5 tips and examples from OpenIDEO, Behance's 99u, and Smashing Magazine's community managers

1. “We must hang together or
we will hang separately”
- Benjamin Franklin
How to Build an Online Community
Friday, August 10, 12

2. Our Flight Plan
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3. Our Flight Plan
11:30 - 11:35 Why Do This?
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4. Our Flight Plan
11:30 - 11:35 Why Do This?
11:35 - 11:45 5 Easy Pieces
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5. Our Flight Plan
11:30 - 11:35 Why Do This?
11:35 - 11:45 5 Easy Pieces
11:45 - 12:00 3 Laws of the Online World
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6. Our Flight Plan
11:30 - 11:35 Why Do This?
11:35 - 11:45 5 Easy Pieces
11:45 - 12:00 3 Laws of the Online World
12:00 - 12:15 Tips From the Trenches...
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7. definition Intro
“A group of people regularly
interacting online united by a
common activity or interest”
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8. definition Intro
“...and over time a sense of
connectedness develops.”
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9. then Intro
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10. now Intro
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11. Tribes: Then and Now Intro
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12. Tribes: Then and Now Intro
“mmm. best way
to hunt mammoths
be...”
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13. Tribes: Then and Now Intro
“mmm. best way
to hunt mammoths
be...”
The best
way to hunt elk
is...
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14. Word
of
Mouth
...is timeless.
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15. Word of Mouth Intro
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16. Word of Mouth Intro
time = years?
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17. Word of Mouth Intro
time = years?
time = instant
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18. Why
Do We
Care?
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19. Friday, August 10, 12

20. how do I harness the
Force of online
communities?
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21. 5 Easy
Pieces
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22. 5
Study ‘em
Like a
Science
Experiment
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23. 4
Build
Something
People Want
Around a
Cause
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24. 3
Think About
Your Village
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25. 2
Make It Easy
to Find and
Camp With
You
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26. 1
Keep the Coals
Burning Long
Into the Night
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27. Recap Theory
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28. Recap Theory
5. Study ‘Em (research)
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29. Recap Theory
5. Study ‘Em (research)
4. Build Value Around a Cause (passion)
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30. Recap Theory
5. Study ‘Em (research)
4. Build Value Around a Cause (passion)
3. Plan Your Village (culture)
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31. Recap Theory
5. Study ‘Em (research)
4. Build Value Around a Cause (passion)
3. Plan Your Village (culture)
2. Find and Camp Easily (frictionless)
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32. Recap Theory
5. Study ‘Em (research)
4. Build Value Around a Cause (passion)
3. Plan Your Village (culture)
2. Find and Camp Easily (frictionless)
1. Stoke the Fires (grit)
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33. 3 Laws
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34. Adoption Theory
Diffusion of Innovations
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35. Growth Theory
Metcalfe’s Law
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36. Growth Theory
Metcalfe’s Law
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37. Growth Theory
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38. Growth Theory
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39. Growth Theory
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40. Growth Theory
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41. What Can
We Predict?
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42. 90% are Lurkers
Contribute Occasionally
9%
Heavy Contributors
1%
Never Contribute!!
90%
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43. back of the envelope Theory
100,000
Potential Community Members
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44. Adoption Theory
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45. back of the envelope Theory
2.5%
Innovators
2500
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46. back of the envelope Theory
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47. back of the envelope Theory
2500 1% Heavy
Contributors
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48. back of the envelope Theory
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49. back of the envelope Theory
25
Active
Participants
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50. How
To Do
It
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51. Jocelyn Glei
Editor in Chief
2011 & 2012 Webby - Best Cultural Blog
135K Twitter followers
1,000,000+ email subscribers
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52. Jocelyn Glei
Editor in Chief
2011 & 2012 Webby - Best Cultural Blog
135K Twitter followers
1,000,000+ email subscribers
1) Quality over quantity
Friday, August 10, 12

53. Jocelyn Glei
Editor in Chief
2011 & 2012 Webby - Best Cultural Blog
135K Twitter followers
1,000,000+ email subscribers
1) Quality over quantity
2) Don't use your social media channels solely as a
marketing push.
Friday, August 10, 12

54. Jocelyn Glei
Editor in Chief
2011 & 2012 Webby - Best Cultural Blog
135K Twitter followers
1,000,000+ email subscribers
1) Quality over quantity
2) Don't use your social media channels solely as a
marketing push.
3) Trust your user's intelligence, and respond to their
comments and concerns from that place.
Friday, August 10, 12

55. Ashley Jablow
Community Manger
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56. Ashley Jablow
Community Manger
1. Communities need managing
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57. Ashley Jablow
Community Manger
1. Communities need managing
2 ...But don't over-manage - community members must have the
freedom, flexibility and sense of ownership of the platform to
make it their own.
Friday, August 10, 12

58. Ashley Jablow
Community Manger
1. Communities need managing
2 ...But don't over-manage - community members must have the
freedom, flexibility and sense of ownership of the platform to
make it their own.
3. Balancing quality and quantity - we don't need or want
everyone to join in, we just want the right people to join.
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59. Vitaly Friedman
Founder
587K Twitter followers
95K Facebook Likes
Friday, August 10, 12

60. Vitaly Friedman
Founder
587K Twitter followers
95K Facebook Likes
1. Create an environment which emphasizes respect and
projects passion onto its users.
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61. Vitaly Friedman
Founder
587K Twitter followers
95K Facebook Likes
1. Create an environment which emphasizes respect and
projects passion onto its users.
2. It's important to find right people who really love the
project and make them moderators so they can lead the
community
Friday, August 10, 12

62. Vitaly Friedman
Founder
587K Twitter followers
95K Facebook Likes
1. Create an environment which emphasizes respect and
projects passion onto its users.
2. It's important to find right people who really love the
project and make them moderators so they can lead the
community
3. It's important to create something like... tradition, so that
members of the community have a sense of belonging together.
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63. Vitaly Friedman
Founder
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64. Vitaly Friedman
Founder
Bonus:
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65. Vitaly Friedman
Founder
Bonus:
“It's OK to have high standards. You might alienate some users,
but the community will be very strong and will have a lot in
common.
Friday, August 10, 12

66. Vitaly Friedman
Founder
Bonus:
“It's OK to have high standards. You might alienate some users,
but the community will be very strong and will have a lot in
common.
....And that's something that every great community has at its
core.”
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67. ...Questions?
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