Community Building & Community Development Articles

Decide who you are before you start blogging

You need to determine how you wish to be perceived before you can become an effective blogger and communicator otherwise you risk sending confused messages and will struggle to build a relationship with your readers.

How to compete against larger online communities

Starting a brand new online community is a challenging task, especially when you are competing against communities that are already well established. Forget about competing for revenue or members. Instead, focus on what you can do better.

Can chat rooms still add value to online communities?

With the increasing popularity of social networks, does online chat have a future? I believe it does and that online chat can add fantastic value to an online community. This article will explain why.

The reasons why online communities fail

The majority of online communities fail. This article identifies and explains the most common reasons why, so you can avoid them when developing your own online community. I can give you advice, but success is down to you.

Community Spark Redesign

Welcome to the re-designed Community Spark. I am very excited to launch this new design; please bear with me for the next few days whilst I get things running correctly.

Feel free to leave your comments and feedback.

Wanted: Your community building questions and ideas

Unfortunately I missed out on attending the South by SouthWest Interactive Festival this year. Having read more about the event from those that managed to attend, it looks like I missed out on a great opportunity so I’ll be attending next year.

6 ways to deal with abusive chat room users

As a chat room moderator, you will come across abusive users and consequently you will need to deal with them. This article will outline the options available to you.

Why making all of your forums private is a bad idea

If you are trying to bring more people to your forums and your target is growth, your primary forums should be available to the public. There are various reasons for having your forums public and accessible…

Why your online community is like a beautiful woman

Your may not realise this, but your online community is just like a beautiful woman. This article will explain why. A beautiful woman, just like any other, wants to be treated well…

Develop your online community for long term success

It can take a long time to develop a successful online community – attracting and retaining members can be a challenge. Even when you have reached ‘critical mass’, you still need a long term plan…

Think of your community members as customers

Most online communities are free to use, and free to join. This doesn’t mean that members should be treated any worse than fee-paying customers, though and this article will explain why.