What to Consider when Building Your Social Community

© Duchess O’Blunt, 2010; all rights reserved.

Twitter, Facebook, Linkedin, My Space, You Tube: Anyone using these social media realizes that a great deal of time is required to see a return on your investment even though social media has fast become a major contributor to the development of a new era in marketing.

· 64% of businesses spend 5 hours or more a week on Social Media

· 39% of businesses spend 10 hours or more a week on Social Media

(Source: Social Media Marketing Report)

These statistics are reason enough to seriously consider following through on your thoughts of building your own social media networking community. When you do, consider what you look for when you spend your time at other sites and develop it accordingly.

When you build your Social Network, keep in mind the niche you are building it for, and make it clear very quickly what will make me - your potential member - want to join.

Make sure your mission statement and your vision are abundantly clear right up front. Don’t make me look for it. I want to know quickly:

1. Why my time should be spent here?
2. What do you offer that I cannot find elsewhere?
3. Who are your members?

Sign up information should be front and center.

Transfer of information

1. Utilize an “about me” page and make it easy for me to transfer this information to and from your pages.
2. Make it easy to post information to Facebook, LinkedIn, Twitter and other social networks relevant to your niche.

Communication

1. Ensure easy communication with other members
2. Offer blogging, forums and media uploads
3. Have a Forum field where members generate the ideas
4. Provide a "twitter like" feed
   
5. Have your "Contact" information easy to find
6. Clearly identify your Privacy Policy
7. Offer your newsletter sign up to all visitors and members

I'm a prospective reader, member or participant of your social network. I am not going to waste my time on yet ANOTHER site that will suck up my time. So what do you offer that is unique or specific and not already out there?

Make sure this message is front and center and the first thing a visitor sees.

If you plan on building a social network, make SURE you know your targeted niche. Make SURE you have something unique to offer them and make SURE you have the resources necessary to make it a success.

Things you can offer

• A coffee corner for daily catch up with other members
• Competitions with great prizes. Make it something that will benefit you and the member.
• Events that your members can participate in either in person or virtually
• Advise corner with a great panel of experts
• Spotlights for members who have contributed great content
• Giveaways
• Daily tips
• Tutorials
• Education
  

When we were in the process of building our member based social networking site for women - I remember being asked by several people - what is the benefit of becoming a member?

When you are building your own social network, that question should be upper most is you mind at all times. You need to fill a need in a certain niche. Don't try to be all things to all people, it's dificult enough trying to fill the needs of a small niche.

The idea behind social networking is to build a network of like minded people, sharing the same interests, hobbies or line of work. Perhaps for those with a common politcal agenda, or passion for a cause.

Build your social network with that group in mind. If you work at it, build it well, and do your marketing properly, they will come. 

The benefit of membership in a social networking arena, is the community that develops.

Build your site for your members.

As a potential community member of your social networking community, I want to know that my contributions are easily accessible. I will be more inclined to contribute worthwhile content when I see that others can bookmark it thus promoting both you and me. Make it easy.

Here are some of the reasons why I would venture into your community.

1. Sharing
2. The knowledge base on your community
3. Seeing the value added content and opportunities
4. Finding the marketing information
5. Developing relationships and partnerships

When you build yours – show me how I can do these things quickly and you will find me checking it out. When I find these things, I will at least give you 15-20 minutes to see if your community fits my needs.

Social Media is all about cooperation not competition. If you have targeted your niche correctly, made your Network easy to navigate, offer great content and incentive, you will generate that spirit of cooperation and your members will generate new and rich content.

 Finally, one of the most important considerations when you are working on building your social networking community is the venue.

When you throw a successful Christmas party, or need to provide the perfect place for that very important meeting with a client, the choice of venue becomes a major decision.

So too must your consider where "home" is going to be for your new community.  There are many "for free" places you can go.  These are great for starters, and I often recommend a network of people be started from such places as Facebook, LinkedIn and yes, even Twitter - because your connections here offer you a wonderful fan base already.  You have already laid the ground work, and put in the time, to devleop those relationships.  It is hoped that you can bring your facebook buddies - or a percentage of the - with you to your new home.

So, choosing how you build it once you have started your niche can be tough.  Planning the stages of small to big to larger give you a great opportunity to learn if you have found your niche, and if your membership will grow with you.

Instant success sometimes takes 20 years.