Recently I wrote about the differences between weblogs and message boards inside online communities. In the comments of that entry, a reader asked for more information about the best uses of the resources inside an online community. This entry is focused on the weblog as an online community management tool.
Aside from participation in discussions, the community manager often needs a consistent and accessible place to have an independent voice to relate community news and information. Below you will see how a weblog may be used to fill this need.
Making the fit:
- Weblogs are built for the purpose of an individual (or small group) presenting news and information to a larger group. Inside an online community, a weblog is a better fit than a message board topic (i.e. Announcements) for relating information to the community. Weblogs are built for news, message boards are for discussions
- With the community manager having complete control of the weblog, they can use it to develop a stronger voice in the community without interfering with the discussions. The weblog becomes a representation of the manager's thoughts and interests, which can help develop trust and culture more quickly.
- The addition of a weblog is more than adding a new tool to the community, it is adding a new way of communicating. With a different format, locus of control, voice, etc. it adds something completely new to the mix, which can help members understand why it's needed, why it's different and what it's for.
Managing the Community:
- Weblogs can be used by a community manager to point to specific discussions. This allows the manager to recognize and link-to examples of best practices and discussions that represent the community's focus.
- Members may be motivated to post effectively by seeking to be recognized on the manager's weblog.
- As communities are forming, the manager's weblog can be a cultural touchstone by telling the story of the community as it happens. The weblog can be used to illustrate "how we do things around here."
- The manager's weblog can become a place to find a snapshot of the most interesting discussions, news and events. New and returning members can use the manager's weblog as a starting point for getting back into the flow of the community's discussions and events.
Organizing and Presenting:
- Thanks to weblog categories, the manager can post a wide variety of subjects and still provide an archive of community information in an organized format. Some categories may include: Favorite Discussions, Community News, Personal, Events, Support Questions, Best Practices, Humor, Relevant Articles, etc.
- The weblog's consistent organization with the newest post at the top of the page can ensure that members have access to the most pertinent and timely information without having to navigate discussions.
Community Adoption and Startup...
- In times when member participation is slow or non-existent, the manager can still provide content to members through the weblog.
- When a new online community is starting up, a weblog by the community manager can jump-start interest and provide a voice that relates the values of the new community.
Like the previous post, I present these thoughts for your consideration and feedback. Do you see these points as opportunities? What did I miss?
Soon, we'll talk about the opportunities to allow members to create their own weblogs inside online communities and what kind of communities may develop around these new resources.