More and more company’s are becoming involved in social media. Some brands attempt to foster an online community or create online personas - to mixed reviews. Getting these types of endeavors off the ground is a huge undertaking and in no way should be attempted without a little research and hands-on experience. There’s nothing worse then awkward participation by someone unfamiliar or uncomfortable with social media. I don’t think McDonald’s needs a Twitter profile, I don’t think anyone read Kmart’s blog, and Microsoft's "advertars" (Avatars generated by advertisers to pimp their products in MMOs and virtual worlds) while creative and clever isn't the best idea. I believe it's important to know about the historical precedents in order to tailor a strategy for adaption and integration.
Online communities aren't as new as you might assume; they actually started with the creation of MUDS in 1975. Cyberculture, screen names, moderation, forums, avatars all came from these innovative games. Game creators learned very early on that one person can’t monitor everything and enlisted hardcore gamers to become the eyes and ears within the game; thereby, allowing the creators to focus on enhancing the overall experience. Moderators were provided with the tools to refocus fellow gamers - idle minds lend to idle hands. The role of a moderator is not to police other players, but to positively challenge them. I have observed that our current online communities operate quite similarly.
There are all kinds of ways to enhance the online experience. Apps and Widgets allow users to come to you instead of the other way around. By being dynamic and linkable they add a valuable service.(Going mobile is a great way to get ready for what's to come in the near future.) Another great innovation is trivia games and recommendation tools. Thanks to social media users can rate products and services negating the need for traditional marketing surveys. Also through association you can become memorable. Contributing to the experience in a positive way should be an objective instead of lurking in the shadows and noting every negative comment. The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) created a Virtual Tsunami in Second Life. It is not only a great example of eLearning it also illustrates how to become apart of an online community by enhancing the experience.
Another example is Sugar Inc. which focuses on creating communities for women between the ages of 18-49 and boasts 8 million monthly unique visitors and more than 50 million page views. Because the experience is transparent advertisers can speak to consumers directly without having to jump up and down to get their attention. The Sugar Network is comprised of 16 distinct lifestyle and entertainment sites covering topics that include celebrity, fashion, shopping, beauty, entertainment, food, health, etc. ShopStyle integrates fashion and design trends through social media and commerce tools to create a personalized shopping experience. Sugar Inc. has managed to create sites that feel as though the user is existing within a fashion magazine. Another shopping site called Threadless invites community members to submit t-shirt designs online, and the designs are then put to a public vote. A small percentage of submitted designs are selected for printing and sold through an online store. Creators of the winning designs receive a prize of cash and store credit. Also of notable mention: ebay, etsy, and Kaboodle.
I’m far more interested to engage with a brand through play then stark advertising that interrupts my regular online activities. As an example, if I went into a store and the sales staff kept trying to force me to buy a jacket that wasn’t my size and didn’t interest me I’d quickly run out the nearest exit. Advertising within an online community can be a delicate art. The best way to engage an audience is to provide them with a service that adds value to the user experience. Think of a street vendor selling hot dogs - setting up at rush hour in front of a bus stop might get you a few customers; however, setting up at lunch time inside a business park or beside a nightclub at last call is far better idea. Knowing your customer and giving them what they want at the right time is vital to increasing conversion.
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