We were sent a review copy of '18 Rules of Community Engagement' by Angela Connor, which contains very useful lessons for all businesses engaging with - or planning to engage with - their customers and potential customers online.
Angela Connor has boiled down a huge subject into an 18-step strategy. Think of it as an accessible masterclass by a pragmatist rather than a theoretical lecture or high-minded discussion.
Currently Managing Editor of User-Generated Content at WRAL.com, in 2007 Angela launched GOLO.com, the first online community for the top-rated television station in the state which has grown to more than 12,000 members.
Angela has a background in journalism that shines through in her written style, making it easy to follow, conversational and crisp.
Essentially, unlike some 'gurus' and 'experts' who perform a commentary, Angela has done the hard slog, learned the hard lessons and continues to grow her community day-to-day. Her thinking is fresh and grounded in reality.
Just like we do here at FreshNetworks, Connor returns again and again to the themes of interaction, engagement, conversation. Above all, the importance of getting in the mix, not performing a high-handed role from atop, but being a part of your community, regardless of what the community is formed around.
From the outset, Connor is clear:
"We are now living in the conversation age, where one-way communication is no longer acceptable or desired. People want to engage and discuss, react and interact.
"It is no longer effective to have an online presence without interaction."
Key lessons:
• "It takes a different kind of investment to grow community, and a major portion of that investment is TIME."
• Community managers need to have "a long-term strategy and a plethora of tools in your toolkit to turn lurkers into contributors and to encourage contributors to ramp it up a bit and move into the zone of those who post 'very often.'
• Engaging, asking questions, chatting to members and offering them something useful and interesting is all vital.
• Look after your members and appreciate them: "stroke a few egos".
• Every community has its own culture and set of values.
• Be open, honest, sharing - and accept and respond to criticism!
With this book, Angela Connor has put together a really handy overview with genuinely useful thinking points to steer community management efforts in the right direction.
Above all else, the breadth of activities she covers for community managers keeps us mindful of just how diverse a role it is, and how important it is to do it right.
ISBN: Paperback: 978-1-60005-142-5 (1-60005-142-1)
ISBN: eBook: 978-1-60005-143-2 (1-60005-143-X)
Published by Happy About®.
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