I was invited to talk about the role of lurkers in online communities recently on The Collective, an online community that supports community managers and is run by Disciple Media, a platform partner of Clocktower Advisors..

Engaging Lurkers in Online Communities 00:05

In online communities, there is a large number of lurkers who are members but do not actively participate. This vocal minority tends to dominate discussions. However, lurkers can still contribute value by influencing others outside the community and inviting new members. Community managers can encourage lurkers to engage by welcoming them, asking specific questions, and providing immediate value.

Understanding the 90-9-1 Rule 00:32

The 90-9-1 rule states that around 90% of online community members are lurkers, 9% are occasional contributors, and only 1% are super active users. While lurkers may not actively participate, they represent a significant portion of the community. Instead of disregarding them, community managers can identify different types of lurkers and explore tactics to convert them into participants. Segmenting lurkers and understanding their potential contributions can lead to a more inclusive and vibrant online community.

The Psychology and Sociology of Community Engagement 11:43

During my time working for Fever B, I had the opportunity to witness the profound understanding and knowledge of community engagement possessed by our founder. He emphasized the importance of reaching out directly to individuals, welcoming them into the community, and engaging with them regularly. This approach required significant effort but proved effective in getting people to join and participate actively in the community.

Different Types of Lurkers in Communities 12:49

While contemplating the various types of community members, I identified a few categories of lurkers. One such category is the 'remorseful joiner' who initially showed excitement about joining the community but realized it wasn't what they expected. They may not actively participate or engage regularly but might still find some value in being part of the community. Another category is the 'looky-loos,' individuals who are curious about the community but have no intention of becoming regular contributors. Finally, there are the 'reticent lurkers' who feel they belong to the community but rarely post or engage. These individuals might require a proper welcome and a sense of safety to encourage their active participation.

The importance of personal experiences and industry best practices 23:10

The speaker emphasizes the significance of basing decisions on personal experiences and industry best practices. They mention community roundtables, Fever Bee, and CMX as valuable sources of insights. However, they also highlight the underutilization of academic research on online and virtual communities, which they find valuable and recommend exploring.

Study on lurkers' progression in an online community 24:22

The speaker refers to a recent study by Kokotis, Lapis, and Ransbotham called 'From Lurkers to Workers.' The study explores the transition of lurkers to active participants in an online community focused on diabetes support. It examines the stages individuals go through from being lurkers to becoming leaders within the community. The study provides insights into the engagement levels and confidence of different types of contributors.

Deepening engagement through sentiment 35:13

One key point discussed is the concept of deepening engagement within communities by focusing on sentiment. The speaker suggests that communities may go beyond merely pointing to sentiment and instead manipulate sentiment around topics. This manipulation of sentiment is seen as an interesting aspect of communities, emphasizing the need to understand and explore effective ways to portray and foster a sense of exclusivity and specialness within a community.

Understanding the nature of communities 35:30

Another key point addressed is the distinction between communities and social media platforms. The speaker highlights that communities differ significantly from social media platforms and are often used loosely in various contexts. They explain that communities, especially online communities, require rules for determining membership and signaling who belongs and who does not. The importance of accurately communicating the nature of the community, its purpose, and the benefits members can expect is emphasized for effective community building.

Some of the research I cite in this stream includes:

• "The 90-9-1 Rule for Participation Inequality in Social Media and Online Communities." Jakob Nielsen 2006-10-08

• "From Lurkers to Workers" Kokkodis, Lappas, and Ransbotham. Information Systems Research”, 2020 v31, no. 2. pp 607-626.

• "From Help-Seekers to Influential Users: A Systematic Review of Participation Styles in Online Health Communities" 2015 ... A really interesting read. They identify 41 different user profiles in this piece!

• “Do’s and Don’t’s for Engaging Lurkers in Community.” Higher Logic. Accessed 12-22-21. https://www.higherlogic.com/blog/dos-and-donts-for-engaging-lurkers-in-community/

• Join the Collective, the online community for our partner, Disciple Media