Improve your online community in five easy steps
I get a lot of people contacting me for help with their online community. Most of the time, they are unhappy with the amount of activity taking place – they want to see more. Most of the time, I see the same (or at least similar) problems. Therefore, in this article I want to outline five ways you can easily improve your online community. 1. Make the community prominent. Don’t hide your online community behind a link. Bring it

What is an online community manager?
The precise description of an online community manager varies from organisation to organisation. Some companies will describe the responsibilities of an online community manager very differently to others. Some will offer roles with very similar job descriptions but very different job titles. The issue is this – there is no standard definition as to what an online community manager is, or does. We are all still ‘feeling our way’. In

How to deal with bad apples in your online community
No online community is perfect – there will come a time (if it hasn’t happened already) when a member becomes abusive or confrontational. Dealing with these bad apples can be a challenge – they will often stir up emotions and lead to a huge spike in member engagement and discussion. However, it’s unlikely that this is the kind of activity you want to see in your online community. Arguments and controversy

Invigorate your online community by closing it down
Remember that community building takes time. That being said, sometimes an online community just won’t get off the ground. If you are struggling to encourage activity or if you want to build more of a buzz around your site, sometimes closing it down is the best course of action. Close your online community down

How to build and maintain trust in online communities
A vital element of a successful online community is trust. Without it, your community won’t be as strong as it could be – trust brings people together; it encourages people to share information and the more they share, the more others will share. Strong bonds result in a strong community. In this article, I’ll outline some of the ways you can build and maintain trust in online communities. Who needs to be trusted? As a