Comments on: How top brands build effective online communities: Part 1 http://simonmainwaring.com/brands/how-to-build-an-effective-online-community-part-1/ Simon Mainwaring is a branding consultant, advertising creative director, blogger and speaker. Thu, 02 Feb 2012 01:29:00 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.3 By: Simon Mainwaring http://simonmainwaring.com/brands/how-to-build-an-effective-online-community-part-1/comment-page-1/#comment-667 Simon Mainwaring Sat, 15 May 2010 02:42:59 +0000 http://simonmainwaring.com/?p=1723#comment-667 Thanks, Rob. Completely agree. I'll take a look at Brand Communities. thanks so much. Brands have so much to offer and gain by community building.<br>P&G is a great example. Thanks, Rob. Thanks, Rob. Completely agree. I'll take a look at Brand Communities. thanks so much. Brands have so much to offer and gain by community building.
P&G is a great example. Thanks, Rob.

]]> By: Rob Petersen http://simonmainwaring.com/brands/how-to-build-an-effective-online-community-part-1/comment-page-1/#comment-666 Rob Petersen Sat, 15 May 2010 02:33:19 +0000 http://simonmainwaring.com/?p=1723#comment-666 Simon, good post. The guideline of "Shared Interests" is worth considering; perhaps it is another way of saying "unifying goal," but I believe it is different. It is the larger interest that connects consumers to the brand. For example, P&G built an online community called <a href="http://BeingGirl.com" rel="nofollow">BeingGirl.com</a>. The "Shared Interests" were the rites of passage for early teen girls, but it was an online community for their brands, Tampax and Always brands.<br><br>Also, the guidelines from the study on Brand Communities from Alfred Muniz and Thomas O'Guinn, two University of Chicago socialists, are worth considering. They are that any brand can benefit from a community building their business right now if they are:<br><br> * Able to differentiate their users<br> * Locate brand advocates<br> * Provide a place to engage in a public experience of the brand<br><br>Thank again for the post. <br><br>Rob Simon, good post. The guideline of “Shared Interests” is worth considering; perhaps it is another way of saying “unifying goal,” but I believe it is different. It is the larger interest that connects consumers to the brand. For example, P&G built an online community called BeingGirl.com. The “Shared Interests” were the rites of passage for early teen girls, but it was an online community for their brands, Tampax and Always brands.

Also, the guidelines from the study on Brand Communities from Alfred Muniz and Thomas O'Guinn, two University of Chicago socialists, are worth considering. They are that any brand can benefit from a community building their business right now if they are:

* Able to differentiate their users
* Locate brand advocates
* Provide a place to engage in a public experience of the brand

Thank again for the post.

Rob

]]> By: admin http://simonmainwaring.com/brands/how-to-build-an-effective-online-community-part-1/comment-page-1/#comment-128 admin Thu, 01 Oct 2009 20:09:12 +0000 http://simonmainwaring.com/?p=1723#comment-128 Thanks Parth and good luck. I hope this article helps. It's especially important for an institution to do it o they can generate their own community and ensure their own survival. Keep at 'em. It really is critical. Thanks, Simon Thanks Parth and good luck. I hope this article helps. It’s especially important for an institution to do it o they can generate their own community and ensure their own survival. Keep at ‘em. It really is critical. Thanks, Simon

]]> By: admin http://simonmainwaring.com/brands/how-to-build-an-effective-online-community-part-1/comment-page-1/#comment-1006 admin Thu, 01 Oct 2009 20:09:00 +0000 http://simonmainwaring.com/?p=1723#comment-1006 Thanks Parth and good luck. I hope this article helps. It's especially important for an institution to do it o they can generate their own community and ensure their own survival. Keep at 'em. It really is critical. Thanks, Simon Thanks Parth and good luck. I hope this article helps. It’s especially important for an institution to do it o they can generate their own community and ensure their own survival. Keep at ‘em. It really is critical. Thanks, Simon

]]> By: Parth Rana http://simonmainwaring.com/brands/how-to-build-an-effective-online-community-part-1/comment-page-1/#comment-127 Parth Rana Thu, 01 Oct 2009 19:38:39 +0000 http://simonmainwaring.com/?p=1723#comment-127 Simon, that was a great article... i am trying to convince an educational institute to do the same but it is very difficult to make them understand the importance that social media holds for brand awareness....... will forward this to them ;D Simon,

that was a great article… i am trying to convince an educational institute to do the same but it is very difficult to make them understand the importance that social media holds for brand awareness……. will forward this to them ;D

]]> By: Parth Rana http://simonmainwaring.com/brands/how-to-build-an-effective-online-community-part-1/comment-page-1/#comment-1005 Parth Rana Thu, 01 Oct 2009 19:38:00 +0000 http://simonmainwaring.com/?p=1723#comment-1005 Simon, that was a great article... i am trying to convince an educational institute to do the same but it is very difficult to make them understand the importance that social media holds for brand awareness....... will forward this to them ;D Simon,

that was a great article… i am trying to convince an educational institute to do the same but it is very difficult to make them understand the importance that social media holds for brand awareness……. will forward this to them ;D

]]> By: How top brands build effective online communities: Part 2 | Simon Mainwaring http://simonmainwaring.com/brands/how-to-build-an-effective-online-community-part-1/comment-page-1/#comment-126 How top brands build effective online communities: Part 2 | Simon Mainwaring Wed, 30 Sep 2009 16:09:00 +0000 http://simonmainwaring.com/?p=1723#comment-126 [...] first post in the series focused on conceptual and design fundamentals when planning to build an online [...] [...] first post in the series focused on conceptual and design fundamentals when planning to build an online [...]

]]> By: admin http://simonmainwaring.com/brands/how-to-build-an-effective-online-community-part-1/comment-page-1/#comment-116 admin Wed, 09 Sep 2009 15:13:38 +0000 http://simonmainwaring.com/?p=1723#comment-116 Thanks Jan. I totally agree. It's a lesson i feel many brands will learn only after several rejections by consumers for obtrusive behavior. And each time it will become more difficult. Power has shifted fundamentally to consumers and brands are grappling with how to engage with their audience in a way that let's them talk about themselves. In my mind, the first step is to establish trust through authenticity and transparency - requirements that weren't so essential before when brands held the upper hand. I feel it will be a long and difficult process for many brands and their advertising partners. But then such is the will of the marketplace. I'll try and share ways brands can adjust in the next parts of the post. Nice to be in touch, Simon Thanks Jan. I totally agree. It’s a lesson i feel many brands will learn only after several rejections by consumers for obtrusive behavior. And each time it will become more difficult. Power has shifted fundamentally to consumers and brands are grappling with how to engage with their audience in a way that let’s them talk about themselves. In my mind, the first step is to establish trust through authenticity and transparency – requirements that weren’t so essential before when brands held the upper hand. I feel it will be a long and difficult process for many brands and their advertising partners. But then such is the will of the marketplace. I’ll try and share ways brands can adjust in the next parts of the post. Nice to be in touch, Simon

]]> By: admin http://simonmainwaring.com/brands/how-to-build-an-effective-online-community-part-1/comment-page-1/#comment-1004 admin Wed, 09 Sep 2009 15:13:00 +0000 http://simonmainwaring.com/?p=1723#comment-1004 Thanks Jan. I totally agree. It's a lesson i feel many brands will learn only after several rejections by consumers for obtrusive behavior. And each time it will become more difficult. Power has shifted fundamentally to consumers and brands are grappling with how to engage with their audience in a way that let's them talk about themselves. In my mind, the first step is to establish trust through authenticity and transparency - requirements that weren't so essential before when brands held the upper hand. I feel it will be a long and difficult process for many brands and their advertising partners. But then such is the will of the marketplace. I'll try and share ways brands can adjust in the next parts of the post. Nice to be in touch, Simon Thanks Jan. I totally agree. It’s a lesson i feel many brands will learn only after several rejections by consumers for obtrusive behavior. And each time it will become more difficult. Power has shifted fundamentally to consumers and brands are grappling with how to engage with their audience in a way that let’s them talk about themselves. In my mind, the first step is to establish trust through authenticity and transparency – requirements that weren’t so essential before when brands held the upper hand. I feel it will be a long and difficult process for many brands and their advertising partners. But then such is the will of the marketplace. I’ll try and share ways brands can adjust in the next parts of the post. Nice to be in touch, Simon

]]> By: Jan http://simonmainwaring.com/brands/how-to-build-an-effective-online-community-part-1/comment-page-1/#comment-115 Jan Wed, 09 Sep 2009 11:13:43 +0000 http://simonmainwaring.com/?p=1723#comment-115 Great article Simon, I especially like the third assumption about CONVERSATION. I believe the best thing a brand can do is to facilitate a community, ideally without even mentioning it's products. As you said the product should be a non intrusive contribution to the conversation, and in the perfect case you should not even have to put it forward yourself. Trying to convince brand/marketing managers and product managers of this approach is the big challenge. I hope you are well, Jan Great article Simon, I especially like the third assumption about CONVERSATION. I believe the best thing a brand can do is to facilitate a community, ideally without even mentioning it’s products. As you said the product should be a non intrusive contribution to the conversation, and in the perfect case you should not even have to put it forward yourself. Trying to convince brand/marketing managers and product managers of this approach is the big challenge.

I hope you are well, Jan

]]>