Interested in learning more about building an online community? Here are some articles we recommend. (Special thanks to the authors.)
"Checklist: Energizing My Community" We are often asked "What can I do to energize our members and increase the activity community?" This practical checklist tells you how. (view article)
"What's Working In Online Communities?" By Sarah Golightly and Marcia Conner Helping organizations understand the potential of online communities usually involves helping managers and technologists see beyond sending one-to many email blasts and having staff maintaining Web pages. (view article)
"10 Tactics for Building Online Community" By Chris Dworin Growing a thriving and lively community is part art, and part science. In this webinar, we dissected the science of it, giving you real, tangible tips to take back to your office and start using immediately. You'll learn how to exploit your existing organizational resources, as well as how to bring people in to your community from the outside. (download presentation)
"The Gilbert Email Manifesto" by Michael C. Gilbert. One of the best articles to help organizations keep Web and email in perspective. His three rules are: #1 Resources spent on email strategies are more valuable than the same resources spent on web strategies; #2 A web site built around an email strategy is more valuable than a web site that is built around itself; #3 Email oriented thinking will yield better strategic thinking overall. (view article)
"Managing 'Trolls' in Online Communities" by Cory Doctorow, Information Week. Angry people looking for fights will inevitably try to poison successful Internet communities. Columnist Cory Doctorow looks at ways to remove the poison without killing the discussion too. (view article)