Free resources for building online communities
Clocktower Advisors has consulted with dozens of organizations and groups over the years to build thriving online communities and digital workplaces. This area collects useful resources we’ve originated or built upon over that time. Technology-mediated communities online are too infrequently part of a comprehensive digital strategy.
Use these free resources to plan, contextualize and grow a vibrant following of highly engaged fans, prospects, customers, stakeholders or employees.
The Life Cycle for Online Community
Online communities follow a predictable growth pattern. The pattern can guide the actions you should take as a community manager based on the stage your community has reached.
This handy visual guide maps out the stages of online community building based on Alicia Iriberri & Gondy Leroy’s 2009 research review “A Life-Cycle Perspective on Online Community Success” and subsequent work by Richard Millington.
Digital Communities and Public Affairs
Access Todd Nilson’s 2021 article in The Palgrave Encyclopedia of Interest Groups, Lobbying and Public Affairs on how digital communities can be leveraged for public affairs organizations. Contact us for a full PDF of the article.
Top personality traits of online community managers
Groundbreaking research from Tali Gazit from Bar-Ilan University (2021) demonstrates how online community managers stack up against your average Internet user. The study is limited to Facebook and the study participants were Israeli but it suggests that there may be strong correlations with high extroversion and low neuroticism
The Social Media Strategy Canvas
One-page resources are useful tools to focus the attention of teams and executives in your organization. While you will want a fully detailed social media strategy for your organization, there is great utility in providing a thoughtful overview document that can be easily referenced to remind co-workers of “the plan.”
The Clocktower Advisors version of the canvas, is divided into three sections. The topmost section focuses on your workflow or funnel. Who will you reach? What action do you need them to take? What’s the quantifiable result? How much of this result to you need in a given timeframe?
The second section focuses on your content strategy, including core messages, formats, tone, channels, and how often you plan to post.
The third section is about the support structure for your strategy. What’s your budget and how is it allocated? Finally, who will your social media team be accountable to? Where are issues escalated? How often does reporting happen and what does it look like?
We are here to help
Talking to an experienced digital strategist can help you to clarify your goals. We understand the broader ecosystem of tools and platforms available and can help you to navigate the complexities and decision-making. Schedule a short, no obligation call with us.