moderation - Cultivating Community2024-03-29T14:25:32Zhttps://cultivate.ning.com/ning-blog/feed/tag/moderationAre Comments Bad for Science?https://cultivate.ning.com/ning-blog/are-comments-bad-for-science2013-09-26T18:40:04.000Z2013-09-26T18:40:04.000ZAllison Leahyhttps://cultivate.ning.com/community/allisonleahy<div><p><em>Popular Science</em> recently declared that it is <a href="http://www.popsci.com/science/article/2013-09/why-were-shutting-our-comments" target="_blank">shutting off comments</a> because "comments can be bad for science." The logic driving this decision is that less informed, quick-to-react readers may dominate the discussion and lead others astray. "Even a fractious minority wields enough power to skew a reader's perception of a story," states <em>Popular Science</em>'s Online Editor Suzanne LaBarre. The claim is supported by Dominique Brossard's <a href="http://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1111/jcc4.12009/full" target="_blank">study</a> on how reader perceptions about science are affected by online comments: </p>
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<p>The Internet has the potential to foster discussion and deliberation among far-reaching audiences in spaces such as the comments section of news items and blog posts. However, such discussions are not always rational. Discussions on the Internet can take an uncivil route, with offensive comments or replies impeding the democratic ideal of healthy, heated discussion (Papacharissi, <a href="http://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1111/jcc4.12009/full#jcc412009-bib-0033" rel="references:#jcc412009-bib-0033" class="referenceLink" title="Link to bibliographic citation" shape="rect">2004</a>; Shils, <a href="http://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1111/jcc4.12009/full#jcc412009-bib-0045" rel="references:#jcc412009-bib-0045" class="referenceLink" title="Link to bibliographic citation" shape="rect">1992</a>).</p>
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<p>The question remains as to whether online incivility affects the opinions of “lurkers,” or people who read online discussions without participating in them. Smith and his colleagues (<a href="http://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1111/jcc4.12009/full#jcc412009-bib-0049" rel="references:#jcc412009-bib-0049" class="referenceLink" title="Link to bibliographic citation" shape="rect">2009</a>) argue that lurkers are in fact participating in deliberation when reading others' comments because a large part of rational discussion consists of reflecting on others' opinions, which may or may not coincide with lurkers' own opinions. In other words, audiences reading uncivil language in blog comments may find the messages hostile and make judgments about the issue based on their own preexisting values rather than on the information at hand. This may develop polarized perceptions on issues among different audience segments that hold different values.</p>
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<p>While a few of Brossard's hypotheses were debunked by the study, she did discover that reader's perceptions towards science are shaped in the online blog setting not only by top-down information, but by civil or uncivil viewpoints, as well. </p>
<p>Most community managers are aware of the <a href="http://cultivate.ning.com/ning-blog/influencing-community-members-video" target="_self">power of influence</a>. Couldn't these same principles of social influence be applied by moderators to encourage proactive, meaningful conversation? And where these efforts fail, PopSci moderators could block or remove detractors. While the Internet opens doors for public deliberation of emerging concepts and technologies, it also gives a new voice to non-expert, and sometimes rude, individuals. But this is the beauty of the Internet, no?</p>
<p>Instead of removing the opportunity to debate and add context to a thought-provoking scientific article, I would have liked to see PopSci either go the community management route and/or replace open comments with a click-to-load commenting system. At least this way casual readers could absorb the content and move on without noticing or engaging with the comments. The community would remain whole.</p>
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<p>PopSci invites us to voice our opinions and commentary on Twitter, Facebook, Google+, Pinterest, and via email, but surely they understand the <a href="http://cultivate.ning.com/ning-blog/facebook-vs-a-custom-community-quantity-vs-quality" target="_self">limitations of these mediums</a>?</p>
<p>How do you think this decision will impact readership? Will more websites follow <em>Popular Science's </em>lead and remove commenting?</p>
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<p><a href="https://twitter.com/JimNX74205">@JimNX74205</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/PopSci">@PopSci</a> Interaction with the readers is important. This isn't the best solution. Make them sign in, maintain a profile instead</p>
— Selemir (@DS_Scriggler) <a href="https://twitter.com/DS_Scriggler/statuses/382556615926231040">September 24, 2013</a></blockquote>
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<p>Those who think <a href="https://twitter.com/PopSci">@PopSci</a> shutting off comments is insane have clearly never written about, oh, climate change for <a href="https://twitter.com/PopSci">@PopSci</a></p>
— Seth Fletcher (@seth_fletcher) <a href="https://twitter.com/seth_fletcher/statuses/382574767426924545">September 24, 2013</a></blockquote>
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<p><a href="https://twitter.com/PopSci">@PopSci</a> FWIW, I approve. Conversation about science is better when we don't have to keep stopping to defend scientific inquiry.</p>
— Erica Friedman (@Yuricon) <a href="https://twitter.com/Yuricon/statuses/382568234429337600">September 24, 2013</a></blockquote>
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<p>A sad repercussion of loss of civility and polarizing comments online-Why We're Shutting Off Our Comments <a href="http://t.co/DiWDGdrjya">http://t.co/DiWDGdrjya</a> via <a href="https://twitter.com/PopSci">@popsci</a></p>
— Laura Damschroder (@schrodster33) <a href="https://twitter.com/schrodster33/statuses/383321746964635648">September 26, 2013</a></blockquote>
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<p>The ubiquitous, vocal and ignorant minority will think it's won. "Why We're Shutting Off Our Comments" <a href="http://t.co/n9vlm6L1av">http://t.co/n9vlm6L1av</a> via <a href="https://twitter.com/PopSci">@popsci</a></p>
— Maya H. (@mambolica) <a href="https://twitter.com/mambolica/statuses/383305885465862144">September 26, 2013</a></blockquote>
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</div>Influencing Community Members [Video]https://cultivate.ning.com/ning-blog/influencing-community-members-video2013-08-17T00:20:00.000Z2013-08-17T00:20:00.000ZAllison Leahyhttps://cultivate.ning.com/community/allisonleahy<div><p>Gone are the days of ruling an online community with only a scepter and your royal lineage. Modern times have proven that there are three paths to gaining influence in your community: likability, reciprocity, and expertise.</p>
<p><iframe width="640" height="360" src="http://player.vimeo.com/video/72447140?title=0&byline=0&portrait=0&color=75af42" frameborder="0" webkitallowfullscreen="" mozallowfullscreen="" allowfullscreen=""></iframe></p>
<p>The first, likability, is the most common path people take, and it is the most difficult. It is saturated -- most people in your community want to be liked. It is also dependent upon maintaining a positive communication style in even the most difficult of situations (read: patience, verbal smiles). So, if you're aiming to lead the community to great things via likability, you may want to give it a second thought. Or, at the very least, weave some <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Reciprocity_(social_and_political_philosophy)" target="_blank">reciprocity philosophy</a> into your community strategy. Take notes along the way, too. You don't want to wake up five months later and realize you've only managed to convert six friendlies.</p>
<p>If likability and reciprocity are such time intensive and tricky ways to gain influence in your community, what is the most direct way to gaining the kind of influence that will allow you to really drive your community's success? Expertise. Note that expertise is an especially effective path toward influence in communities of practice where intellect, experience, generosity, and communication skills combine to make the most potent community influence cocktail on the planet.</p>
<p>What is your style of community management? How do you leverage your own influence to get things done in the community? Let us know. We'd love to hear from you!</p>
</div>Effective Community Moderation [Video]https://cultivate.ning.com/ning-blog/effective-community-moderation-video2013-07-17T16:00:00.000Z2013-07-17T16:00:00.000ZCrystalhttps://cultivate.ning.com/community/CrystalC<div><img src="https://storage.ning.com/topology/rest/1.0/file/get/2208279?profile=RESIZE_400x&width=400"></div><div><p><strong>Community moderation is not just about removing the "bad stuff" in your community</strong>; it's about removing barriers to participation and facilitating motivation for members to interact with the rest of the community. By setting moderation objectives, you can more effectively mold your community's culture, resolve conflicts, and steer the community. </p>
<p>In this recent <a href="http://cultivate.ning.com/community-management-talks" target="_self">Community Management Talk</a>, <a href="http://www.feverbee.com/" target="_blank">Richard Millington</a> shared how to make community moderation about more than just slamming down the ban hammer. </p>
<p> <iframe width="560" height="315" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/NgVFAm9Yygs?rel=0" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen=""></iframe></p>
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<p><strong>Establishing Moderation Objectives</strong></p>
<p>Before you start enacting a moderation plan, you have to figure out what your objectives in moderation will be. Are you wanting to increase the number of members participating, the number of posts, or the overall number of discussions? What about more qualitative objectives like improving the quality of discussion, steering the community more, or fostering better relationships between members. </p>
<p><strong>Community Guidelines</strong></p>
<p>Too many <a href="http://cultivate.ning.com/ning-blog/7-tips-for-developing-your-community-guidelines" target="_self">guidelines</a> are written to tell members what they can't do. Look at focusing on a <a href="http://cultivate.ning.com/ning-blog/the-ultimate-welcome-for-your-online-community-s-newcomers" target="_self">Welcome Pack</a> instead, giving them an easy way to get started, tips on what the community's culture is and a brief history. Instead of strict guidelines, look at creating a Community Constitution that details what your community is about: the community's purpose (why are you here?), beliefs (what does your community work for?), personality (is sarcasm welcome or verboten?), and governance (what behavior is expected from members and moderators?). </p>
<p><strong>Conflict Resolution</strong></p>
<p>When someone attacks your viewpoint, because community discussions are public, you feel that you have to defend your point of view. Our gut instinct is to avoid conflict but some conflicts can actually be good for your community. Civil disagreements can help develop your activity and increase the level of activity. Moderators should only get involved when attacks get personal, direct threats are made, or the conflicts start spreading to other areas of the community. While there are certainly instances of spammers or bots that deserve immediate bans, when members begin a disruptive streak, it's better to follow an escalation ladder to determine when to get involved and how. </p>
<p><strong>Steering Your Community</strong></p>
<p><img src="http://storage.ning.com/topology/rest/1.0/file/get/1281731?profile=RESIZE_180x180" class="align-right" width="150"></p>
<p>Using some careful steering and moderation, you can highlight content, members, and discussions that you'd like to encourage. Making discussions sticky, featuring members, and promoting well-made content can subtly influence your other members. People always want to do what they see other people doing - it's the good kind of peer pressure!</p>
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<p><span>For more community management best practices, </span><a href="http://www.feverbee.com/ning.html" target="_blank">download</a><span> half of </span><em>Buzzing Communities: How to Build Bigger, Better, and More Active Online Communities</em><span> for free, then thank </span><a href="http://twitter.com/richmillington" target="_blank">@RichMillington</a><span>!</span></p>
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<p>How to Effectively Moderate an Online Community is the third in a series of <a href="http://cultivate.ning.com/community-management-talks" target="_self">Community Management Talks</a> with <a href="http://feverbee.com/" target="_blank">FeverBee</a> founder Richard Millington, who has spent the last 10 years mastering a range of social sciences, refining key community management skills, learning how to use and apply data, and amassing a collection of case studies to tackle every situation. Richard's previous webinars with Ning cover topics including strategies for generating activity, managing growth, facilitating member engagement, <a href="http://cultivate.ning.com/ning-blog/converting-newcomers-into-active-community-members" target="_self">converting newcomers into active members</a>, and the science behind it all. To be alerted of upcoming Community Management Talks, <a href="https://mail.google.com/mail/?view=cm&fs=1&tf=1&to=ningsocial@glam.com" target="_blank">email Allison</a> with the subject line "Add me."</p>
<p>(<i>Image: <a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/banspy/3842135861/">The Shield</a>, a Creative Commons <a href="http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/2.0/deed.en">Attribution (2.0)</a> image from banspy's photostream, edited</i>)</p></div>Community Spotlight: Enrique Iglesias Rocks Over a Decade of Fan Engagement to Become One of the 50 Most Influential Celebrities on the Internethttps://cultivate.ning.com/ning-blog/community-spotlight-enrique-iglesias-international-fan-forum2013-07-15T16:10:55.000Z2013-07-15T16:10:55.000ZAllison Leahyhttps://cultivate.ning.com/community/allisonleahy<div><img src="https://storage.ning.com/topology/rest/1.0/file/get/2208265?profile=RESIZE_400x&width=400"></div><div><p><span style="font-size: 12pt;">Spanish singer-songwriter, model, actor, and record producer Enrique Iglesias can teach us a thing or two about community. He is one of the</span> <a href="http://www.zimbio.com/Zimbio's+50+Most+Influential+Celebrities+Online+-+2013/articles/W8d9KhHQ1gi/Enrique+Iglesias+Grabs+46th+Spot+List+50+Most" target="_blank" style="font-size: 12pt;">50 most influential celebrities on the Internet</a><span style="font-size: 12pt;">, according to Zimbio's annual report. There's no doubt that a lot of this has to do with raw talent, longevity, and cross-cultural appeal, but we'd bet that plenty of it leads back to the fact that there has been some semblance of an international fan forum present at EnriqueIglesias.com since the</span> <a href="http://web.archive.org/web/19981212024714/http://www.enriqueiglesias.com/" target="_blank" style="font-size: 12pt;">late 1990s</a><span style="font-size: 12pt;">. </span><span style="font-size: 12pt;">The community moved onto the Ning platform over three years ago and has been thriving here ever since.</span></p>
<p><span style="font-size: 12pt;">To promote Enrique's new album and keep up with the changing times, the community recently underwent a site redesign. We caught up with the management team behind</span> <a href="http://EnriqueIglesias.com" target="_blank" style="font-size: 12pt;">EnriqueIglesias.com</a><span style="font-size: 12pt;"> and asked them to tell us a bit about the community's major milestones, its redesign, and the future.</span></p>
<p class="p2"><span class="font-size-3"><strong><iframe width="100%" height="166" scrolling="no" frameborder="no" src="https://w.soundcloud.com/player/?url=http%3A%2F%2Fapi.soundcloud.com%2Ftracks%2F60881745"></iframe></strong></span></p>
<p class="p2"><span class="font-size-3"><strong>Tell us a bit about the Enrique Iglesias community?</strong></span></p>
<p class="p4"><span class="font-size-3">Some of the major milestones were launching a Spanish version community and this latest redesign.</span></p>
<p class="p2"><span class="font-size-3"><strong>You've just given the community a makeover. It looks great! What kinds of changes did you incorporate into the redesign and why?</strong></span></p>
<p class="p3"><span class="font-size-3">We've optimized more of the design for mobile, particularly tablets. We've made photos and videos more prominent in the homepage of the site. This is because they are two of the most trafficked sections.</span></p>
<p class="p3"><span class="font-size-3"><strong>You host <a href="http://www.enriqueiglesias.com/forum/topics/tonight-i-m" target="_blank">caption contests</a> and <a href="http://www.enriqueiglesias.com/profiles/blogs/fan-chat-is-happening-now" target="_blank">fan chats</a>, what other types of activities take place in the community? What have been the community's favorite events or most successful campaigns?</strong></span></p>
<p class="p3"><span class="font-size-3">We've done ticket and merch giveaways, user generated content promotions, and chats with Enrique in the forum.</span></p>
<p class="p2"><span class="font-size-3"><strong>Enrique has some incredibly <a href="http://bit.ly/12twk0H" target="_blank">passionate fans</a> and many of them congregate in this online community -- what does it take to moderate a community of this nature and size? Is Enrique a very active member?</strong></span></p>
<p class="p4"><span class="font-size-3">It's a considerable amount of work. There are several of us on Enrique's management that monitor the site regularly. We are also in touch with a variety of fans who help bring our attention to things happening in the community.</span></p>
<p><img src="http://storage.ning.com/topology/rest/1.0/file/get/1281848?profile=RESIZE_320x320" width="300" class="align-right"></p>
<p class="p2"><span class="font-size-3"><strong>If you could leave a message for yourself back when you were just starting the Enrique Iglesias fan community and had 30 seconds, what would you say?</strong></span></p>
<p class="p4"><span class="font-size-3">Watch out for spam and use the filtering tools.</span></p>
<p class="p2"><span class="font-size-3"><strong>What can Enrique fans expect next?</strong></span></p>
<p class="p4"><span class="font-size-3">Look out for <a href="http://enriqueiglesias.com/profiles/blog/list?promoted=1" target="_blank">announcements</a> about new music, videos and opportunities exclusively for fans who are part of the community.</span></p></div>How to Integrate Events Into Your Community Strategy [Video]https://cultivate.ning.com/ning-blog/integrate-events-into-community-strategy-video-with-breda-doherty2013-06-05T23:19:04.000Z2013-06-05T23:19:04.000ZAllison Leahyhttps://cultivate.ning.com/community/allisonleahy<div><img src="https://storage.ning.com/topology/rest/1.0/file/get/2208242?profile=RESIZE_400x&width=400"></div><div><p><em>How to Integrate Events Into Your Community Strategy is the seventh in a series of <a href="http://cultivate.ning.com/community-management-talks" target="_self">Community Management Talks</a>. Previous webinars cover topics including: content, activity, managing growth, facilitating member engagement, <a href="http://cultivate.ning.com/ning-blog/converting-newcomers-into-active-community-members" target="_self">converting newcomers into active members</a>, and the social science of online communities. To be alerted of upcoming webinars, <a href="mailto:ningsocial@glam.com" target="_blank">email Allison</a> with the subject line "Add me."</em></p>
<p><span class="font-size-3">Events are an important component to any community's growth strategy. No matter what type of community you have, there are events that you can hold on a recurring or one-time basis to foster a deeper <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sense_of_community" target="_blank">sense of community</a>:</span><span style="font-size: 12pt;"> "A feeling members have of belonging, a feeling that members matter to one another and the group, and a shared faith that <span class="font-size-3">member’s needs will be met through their commitment to be together." </span></span></p>
<p><span class="font-size-3"><a href="https://twitter.com/BredaDoherty" target="_blank"><font color="#75AF2D">Breda Doherty</font></a>, co-founder and director of <a href="http://hubb.it/" target="_blank">Hubb.it</a> and a community management consultant with <a href="http://feverbee.com/" target="_blank"><font color="#75AF2D">FeverBee</font></a>, joined us to discuss the impact of events, explore <a href="http://cultivate.ning.com/ning-blog/the-different-types-of-events" target="_self">different types of events</a>, and explain how events can fit into your community strategy. We invite you to watch a recording of the webinar below and read on for a few words about the presentation.</span><iframe width="560" height="315" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/wqJH5DBzr9w?rel=0" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen=""></iframe></p>
<p><span class="font-size-3">Events are essential to the development of a healthy online community, and should be included in the community's growth strategy when it moves from the <a href="http://www.feverbee.com/2012/01/introducing-the-map-a-proven-process-for-developing-successful-online-communities.html" target="_blank">inception to establishment phase</a>. Too many communities shun events entirely, leaving members to rely on organic discussions as the sole stimulus of content. This is a mistake. Events provide a cause for constant activity, enable social interactions, give members a reason to visit more frequently, and facilitate a strong sense of community.</span></p>
<p><span class="font-size-3">As a community manager, you can get a lot of mileage out of one event. Take this webinar as an example: Breda picked the topic, I drafted a synopsis and posted an <a href="http://creators.ning.com/forum/topics/webinar-how-to-integrate-events-into-your-community-strategy-join" target="_blank">invitation</a> to the Ning Creators community, sent out a <a href="http://bit.ly/115hI22" target="_blank">promotional email</a> to all previous webinar participants, created an <a href="https://plus.google.com/u/0/events/cb9u8ajvhkfkarcg6nu88gm3jak" target="_blank">event on Google+</a>, and posted the news to our social channels.</span></p>
<p><span class="font-size-3">As the event neared, some discussion was generated over on Creators, and the post was shared by our community to Twitter and Facebook. The registration list continued to grow, and we were ready for a great presentation. During the presentation, we encouraged listeners to submit questions for the Q&A session to follow. We also carried out a conversation on Twitter using the hashtag <a href="https://twitter.com/search?q=%23NingTalk&src=hash" target="_blank">#NingTalk</a>. Now, we're sharing the recording and using material reviewed in the presentation as the basis for this blog post. Visitors to this blog can contribute their thoughts using the Disqus commenting feature, and elements of the webinar will be brought back to the Creators community to foster further discussion on the topic of events.</span></p>
<p><span class="font-size-3">Broken down, this means a single one-hour webinar can result in one or more blog posts, multiple community-led discussions, an email broadcast and follow-up, social activity and amplification. The ideas presented in the webinar will, over time, fuel further discussion and may even lead to ancillary events. Additional content ideas include photos, summaries, video footage, supporting interviews with key individuals about the event, a preview, live blog, and so forth.</span></p>
<p><span class="font-size-3">So you see, online events are really quite beneficial -- they not only invigorate the community by bringing in outside ideas, they also stimulate dialogue and create a shared experience. Shared experience is fundamental, as it adds to the sense of community a sense of history and shared purpose.</span></p>
<p><span class="font-size-3">Offline events in the form of exhibitions, product launches, conferences, trade shows, and themed parties are an even greater means of solidifying relationships, building trust, and growing community. According to a <a href="http://sais.aisnet.org/2011/YoungEtAl.pdf" target="_blank">study</a> by Young, Takeuda and Cuellar, offline events can increase page views by 60.4 percent and participation by 27.2 percent. Community members are indeed most engaged during events -- they are also more likely to invite friends to join in the fun.</span></p>
<p><span style="font-size: 12pt;">Watch the webinar for more information on <span>the psychological implications of events, tips on </span>how to determine which events are best suited to your community, and a more detailed look at the kinds of content you can derive from a single event.</span></p>
<p><font size="3">Big thanks to Breda Doherty for sharing her expertise, and thank you to everyone who participated. </font></p>
<p><em><span class="font-size-2">For more in our Community Management Talks series, check out <a href="http://cultivate.ning.com/ning-blog/content-and-community-webinar-recording-with-richard-millington" target="_self">Create Content that Your Community Will Love</a>with Richard Millington. You can also <a href="http://www.feverbee.com/ning.html" target="_blank">download</a> half of Richard's new book "Buzzing Communities: How to Build Bigger, Better, and More Active Online Communities" for free. To be alerted of upcoming Community Management Talks, <a href="mailto:ningsocial@glam.com" target="_blank">email Allison</a> with the subject line "Add me."</span></em></p>
<p><a href="http://storage.ning.com/topology/rest/1.0/file/get/1281760?profile=original" target="_self"><img src="http://storage.ning.com/topology/rest/1.0/file/get/1281760?profile=RESIZE_180x180" width="120" class="align-left" height="120" style="padding: 5px;"></a></p>
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<p dir="ltr"><span><a href="http://twitter.com/bredadoherty" target="_blank">Breda Doherty</a> is the co-founder and director of <a href="http://hubb.it" target="_blank">Hubb.it</a>, a global events community</span> <span>aiming to bring online the spirit of festivals, connect event goers, provide them with information to make their attendance easier, and give them a place to review their experiences. </span>In addition to managing the emergent Hubb.it community, Breda is a consultant with <a href="http://feverbee.com" target="_blank">FeverBee</a>, and helps to run the FeverBee Professional Community Management Course, which you can check out at <a href="http://course.feverbee.com" target="_blank">course.feverbee.com</a>.</p>
<p dir="ltr">Breda got her start in community management at <a href="http://www.learningpool.com/conversations" target="_blank">LearningPool</a>, the UK's largest online learning community where events were a key part of the community’s growth strategy, and she saw firsthand how powerful events can be when growing an online community.</p>
<p><span> </span></p></div>Tickets to ForumCon 2013: The Ultimate Event for Anyone Involved in Creating Communitieshttps://cultivate.ning.com/ning-blog/win-a-ticket-to-forumcon-2013-the-ultimate-event-for-anyone-invol2013-06-03T18:21:52.000Z2013-06-03T18:21:52.000ZAllison Leahyhttps://cultivate.ning.com/community/allisonleahy<div><img src="https://storage.ning.com/topology/rest/1.0/file/get/2208281?profile=RESIZE_400x&width=400"></div><div><p><span class="font-size-3">Today marks ten days until <a href="http://www.forumcon.com/" target="_blank">ForumCon 2013</a>, and what better way to start the countdown than by giving you, dear readers and community cultivators, the chance to attend. We have just a few tickets to share, so please submit your nominations to Lucy at lucy@viglink.com by Friday, June 7th for a chance to attend. <span>(</span><span>Yes, </span><em>you can nominate yourself</em><span>!)</span></span></p>
<p><span class="font-size-3">ForumCon 2013 will take place on Thursday, June 13th at San Francisco's historic <a href="http://www.jdvhotels.com/hotels/california/san-francisco-hotels/hotel-kabuki/destination/map-and-directions" target="_blank">Hotel Kabuki</a>. The focus this year is <em>Connecting, Collaborating, and the Future of Forums</em>. The <span>conference is dedicated to the business of forums and online communities, and <span>attracts top technology partners alongside emerging and successful forum owners, moderaters, and community managers. Companies attending include Ning, Flipboard, Livefyre, Twilio, Google, <span>Huddler,</span> CNET, Disqus, Greylock, 99Designs, Adobe, and many more.</span></span></span></p>
<p><span class="font-size-3"><span style="font-size: 12pt;">Expect a mix of keynote presentations, panel discussions, breakout sessions, and a healthy dose of collaboration. Bring plenty of business cards and practice your <a href="http://www.sheltoninteractive.com/blog/how-to-create-a-great-elevator-pitch-elevator-pitch-examples" target="_blank">elevator pitch</a>, because first up is </span><span class="font-size-3">a round of speed networking, where attendees will be encouraged to meet 10 new contacts in 30 minutes. </span></span></p>
<p><span class="font-size-3"><span class="font-size-3"><a href="http://www.viglink.com/about/team/executives" target="_blank">Oliver Roup</a>, Founder and CEO of VigLink will introduce the day, leading into the first panel presentation on forum monetization. </span></span><span class="font-size-3"><span class="font-size-3">The following talk, Building Your Community: From SEO to Social, <span>will be led by Search Engine Journal's </span><a href="http://searchenginewatch.com/author/2189/john-rampton" target="_blank">John Rampton</a>. Later sessions</span></span><span class="font-size-3"> include: The Importance of IRL: Connecting Your Community In Real Life with Anthony Marino, President Audizine; Effective Strategies for Forum Moderation with Dave Cayem, VP Delphi Forums; Hooked Model: How to Make Social Work with Your Forum, with Ted Rheingold, VP Social Say Media. <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jeff_Atwood" target="_blank">Jeff Atwood</a>, Co-founder of Stackexchange.com and Discourse.org will deliver the keynote address, to be followed by a networking reception. If that's not enough to grab you, take a look at the full <a href="http://www.forumcon.com/agenda" target="_blank">agenda</a>.</span></p>
<p><span class="font-size-3">There will be plenty of opportunity to meet this year’s <a href="http://www.forumcon.com/speakers" target="_blank">speakers</a>, sponsors, backstage team, and other attendees. </span><span style="font-size: 12pt;">If you know of anyone who would be interested in joining the conversation and would like to <strong>nominate them for a free ticket</strong>, email Lucy at lucy@viglink.com<span> on or before Friday, June 7, 2013.</span></span></p>
<p><span style="font-size: 12pt;">If you plan to attend, tweet at @Ning with the hashtag #ForumCon. We'd love to see you there.</span></p>
<p><span style="font-size: 12pt;">Follow the latest ForumCon updates on </span><a href="https://www.facebook.com/ForumCon" style="font-size: 12pt;">Facebook</a><span style="font-size: 12pt;">,</span><span style="font-size: 12pt;"> </span><a href="https://twitter.com/forumcon" style="font-size: 12pt;">Twitter</a><span style="font-size: 12pt;">, or</span><span style="font-size: 12pt;"> </span><a href="http://www.linkedin.com/groups/ForumCon-3974365" style="font-size: 12pt;">LinkedIn</a><span style="font-size: 12pt;">.</span></p>
<p><span class="font-size-3"><iframe width="640" height="360" style="font-size: 13px;" src="http://player.vimeo.com/video/58228148?byline=0&portrait=0&color=c9ff23" frameborder="0" webkitallowfullscreen="" mozallowfullscreen="" allowfullscreen=""></iframe></span></p>
</div>The Ultimate Welcome For Your Online Community's Newcomershttps://cultivate.ning.com/ning-blog/the-ultimate-welcome-for-your-online-community-s-newcomers2013-04-08T19:23:48.000Z2013-04-08T19:23:48.000ZRichard Millingtonhttps://cultivate.ning.com/community/RichardMillington<div><img src="https://storage.ning.com/topology/rest/1.0/file/get/2208133?profile=RESIZE_400x&width=400"></div><div><p><span class="font-size-3">Most communities are setup to repulse newcomers. You have to complete dumb questions when you join. Then you’re asked to introduce yourself to others.</span></p>
<p><span class="font-size-3">You should welcome members, not out of obligation, but with the firm intention of ensuring they begin participating and making friends within your community. This is the role of the welcome.</span></p>
<p><span class="font-size-3">With standard participation rates so low, converting a newcomer into a regular is worth the extra time. These are several steps you can take to do this:</span></p>
<ul>
<li><span class="font-size-3"><b><a target="_self" href="http://storage.ning.com/topology/rest/1.0/file/get/1281693?profile=original"><img class="align-right" src="http://storage.ning.com/topology/rest/1.0/file/get/1281693?profile=original" width="191"></a>Drop the automated welcomes.</b> It’s impersonal and makes a newcomer feel like an anonymous outsider. Likewise, don’t use the same welcome for every member.</span></li>
</ul>
<ul>
<li><span class="font-size-3"><b>Introduce yourself.</b> Don’t send a standard e-mail. Welcome the newcomer, ask relevant questions (<i>do you know anyone else here?)</i> The goal here is to begin a conversation, a conversation that continues past the initial interaction. Highlight discussions they might like to participate in. Give them something to do.</span></li>
</ul>
<ul>
<li><span class="font-size-3"><b>Send them a welcome pack.</b> A welcome pack brings newcomers up to speed with the latest happenings in the community and its history.</span></li>
</ul>
<ul>
<li><span class="font-size-3"><b>Introduce others to the new member.</b></span> <span class="font-size-3">Help to place the newcomer in a group with others. Ask those with similar hobbies, of similar age or location to introduce themselves.</span></li>
</ul>
<ul>
<li><span class="font-size-3"><b>Automate discussions.</b> Have answers to your awesome profile questions appear automatically on the user boards so the member gets replies and feedback on his/her discussion.</span></li>
</ul>
<ul>
<li><span class="font-size-3"><b>Have a weekly update of newcomers.</b> Every Friday, update your newspage with a list of newcomers and some information about them. Encourage people to say hi.</span></li>
</ul>
<p><span class="font-size-3">The more you design these processes to be efficient, the less effective they will be. The more time you spend with newcomers when they join, the more likely they will become regular members. These regulars are the backbone of your community, they're worth the time.</span></p>
<p></p>
<p><em><span class="font-size-2">Images courtesy of <a rel="nofollow" href="http://www.123rf.com/profile_yencha" target="_blank">Chatchai Somwhat</a> and <a rel="nofollow" href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/xanetia/4470169024/" target="_blank">Xanetia</a></span></em></p>
<p><span class="font-size-3"> </span></p></div>How User Guidelines Help Your Communityhttps://cultivate.ning.com/ning-blog/how-user-guidelines-help-your-community2013-04-02T18:02:13.000Z2013-04-02T18:02:13.000ZPatrick O'Keefehttps://cultivate.ning.com/community/patrickokeefe<div><img src="https://storage.ning.com/topology/rest/1.0/file/get/2208121?profile=RESIZE_400x&width=400"></div><div><p>Online community guidelines detail the types of behaviors that are and are not appropriate on your community. They include things that some might consider obvious, but they also include items that are somewhat unique to you and your community. I liken an online community to a country. Each country has culture, laws and social norms that make it different from every other country.</p>
<p>I believe user guidelines are pretty important. Let's discuss why.</p>
<ul>
<li><h2>They Level the Playing Field and Mitigate Uncertainty</h2></li>
</ul>
<p><br> The absence of guidelines leads to people making up their own or thinking that anything goes. With no official set of guidelines that is applied consistently, you instead get everyone else's interpretation of what they believe "should" be alright. In some cases, this may also lead to them defending their interpretation against the interpretation of another member. Certainly, that can get messy. But the uncertainty of it all is a big turn off because most people aren't going to be the ones bold enough to try to set their own guidelines. They are more likely to join a timid group that is unsure of what is acceptable and, as such, just tries to play it as safe as possible. For some, this will just mean that they decide to go elsewhere, to another community that has a more established structure that matches with what they are looking for in a community.</p>
<p>Good guidelines, like good rules and laws, tend to help us to all participate on a level playing field.Once we know the ground rules, we are free to express ourselves in a manner that respects them. Some may view guidelines as restrictive but, just as much, they free people up because they no longer need to worry about what might or might not be OK.</p>
<ul>
<li><p><img class="align-right" src="http://storage.ning.com/topology/rest/1.0/file/get/1281699?profile=RESIZE_480x480" width="355"></p><h2>(Some) People Look for Them</h2></li>
</ul>
<p>Now, I know what you are thinking. "No one reads them." You've probably heard someone say it before. However, the truth is that some people do read them. I'm not saying it is a lot of people, but some members do seek them out, especially new members, but also veterans in search for a refresher. Those people who do look for them are trying to do the right thing. They want to make sure that something is OK. This is why it is not only important to have guidelines, but to link them in visible areas, such as your header, footer, near areas where contributions are made (like reply boxes), in staff member signatures, etc. If everyone knows where they are housed, it maximizes the usefulness of your guidelines.</p>
<ul>
<li><h2>They Serve as a Vision Statement (of Sorts)</h2></li>
</ul>
<p><br> Community guidelines are a living document and, more than a set of rules, they speak to the type of community you are and the audience that will most appreciate what you have to offer. No community is for everyone. Even a community for everyone isn't because not everyone wants that. Your guidelines help to demonstrate this and help people to come to that understanding sooner. Vision statements tell people where an organization wants to go in the future. Your guidelines should speak to that. And if a part of your guidelines ever stops speaking to that, you should change it.</p>
<ul>
<li><h2>They Give You Something to Refer To</h2></li>
</ul>
<p><br> This may be the biggest one. If you try to apply any sort of standards to your community and you don't have any sort of public guidelines, it feels unfair and arbitrary. How can people know that something violates the guidelines if there aren't any guidelines? If you remove content without guidelines to refer members to, then it looks like you are removing content based on imaginary rules that only exist in your head. It doesn't inspire confidence. When you remove content, you notify the person who posted it and tell them why. When you tell them why, you include a link to your guidelines, so they can see the publicly posted standards that all members must adhere to.</p>
<p>To sum it up, having guidelines isn't about making sure that everyone reads them. Instead, they exist to serve as a point of reference, so that everyone knows what standards exist and what is expected. There is no guess work, there is no mystery. This helps to create an environment of honesty and fairness.</p>
<p> </p>
<p><em>Images courtesy of <a rel="nofollow" href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/oregondot">OregonDOT</a> and <a rel="nofollow" href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/mtsofan/">mtsofan</a></em></p></div>How to Deal With Antagonistic Membershttps://cultivate.ning.com/ning-blog/how-to-deal-with-antagonistic-members-12013-04-02T17:56:52.000Z2013-04-02T17:56:52.000ZRichard Millingtonhttps://cultivate.ning.com/community/RichardMillington<div><img src="https://storage.ning.com/topology/rest/1.0/file/get/2208115?profile=RESIZE_400x&width=300"></div><div><p>Many community managers are either too slow or too fast to remove antagonistic members. They either remove the antagonistic member without fully realizing the role this individual plays within the community, or they spend copious amounts of time trying to convert the antagonist into a happy member.</p>
<p>One community manager I spoke with a few weeks ago had recently spent <i>half a day</i> resolving a problem with antagonistic members. That’s insane, what happens when you have 20 antagonistic members a week? Are you going to spend ALL your time on your community’s unhappy participants?</p>
<p><a href="http://storage.ning.com/topology/rest/1.0/file/get/1281722?profile=original" target="_self"><img src="http://storage.ning.com/topology/rest/1.0/file/get/1281722?profile=original" class="align-center" width="550"></a></p>
<p> </p>
<p>Antagonistic members aren’t always bad. They can provoke discussions, highlight topics that other members were hesitant to address, put forward opposing (if unpopular) view- points, and prevent groupthink in communities. Communities where everyone agrees and gets along are dull.</p>
<p>Even the most antagonistic members can unite the community against them. This sounds crazy (and I’ve received plenty of criticism for it), but a community united against a few individuals can actually derive benefits.</p>
<p>The question you need to ask is: Does this antagonistic member kill or boost discussions?</p>
<p>Antagonistic members might not be breaking any rules, but may still have to go simply by virtue of squelching every discussion they participate in. Otherwise, antagonistic members should be allowed to stay because they have a beneficial impact upon the community.</p>
<p>Don’t fall into the reactivity trap. Don’t get sucked in to spending hours of your time trying to deal with antagonistic members. Make quick decisions and take quick actions.</p>
<p><a href="http://storage.ning.com/topology/rest/1.0/file/get/1281764?profile=original" target="_self"><img src="http://storage.ning.com/topology/rest/1.0/file/get/1281764?profile=original" class="align-right" width="300"></a></p>
<p>I often offer clients a six-step escalation process:</p>
<ol>
<li><b>Do nothing</b>. This is my favorite step. It doesn’t require much work. If neither the number of participating members nor the quantity of contributions is declining, let it slide.</li>
<li><b>Reason/befriend/distract</b>. If the antagonistic member is clearly a problem, you react in one of three ways. First, if it’s likely they don’t realize they’re antagonizing members (this is surprisingly common, usually a personality issue), explain they need to tone their language down because members have been complaining. If they have a genuine grievance or concern, try to ask them what the real problem is and how you can help solve it. Finally, if they are focused upon one particular issue, distract them by giving them a column, or responsibility for a certain topic to express their viewpoint.</li>
<li><b>Suspend</b>. If none of the above works, suspend the member and explain why. Suspension can range from three days (one day isn’t enough) to one week. You can do this manually or use any system you like.</li>
<li><b>Ban</b>. If after a suspension they still cause problems, remove them from the community. Lock the account or ban the IP address from registering an account.</li>
<li><b>Edit/Repel</b>. Some members continue to register new accounts (or mask their IP address). They’re intent on causing trouble. Some community managers get caught in a cat-and-mouse game. They ban the new accounts and others continue to spring up. An endurance game, it continues until one side gets tired. It’s best left to volunteers. I’ve had some success by editing comments posted by the member to something softer (usually complimenting other members).</li>
<li><b>Contact ISP/Police</b>. If the member continues to return or is engaged in threatening/illegal activity, either contact their ISP or the police. You can jump straight to this stage if necessary.</li>
</ol>
<p><br> The goal of this process is to move from one stage to the next whilst spending as little time on antagonistic members as possible. The danger is rarely antagonistic members themselves; it’s the amount of time you spend on them. Over time, you neglect your happy members and can lose many members as a result. Make sure that doesn’t happen to you.</p>
<p> </p>
<p><em>Images courtesy of <a rel="nofollow" href="http://th02.deviantart.net/">th02</a> and <a rel="nofollow" href="http://raidho36.deviantart.com/">raidho36</a> </em></p></div>