The document discusses turning a blog into a social network by adding social features using the free and open-source BuddyPress plugins for WordPress. Key benefits of starting with a blog include having existing content, visitors, and comments to form the basis of a new community site. Examples are provided of how a political party site could be enhanced by allowing user participation and turning the static site into an interactive social network for politicians and fans.
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Why turn a blog into a social network?
1. Why
turn a blog into a
Social Network ?
with
Nicola Greco
BuddyPressDEV - bp-dev.org
2. Nicola Greco*
UGC* = User generated content BPDEV - bp-dev.org
nicolagreco.com
What’s a blog ?
3. Nicola Greco*
BPDEV - bp-dev.org
nicolagreco.com
What’s a blog ?
VISITORS ADMIN MEDIAs
COMPANIES
PEOPLE
BLOG BLOGGER
COMMENTS COMMUNITY CONTENT NEWS
NICHE
EVENTS
4. Nicola Greco*
UGC* = User generated content BPDEV - bp-dev.org
nicolagreco.com
What’s a social
network ?
5. Nicola Greco*
UGC* = User generated content BPDEV - bp-dev.org
nicolagreco.com
What’s a Social Network?
MEMBERS VISITORS ADMIN MEDIAs
SURFERS COMPANIES
PEOPLE
SOCIAL
NETWORK
COMMUNITY CONTENT
GROUPS
UGC*
MESSAGES BLOGS
FORUMS
FRIENDS MEDIA
6. Nicola Greco*
BPDEV - bp-dev.org
nicolagreco.com
What’s the difference ?
A blog is a diary
A social network is a community
7. Nicola Greco*
UGC* = User generated content BPDEV - bp-dev.org
nicolagreco.com
Blog + Social Network?
MEMBERS VISITORS ADMIN MEDIAs
SURFERS COMPANIES
BLOG PEOPLE
SOCIAL BLOGGER
NETWORK
COMMENTS COMMUNITY CONTENT NEWS
NICHE
GROUPS
UGC*
EVENTS
MESSAGES BLOGS
FORUMS
FRIENDS MEDIA
8. Nicola Greco*
BPDEV - bp-dev.org
nicolagreco.com
Why should i turn ?
• Increase users, site • Start a social
value and blog network from a blog
relevance community
• Create a new • Create a niche
community about community
your blog thematic
• Create a business
from a blog
9. Nicola Greco*
UGC* = User generated content BPDEV - bp-dev.org
nicolagreco.com
Why is better starting with a blog?
MEMBERS VISITORS ADMIN MEDIAs
SURFERS COMPANIES
BLOG PEOPLE
SOCIAL BLOGGER
NETWORK
COMMENTS COMMUNITY CONTENT NEWS
NICHE
GROUPS
UGC*
EVENTS
MESSAGES BLOGS
FORUMS
FRIENDS MEDIA
10. Nicola Greco*
BPDEV - bp-dev.org
nicolagreco.com
Why is better starting with a blog?
We have CONTENT Something to start
We have VISITORS => Future members
We have COMMENTS Base of a community
11. Nicola Greco*
UGC* = User generated content BPDEV - bp-dev.org
nicolagreco.com
Why is better starting with a blog?
Blog side Members side Community
BLOGS
UGC* MEDIAs
CONTENT
BLOG GROUPS
CONTENT
COMMENTS
MEMBERS MESSAGES
VISITORS
SURFERS FRIENDS
12. Nicola Greco*
UGC* = User generated content BPDEV - bp-dev.org
nicolagreco.com
Case:
Political Party
13. Nicola Greco*
UGC* = User generated content BPDEV - bp-dev.org
nicolagreco.com
Case: Political Party
Blog side
DISCUSSIONS
The site is a newspaper
EVENTS
POLITIC Users can’t partecipate
NEWS
It’s a static site
VISITORS
14. Nicola Greco*
UGC* = User generated content BPDEV - bp-dev.org
nicolagreco.com
Case: Political Party
Blog side Members side
DISCUSSIONS
EVENTS
The site is a newspaper
COMMENTS
POLITIC
NEWS BLOG Users can comment
RE CONTENT
AD It’s a blog
VISITORS SURFERS
15. Nicola Greco*
UGC* = User generated content BPDEV - bp-dev.org
nicolagreco.com
Case: Political Party
Blog side Members side Community
DISCUSSIONS
FORUMS
EVENTS
OMM ENTS UGC*
C MEDIA
POLITIC
NEWS BLOG
RE CONTENT
AD FAN POLITICIANS
E
EC OM
MEMBERS B
REGISTER
VISITORS
SURFERS BLOGS
The site is a newspaper FRIENDS
Users can partecipate everywhere
MESSAGES
It’s a social network
16. Nicola Greco*
UGC* = User generated content BPDEV - bp-dev.org
nicolagreco.com
Case: Political Party
Blog side Members side Community
DISCUSSIONS
FORUMS
EVENTS
OMM ENTS UGC*
C MEDIA
POLITIC
NEWS BLOG
RE CONTENT
AD FAN POLITICIANS
E
EC OM
MEMBERS B
REGISTER
VISITORS
SURFERS BLOGS
FRIENDS
Do i really need to switch? MESSAGES
17. Nicola Greco*
BPDEV - bp-dev.org
nicolagreco.com
Can i turn mine in a social network ?
Yes, If..
• ...your blog is not • ...you’ve good
personal ( you should be a number of visitors
rockstar )
• ...you want build a • ...you use
WordPress!
new community
18. Nicola Greco*
BPDEV - bp-dev.org
nicolagreco.com
How does it cost?
( basically )
FREE
19. Nicola Greco*
BPDEV - bp-dev.org
nicolagreco.com
How can i do that?
20. Nicola Greco*
BPDEV - bp-dev.org
nicolagreco.com
WordPress
for blog
We’re at WordCamp, i don’t need to
explain what’s WordPress
GPL
21. Nicola Greco*
BPDEV - bp-dev.org
nicolagreco.com
BuddyPress
for Social Network
It’s a set of plugins that adds social
network features to WordPress MU
GPL
22. Nicola Greco*
BPDEV - bp-dev.org
nicolagreco.com
Before BuddyPress
23. Nicola Greco*
BPDEV - bp-dev.org
nicolagreco.com
After BuddyPress