Despite recession, corporations are still funding online communities
A survey by consulting firm Deloitte found that despite the economic pressure to cut spending, only 6 percent of companies that sponsor online communities plan to decrease their investment in the communities. The other 94 percent plan to maintain or increase spending. The survey covered more than 400 companies, including Fortune 100 enterprises. Community sizes ranged from fewer than 100 members to more than 1 million.
Deloitte found that despite their investments, companies “continue to struggle with how to harness social media’s full potential,” meaning they’re doing it wrong. Humans are hard-wired to cooperate and share opinions, Deloitte’s report says. The company offers this free advice to online community managers:
- Think tribe – not market segment
- Think network – not channel
- Think customer-centricity – not company-centricity
The biggest tactical problems community managers face are getting members to come back, and getting the lurkers to participate.
The report raises questions more than it provides answers, but they’re fundamental questions that community managers should think about.
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About the Author, Paul Boutin
Paul (paul@venturebeat.com) covers Apple & the iPhone, social networks & social media, digital music & video, and any crazy Internet story. Paul wrote and edited for Valleywag from 2006-2008, after several years with Wired magazine and Slate. He writes regularly for The New York Times' technology section and sometimes for Wired and The Wall Street Journal. He studied computer science at MIT in the early 1980s, and worked as a software developer and network administrator for 15 years before becoming a professional writer. Follow him on Twitter at @paulboutin, and follow VentureBeat on Twitter at @venturebeat.
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