Shamrocks, pots of gold, green beer and bagpipes: The signs of St. Patty’s day are abound today, and everyone’s feeling a little “lucky”.
Some people think that an Online Community needs luck to be successful; that if you follow the steps to build one and cross your fingers, it will rank highly and receive thousands of followers immediately. A recent study called “The Social Break Up” found, however, that luck has nothing to do with the success of such a site. The study, conducted with over 1,500 Twitter and Facebook users, found that “internet users who unsubscribe, unfan, or unfollow brands on social networks do so because of irrelevant, too-frequent or boring marketing messages.”
The study also points to what makes Online Communities “work” well; Communities need specialized, targeted content that visitors can actually use and learn from. By neglecting to nurture your Online Community in the right ways or by “overcrowding it”, it’s likely that the site will fail to attract visitors and ranking.
Online Communities, like social networking sites, should also not be used primarily for marketing or advertising messages. The study showed that “41% unsubscribe or un-follow a brand because their newsfeed is overcrowded by blatant marketing overtures.” Building trust with your Community audience is key (as discussed in our recent Podcast, “No One Buys Without Trust”) and consumers are getting pickier about how and where they receive marketing messages. A social site or Online Community that positions itself as an informational resource on a specific topic is not the place to promote a brand too overtly.
You can cross your fingers all you want, but getting your Online Community ranked is going to take more than that. Lucky for you there are ways you can learn how to build a Successful Online Community, like attending educational Online Community- building Webinars or reading Case Studies to learn best practices and tips. To learn more about what makes an Online Community successful, you can also contact us.
Top O’ the Rankings to Ya!
Anna Ritchie
Product Manager, Online Communities
