This document discusses online communities and why people participate in them. It defines a community as a group of people interacting over common interests or passions who get to know each other over time. People participate in communities to fulfill needs around remuneration, influence, belonging, and significance. Different types of participants, from creators to spectators, seek to fulfill these needs in community engagement and participation. Successful communities provide value and benefits to members that drive ongoing engagement.

1. (Stanford BUS-21)
Martin Westhead
Mastering Marketing
Communities
How to make money
by giving things away

2. Overview
 Motivation
 What is a community?
 Why do people participate in community?

3. Communities: Relevance
to Free Businesses?
1. Free typically used to create mindshare
- Communities amplify mindshare
- Drives higher engagement/attention
2. Free products need scalable costs
- Community can provide scalable support and
marketing
3. All businesses need to hear from customers
- Online community is a great way to do this at scale

4. WHAT IS A COMMUNITY

5. What do we mean by
community?
 94 sociological definitions of community by 1950
 Derivation
- communité - old French
- communitas (cum, "with/together" + munus, "gift")
 Community is NOT defined by technology
- Blogs, emails lists, listserv,
 Social Network is NOT (necessarily) a community
- Facebook friends not working together
- Weak second degree connections
Group of people interacting over common interests, goals
or passions
(Who get to know each other better over time)

6. Social Network vs.
Community
Social Network Community
 Structured around 1-1
relationships
 Weak secondary
relationships
 Good for sharing activities
 Structured around shared
purpose
 Strong, predictable
secondary relationships
 Good for activities requiring
sharing and cooperation

7. Types of Online
Community
Creating Knowledge /
Expert
Support Political/Activist Activity/Interest
Customer Fan Gaming Education/Training Marketing

8. WHY DO PEOPLE PARTICIPATE IN
COMMUNITY?

9. Creators
Critics
Collectors
Joiners
Spectators
Inactives
Social Technographics Ladder
– Li and BernhoffGroundswell

10. Creators
 18% online adult population
 Publish a blog
 Publish Web Page
 Upload video/audio they created
 Write articles or stories and post them

11. Critics
 25% online adult population
 Post ratings/reviews of products/services
 Comment on someone else’s blog
 Contribute to online forums
 Contribute to/edit articles on a Wiki

12. Collectors
 12% US online adult population
 Use RSS feeds
 Add tags to Web pages or photos
 “Vote” for Web sites online using Digg, Redit,
Stumbleupon etc.

13. Joiners
 25% US online adult population
 Maintain a profile on a social networking site
 Visit social networking sites

14. Spectators
 48% US online adults
 Read blogs
 Watch videos of others
 Listen to podcasts
 Read online forums
 Read customer ratings/reviews

15. Inactives
 44 % US online adults
 Do none of these activities

16. RIBS
 Remuneration –return on their investment
 Influence – having a voice in the community
 Belonging – developing a collective identity
 Significance – community has impact
“Design to Thrive” - Tharon Howard

17. Remuneration?
 It’s not about money
- Lawrence Lessig, Remix – “Money in a sharing economy is
not just inappropriate it is poisonous”
 It’s about the experience
- A nice restaurant about more than food
- Google clean useful UI experience
 It’s about Sociability – opportunities to connect
 Clear benefit to contributing to a community
 Remuneration is what drives Engagement
 E.g. Facebookand CNN Obama inauguration

18. Influence
 The need to feel control
 Ability to shape our environment
 Historical examples
- Migration of many groups to the USA
- Protestants leaving the catholic church
 Need for influence in the workplace
 In an online community
- Am I being heard?
- Are my contributions valued?
- Do I have a say in how things are run?

19. Needs on the Ladder
Creators • Shape the thoughts of
community
• Creations to be read critically but
fairly
• Need to know they’re being read
• Input on policies and governance
Critics • Comments are being viewed
• Consensus builders – lining up
values
• Input on policies and governance

20. Needs on the Ladder
Inactives • Needs are not met
Collectors • Collections are valued by
community
• Correlation of taxonomy
Joiners • Profile is being viewed
• Contribution to the membership
count
Spectators •Acknowledgements of their
presence

21. Belonging
 Stories
 Rituals and Events
 Symbols and Codes
- Red Hat Society
- “…verve, humor and
elan…”
- Military Uniform

22. Significance
 Is my community important?
 Well recognized
 Established as the “Go-to” place for
users needs
 Valued by people user respects
 Populated by people who are
serious and passionate
 Distinguished as a reputable brand
It is about building gravitas, brand and
reputation
You are here

23. Summary
 Motivation
 What is a community?
 Why do people participate in community?