Competitive Intelligence: Online Community Strategies

How do your competitors keep visitors interested in returning to their site, pitching in with Content, or just connecting with others visitors? Check for these following applications::

Email Newsletters

• Email newsletters are one-to-many communications devices which allow you to update a large group of constituents quickly and cost effectively.

Mailing Lists or Listservs(c)

• The two main applications are for one-to many communication like newsletters or for many-to-many communications where each member of a list can respond to the entire group.
• Some lists are moderated which means the moderator reviews all messages before they are posted to the list. Some are open and anyone on the list can post at any time.
• Some list groups have formed relationships over time and consider themselves communities.

Online Conferencing and Bulletin Boards

• The next step from mailing lists is web based conversation spaces known as bulletin boards, online forums or conferences.
• These have gained in popularity and form the most visible nucleus for online communities.

Chat

• Often dismissed as a trivial interaction designed for teens, chat can be a useful teaching tool used in combination with asynchronous conferencing, and has been show effective for small group meeting where decisions can be made and details arranged.

Instant Messaging

• Instant messaging applications such as ICQ, MSN Instant Messenger and AOL's Instant Messenger allow members of a group of users to see who is online at any moment, send instant messages and set up spontaneous small chats. .

Other new online tools

• Complete List of Web 2.0 Products and Services

Suggested Articles

• Social Marketing -- How to Get More Visitors to Interact on Your Online Forum

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