ways to encourage higher levels of self-disclosure from members. It’s good to have a place for members to share their biggest achievement,​ biggest challenge, and other problems. ​  
 +
 +----
 + 
 +===== Designing systems =====
 +
 +
 +If you’re managing a sub-1000 MAM (monthly active members) community, you can do much of this manually. You can adjust the appeal and concept, individually contact members to make more skill-based contributions,​ offer more autonomy, and introduce them to other members.
 +
 +If you’re managing a 1000+ MAM community, you’re going to need design systems that involve autoresponders and automatic filtering/​integration with CRM systems to do this. That’s going to take a lot of time and a lot of trial and error.
 +
 +But it’s also the key to ensuring that every possible members becomes as active as they can be.