Thanks to running Wiser.org globally for 7 years, we built up a lot of useful knowledge about running an online community. Feel free to share what you have learned from running your own community on this blog.
Here are our top 12 best practices:
Tip 1: Be clear on why you are building a community
Why you are building your community? What would you like members of your community to be doing? You always need to ask yourself ‘What is the long-term vision of our community and what are our long-term objectives?’
Tip 2: What problem are you solving?
Make sure your members know what value they are going to get from being part of your community. Just joining is not a value on its own. Ensure that what you offer helps to meet a real-world need.
Tip 3: Simplicity in all communication
Your members will be asking how can they benefit from being part of your community – you need to have a short and concise answer.
Tip 4: Focus your community offering
Community members will have many ideas on what you can build (and do) – don’t build everything for everyone…it won’t work. Remain focused on your core value proposition. Be excellent in one area and then build your community from there.
Tip 5: Regular check ins with your community
Carry out regular research among members of your community. Ask them for feedback, help and solicit their advice on where your community needs to go and how it should develop.
Tip 6: Hire people with passion
Always recruit a community manager who has passion about your issue area, not someone who is a community manager first a foremost. Passion comes first and then great communication skills. A great community manager will also have very high levels of empathy with the people who are part of your community and will want to help them solve their problems/address their needs.
Tip 7: Membership recruitment off your community platform
Start your recruitment for members off your community platform. This means visiting blogs that talk about your issue, other social media and community platforms, follow and interact with potential members on Twitter and FB and others linked to or working on your issue, get out there to get the word out there and stay out in the real world listening to concerns, questions and needs!
Tip 8: Train your community managers and be authentic!
Make sure your community managers are trained and know what they are supposed to be doing every day/every week (i.e. have clear targets and a plan of action for each week). They must be authentic in everything they do. Learn from folks like Richard Millington on how to create and manage a community – there are tried and tested techniques based on social science and this knowledge isn’t acquired without some training and know how. For example, how do you create a clear tone of voice for your community and what rituals do you have in your community? (look at examples like the Harley Davidson community)
Tip 9: Be transparent and engage for the good and the bad!
Whenever possible invite members of your community to be part of problem solving, and in helping you manage your community with you – they are your ultimate ambassadors. Recognize them and thank them. Also be prepared to apologize when you make a mistake, apologize, solve the problem, and move on.
Tip 10: Time is of the essence, but don’t lose sight of the bigger picture of creating community
Questions should be answered in a timely manner. Help your members connect with other members, encourage conversation and mutual support among members. This truly fosters a sense of community and helps creates trust as well as a vibrant community.
Tip 11: Don’t organize a big launch party!
It’s just not how you build a successful community over time. The Wiser.org community was grown gradually using very much an organic outreach approach to community building,. Increasing membership slowly over time is essential to allow you to respond in a timely manner, nurture your members and build an authentic and healthy community.
Tip 12: Create partnerships as and when needed
Create partnerships as and when needed to allow you and your community to benefit from the know-how, services or content provided by other organizations.
These are just some of our learnings running the Wiser.org community, but we’d love to know what experiences you’ve had in running a community as well as your own community management tips? Stay tuned for more updates this week.
As you may have heard by now, the Wiser.org website will shortly be closing. We are so grateful to everyone who has been part of this incredible journey towards a more just and sustainable world. We thank you for all your messages and well wishes sent after our announcement of the closure.
