how, when, why to get started with online community

HOW, WHEN, AND WHY TO GET STARTED WITH AN ONLINE COMMUNITY

OUR SPEAKERS

Ken AponteSr. Director, Community SolutionsSmall World Labs

Kristina JakstasMembership ManagerGreenlights

OUR AGENDA

• Online Community Basics– What, Why, When, Where, How

• Greenlights under the Microscope– What is Greenlights?– What is the 501(c)ommunity?– Why did Greenlights pursue an online community?– How do you leverage the community for your members?– How does the community fit in with your ‘Big Picture’?– How do you support your community?– Any unexpected gains or opportunities?– How does the community fit in with your other channels?– What’s in the future for your community?

• Wrap up and Q&A

ONLINE COMMUNITY BASICS

ONLINE COMMUNITY BASICS

WHAT IS AN ONLINE COMMUNITY?

A group of people with common interests who use the Internet (web sites, email,

instant messaging, etc) to communicate, work together and pursue like interests

over time

ONLINE SOCIAL HUB

Knowledgebase / Resource LibraryConversations to support or inspireCaptivating environmentEvent managementInformation portalCritical user informationMicro-communitiesForms and applications

Global Business Travelers Association

ONLINE COMMUNITY EXAMPLES

• Resource library is the cornerstone of the experience

• Almost 3,000 resources (videos, links, articles, etc)

• 7,000 members loosely organized into geographical or topical groups

Institute of Food Technologists

ONLINE COMMUNITY EXAMPLES

• Serves as the IFT’s online user directory for peer-to-peer networking

• Badges on user profiles used to indicate engagement in the community and other items via integration to AMS

Orbis International

ONLINE COMMUNITY EXAMPLES

• Community used as the basis of application and credentialing process for all potential volunteers

• Forms engine allows us to collect information and upload things like certifications and licenses

ONLINE COMMUNITY BASICSWHY BUILD AN ONLINE COMMUNITY?

ONLINE COMMUNITY BASICS

ENGAGEMENT PYRAMID

ONLINE COMMUNITY BASICS

OBSERVING

ONLINE COMMUNITY BASICS

ATTEND AN EVENT

ONLINE COMMUNITY BASICS

FOLLOWING

ONLINE COMMUNITY BASICS

RECEIVES AND READS DIRECT COMMUNICATION

ONLINE COMMUNITY BASICS

ENDORSING

ONLINE COMMUNITY BASICS

LIKES, RATES, SHARES

ONLINE COMMUNITY BASICS

CONTRIBUTING

ONLINE COMMUNITY BASICS

VOLUNTEERS , CONTRIBUTES CONTENT

ONLINE COMMUNITY BASICS

OWNING

ONLINE COMMUNITY BASICS

ANSWERS QUESTIONS ON YOUR BEHALF

ONLINE COMMUNITY BASICS

LEADING

ONLINE COMMUNITY BASICS

SUBJECT MATTER EXPERT OR GROUP LEADER

ONLINE COMMUNITY BASICS

THE DILEMMA FOR MOST MEMBERS

ONLINE COMMUNITY BASICS

WHEN TO BUILD AN ONLINE COMMUNITY?

When you realize you have pockets or conversation everywhere but “here”When you have answered the same

question or emailed the same document for the 1,000th time

When you start looking for ways to engage people between conferences

When you want need to know more about your membership to survive

ONLINE COMMUNITY BASICS

WHERE TO BUILD AN ONLINE COMMUNITY?

Your Member Ecosystem

Your Website

AMS

Community

In-person meetings and conferences

Webinars

Email Campaigns and Communications

Blogs and other feeds

Social Media Channels

• Your online community is the electronic embodiment of your physical organization

• Community should be the hub of all your activities

• All communications and interactions should drive traffic back to your community

• You community should integrate to your AMS / CRM to maintain a 360 degree view of your members

ONLINE COMMUNITY BASICS

HOW TO BUILD AN ONLINE COMMUNITY?

Completely customOut of the boxHybrid approach

GREENLIGHTS INTERVIEW

ONLINE COMMUNITY BASICS

ORGANIZATIONAL BACKGROUND

• Go-to social sector resource and leader• Strengthening nonprofits and other

mission-driven organizations to solve big community problems

• Forging cross-sector collaboration 

• Who we serve:– Nonprofit staff, board, key volunteers– Philanthropists and community leaders– Social innovators

• Services include:– Accelerator program– Consulting – Learning & Leadership offerings– Research– Membership of 500+ organizations

ONLINE COMMUNITY BASICS

ONLINE COMMUNITY BACKGROUND

501(C)OMMUNITY BACKGROUND

The 501(c)ommunity is…

A secure place for nonprofit professionals to:

• Share experiences to avoid recreating the wheel

• Ask questions that only nonprofits understand

• Network with peers

…all with the goal of strengthening the sector as a whole.

501community.org

Resources

Discussions

ONLINE COMMUNITY BASICS

WHY DID GREENLIGHTS PURSUE AN ONLINE COMMUNITY?

ONLINE COMMUNITY BASICS

HOW DO YOU LEVERAGE THE COMMUNITY FOR YOUR MEMBERS?

ONLINE COMMUNITY BASICS

HOW DOES YOUR COMMUNITY FIT IN WITH GREENLIGHTS ‘BIG PICTURE’?

ONLINE COMMUNITY BASICS

HOW DO YOU SUPPORT YOUR COMMUNITY?

ONLINE COMMUNITY BASICS

DID THE COMMUNITY BRING COLLATERAL GAINS OR UNEXPECTED OPPORTUNITIES?

ONLINE COMMUNITY BASICS

HOW DOES THE COMMUNITY FIT IN WITH OTHER SYSTEMS OR CHANNELS?

ONLINE COMMUNITY BASICS

WHAT DOES THE FUTURE HOLD FOR YOUR COMMUNITY?

ONLINE COMMUNITY BASICS

WHAT HAVE YOUR RESULTS BEEN SO FAR?

ONLINE COMMUNITY BASICS

Q&A

Upcoming Events

ASAE Marketing, Membership & Communications Conference

6/1 – 6/2Washington, DC

Planet Philanthropy

6/7 – 6/9Jacksonville, FL

ASAE Annual Meeting

5/19Detroit, MI

Online Community Blog

Schedule a Live Demo

Contact Jeremy Demers512.474.6400 x 22jdemers@smallworldlabs.com