Building and sustaining an online community Charles Gould CEO, Brightwave #BDFOStudios Jason Geall CEO, The Student Room
Nov 29, 2014
Building and sustaining an online community
Charles Gould CEO, Brightwave
#BDFOStudios
Jason GeallCEO, The Student Room
• What is an online community?
• How does a community get started?
• Can a community be ‘managed’?
• What’s the role of a Community Manager?
• From student to employee – how do they differ?
Who we work with
What do we do?
E-learning at work
Gamification
Video and 3D
KNOWLEDGE IS OUR JOB
Knowledge Workers spend 38% of their time searching for information (Mcdermott)
We learn all the time…
The barriers are falling:
• Access to content• Access to experts• Solutions to problems• Ability to capture and share
All these are faster and easier than ever before…
…And best done in Communities.
Free content
Social
Multi-device
Why?
• User-generated and curated resources• Supports communities of practice /inquiry• Scalable• Trackable• Cost-effective• It’s social!
Social Learning Networks
AMD reduced the time sales staff spent searching for content from 8.5 hours per week to 5.5 hours per week
Social Learning
Four out of five learners are willing to share what they know with others online…
and seven out of ten are motivated by using tools that will help them network and learn from others.Towards Maturity Benchmark Study 2013-14
Graduate Onboarding
Community of practice
Technical specialists
Enterprise-wide
What have we learned so far?
• Clear purpose• Align with existing motivations• Clear curator/community roles• Act on registration – ask question• Ensure fast initial response• Remove fear of criticism• Foster smaller groups
Arguing online doesn’t change hearts or minds.
(It entrenches positions.)
Defensiveness isn’t perceived as strength. You lose people’s respect.
(Let yourself roll with the punches.)
Social research shows it takes from 3 to 18 weeks to form a habit.
(Keep going.)
It takes social interaction to turn a passive member into an active participant.
(Reach out.)
Community members only create value when they’re valued.
(Make people feel good.)
Six key tips:
• Build borders inside the community
• Develop habits: model desired behaviours
• Tell your story – make it everyone’s
• Promote unique, shared experiences
• Be prepared to bare your souls
• Unlock everybody’s expertise
Thank you
www.brightwave.co.uk