Online Community Handbook: Building your business and brand on the Web

Description

Successful online communities don’t just happen by themselves. They’re the result of a carefully executed strategy, solid design, and patient nurturing. Though they may seem like a lot of work, the benefits an online community can bring to your brand make the efforts worthwhile. This book will provide you with the essential tools to build online communities. You’ll learn how to: • identify the business objectives for your online community • develop a community strategy to recruit and retain members • create brand loyalty, bring in new business, and offer value to customers that your competitors cannot imitate • take advantage of free advertising opportunities • use communities to gain market insights and establish a direct line to your customer base In addition, you’ll discover the risks and costs of an online community project, how it can end up saving your company money, and even how it can become an important new revenue source of its own. You’ll also be inspired by exclusive interviews, where the people who manage thriving online communities share the lessons they’ve learned and the secrets of their success. Cover Contents Introduction Part One: Online Communities ONE: What’s An Online Community? What’s An Online Community? Features Of An Online Community Types Of Online Communities The Power Of Online Communities The Chapter In A Nutshell TWO: What Can An Online Community Do For Your Company? Business Benefits Of An Online Community What’s The Downside? Preparing For Success The Chapter In A Nutshell THREE: How To Set Up Your Community Define Your Community Strategy Get Started Analyze Your Competition Define The Role Of Your Brand Plan Your Website Plan Your Infrastructure A User-Centered Approach The Chapter In A Nutshell FOUR: Member Recruitment Recruitment Strategies Registration Launch Strategy The Chapter In A Nutshell FIVE: Motivating Your Members Get The Most Out Of Your Members Managing the Membership Lifecycle The Chapter In A Nutshell SIX: Care And Feeding Of Your members Community Management Who Can Be A Community Manager What A Community Manager Does What A Community Manager Needs Efficient Community Management Peer Management A Well-Managed Community The Chapter In A Nutshell SEVEN: Monetizing Your Community Profiting From Your Community Saving Money With Your Community Earning Money With Paid Subscriptions Earning Money With E-Commerce Earning Money With Advertising A Project That Pays For Itself The Chapter In A Nutshell EIGHT: Growing Your Online Community Measuring Success Keeping Your Website Fresh Keeping Community Management Fresh Adapting Your Infrastructure Recruiting More Members Internationalizing An Asset For Your Company The Chapter In A Nutshell NINE: Social Networks As A Platform For Your Brand What’s A Social Network? Why Market On Social Networks? What Can Your Brand Do On A Social Network? Are Social Networks Right For Your Brand? Chapter In A Nutshell Part Two: Real World Lessons TEN: Ciao.com Interview Lessons Learned ELEVEN: 11870.com Interview Lessons Learned TWELVE: M Power World Interview Lessons Learned THIRTEEN: Pro-Age Netzwerk Interview Lessons Learned FOURTEEN: Xing Interview Lessons Learned FIFTEEN: Ecademy Interview Lessons Learned SIXTEEN: Minube.com Interview Lessons Learned SEVENTEEN: Toprural.com Interview Lessons Learned EIGHTEEN: Interview With Leesa Barnes Interview Lessons Learned Web 2.0 Glossary A B C D E F G I L M N O P R S T U W Index A B C D E F G H I J K L M N O P R S T U V W X Y Z