how, when, why to get started with online community
TRANSCRIPT
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
