In the social space, Carnival has cruised to the front of the Twitter line. They have a brand evangelist, @CruiseSource, tweeting live from a Carnival cruise that is currently underway. His current bio reads “Your Source for Everything related to Cruising. Live from CCL Destiny 10.16.08.”
CruiseSource.us is a blog about cruising, not Carnival persay. My clients in the travel industry tell me that they enjoy perks from cruise lines and destination resorts in exchange for bookings and promotion. Presumably, that arrangement exists for CruiseSource, and it’s a good way for Carnival to dip their toe in the social ocean.
What is notable about this case is how effectively brand evangelists utilize micromedia to generate buzz and online PR for brands. This is also a good example of small businesses being nimble with social strategy and engagement.
Best Practices in Social Media Strategy & Engagement
CruiseSource is using Twitter to establish themselves as experts in their niche. Rather than just constantly link back to their site, an early mistake they seem to have overcome, they relate with their audience in meaningful ways. Examples:
They spent weeks building excitement about this cruise.
They invite cruise-related questions and follow-up with answers.
Apparently their efforts have led a major cruise line to invite CruiseSource to participate on a web 2.0 advisory board. If this is Carnival, then kudos for building a smart partnership and generating inexpensive online PR. As long as CruiseSource maintains an air of industry promotion and authentic human interaction, Carnival will benefit from the company’s peer recommendations.
For any travel brand, I suggest a few more tips in establishing a genuine social presence online.
Be more personable. CruiseSource has found a voice on Twitter and its blog, but it still hides behind the company name on all posts. Even using a first name (Tucker?) would cut through informality and lend credibility to their recommendation.
I’m interested to see what travel brands develop on other social platforms, both in external marketing and within the company’s internal organization of staff, partners and sales channels.
Deconstructing Personal Twitter Feeds to Help Communication
Without being privy to formal Twitter usability studies, I’d wager most people rarely browse their tweet timeline beyond the first page. For those of us who follow hundreds and thousands of tweeters, we miss the vast majority of tweets in our network. It also means that only the most frequent tweeters have a chance of being heard by their followers.
How to hear your friends on Twitter
When I’m in a consumer mode, I often click on individual tweeters to read their last series of posts. I gravitate toward different people depending on what mood/topic I’m interested in at the time.
My friend who is new to Twitter asks, “How can I push my friend’s tweets to me?” Easy. Scroll to the bottom of a profile and subscribe to the RSS feed. You will see their tweets in your reader.
You may have select tweeters of whom you’d like to read everything they say, so subscribe to their RSS feeds. Note, when someone deletes a tweet from their timeline, it still appears in their RSS feed like Google Reader or Facebook. People in this category might include:
Use @name replies so tweets about them will show up in their Replies list. I’ve found people tend to favorite these tweets more often (I do too) and people are more apt to reply back. Be sure to put the @reply at the beginning of your tweet, otherwise it will not appear in their Replies list (Twitter should fix this).
I also direct message (DM) people with increasing frequency. By default, Twitter sends them an email to their preferred email account and it lands in their Direct Messages queue. Good uses for @replies and DMs are:
Expressing appreciation for new follows
Conventions, tweet-ups
To make an introduction
Apply for jobs w/ Twitter-savvy recruiters like @kimhaynes
Ping a friend’s mobile device (also use the Nudge feature)
Quick & pithy emails
Top of mind awareness
Lead generation
Is this helpful? Please talk back with a comment or tweet me with an @reply or DM 🙂
Seth Godin and Ed Welch have 101 ideas for brand managers on how not to take care of their customers. Here are my favorites related to online advertising.
3. Don’t ask for feedback from your customers. Make them take surveys but never engage them in a conversation with you.
5. Do everything you can to keep your customers from creating a community – you don’t want them talking to each other.
15. Don’t take viral marketing seriously. How fast can a message spread anyway?
22. Never try to build customer evangelists – mass advertising has always worked better!
31. Routinely email your customers without their expressed permission. The more frequently you send email, the better.
42. Don’t browse the internet – don’t look for what people are saying about your company.
69. Be sure you understand that internet marketing is just like “old school marketing”.
HBO is experimenting with media convergence through it’s HBOlab unit in a new web series, Hooking Up. Set in a fictional college named Bask U, the show features popular video bloggers and web celebrities. HBOlab will release the show exclusively through online video venues.
Hooking Up features web celebrities who have managed to garner millions of online fans over the past few years.
The series would emphasize content and experience over relatively low production costs, something HBO has been willing to try in the past with Project Greenlight and K Street. Both of these pseudo documentaries also leveraged star-status to help generate buzz. I expect Hooking Up will attract more visibility given advances in social media platforms and a broader reach of online video delivery.
The show’s best shot at success is each star’s ability to self promote directly to their own massive fanbases online. The sense of being approachable lends a web celebrity a distinct advantage over the contests and film stars used in previous HBO projects. Moreover, the current fanbase is already in place and quite active.
Fortunately, it sounds like the project’s success will not be measured simply on it’s ability to turn a profit, rather HBOlabs appears to have freedom to really play in the social space. Following my experience on the BMW Ramp mockumentary, I anticipate a few benefits for HBO despite the low entry costs:
Devoted Fans Behind-the-scenes commentaries & extra content can turn causal consumers into devoted fans, especially when a company engages them directly. Consumers that become personally invested with the stars and each other can become powerful WOM channels. Dwights Blog, Ron Moore’s Battlestar Galactica podcast and multiple Lost Podcasts are good examples.
New Audiences HBO has an opportunity to develop new online communities around shows, storylines and set locations. They can also attract audiences from niche communities and convert them to devoted fans.
New Real Estate HBO has an opportunity to develop new web properties with which sponsors will want to associate their own brands.
New Talent HBOlabs can develop production and creative talent into other projects at HBO. Shows & talent can cross pollinate to generate more buzz and attract fresh audiences. We realize similar benefits at SQPN.
Generate Buzz Free PR outlets like fans, evangelists, thought leaders and the business press help refresh HBO’s top of mind awareness and new paid subscriptions.
Smart Positioning Companies that invest in social media are currently perceived as youthful, approachable and technically savvy.
Hooking Up is written and directed by Sherwood “Woody” Tondrof, part of the creative talent behind “The BC“, a 2005-2006 web series spoof on Fox’s “The OC.” The BC tells the story of a troubled Boston College student who meets a kindly Jesuit priest. The show is fiction, but it effectively uses real BC students and professors and garnered national attention through a mixture of traditional and online guerrilla marketing.
You probably have a good idea about how you’d like to steer the early stages of your web community. Ponder these questions to see if you’re on track and where you might adjust.
What is the goal of your group expressed in a single sentence? What objectives serve that goal?
Have you defined how your community will operate? Have you published forum rules or comment guidelines? Do you have a privacy policy? Do you have a plan for dealing with spam, trolls and other abusive elements?
Will you allow members to self-promote in early stages? Will your leaders and mods be able to distinguish between natural self-promotion and spam posts?
What attributes reveal your management style? Approachable? Hands off?
Which best describes your approach in forming your group?
» Ready. Aim. Fire.
» Ready. Fire. Aim.
» Ready. Aim. Aim. Aim. Aim.
Who do you know that counterbalances your style and approach? How can they help?
Are you participating in your community? What are you doing to foster group participation? What are you doing that inhibits participation?
Who is emerging as a potential leader in your community? Are there any brand evangelists? Consistent contributors? Natural mediators? Do they get along well with others?
Stage 2: Storming
Reflection: Online Community Growth
As your community vision extends to others, you inherently sacrifice messaging control. Learn from the mistakes of others, and look at the many brands handling this change successfully. Read these questions to help articulate new and persistent problems and suggest possible actions you can take.
Do new ideas serve the group’s goal? Do these ideas need to be abandoned? Or should they be drafted within a new set of objectives?
How do you welcome new members to your community? What would a new member experience when they join your group?
Do you have infighting among members of your group? Is it healthy debate or destructive bomb-throwing?
Do you have a Troll Watch List? How will you deal with troublemakers? Which is an appropriate course of action: a public rebuke? A gentle reminder of the rules? Or do you cut to the bone and ban them from the community?
Do you have arguments spilling over from other communities on the Internet? Can you find resolution from past history? Do you accept personality clashes as inevitable?
Do “know-it-alls” squash discussion? Are they truly knowledgeable, but lack interpersonal soft skills? Can you help them add value without pissing everyone off? Or are they just jerks? Can you call in support from senior members to chastise, clarify, defend or attack?
How do you oversee member contributions? Are avatars offensive? Are you overrun with spam or offensive material? Do you invite self-policing or do you have a team of responders actively patrolling for issues or both? Do you have clear path to moderators so members can notify you of problems? Are you aware of technologies that can help you control unwanted and malicious material?
Do you have strong diplomats that value peacekeeping over healthy debate and disagreement? Are they allowing an argument enough time to play itself out? Do they send fighters to their corners too quickly?
How is your leadership personality? Can you be a bit overbearing or needy at times? Too timid? How do you respond to the ideas of others? Do you have a “brain trust” that can give you honest feedback of your performance?
Stage 3: Norming
Reflection: Habit & Tone in Your Online Community
As your community matures, you will recognize healthy attachment among its members. Your community may operate fine in this stage with minor maintenance and attention. Or you might want to tighten cooperation and press for higher performance.
What is your group’s current dynamic? Is it collaborative? Combative? Active or passive?
Can you identify sub-groups within your community? Which are good, bad or ambiguous to your goals & objectives?
Do you have any individuals that tend to cut across cliques or rise above the fray? Might they become leaders, moderators or brand evangelists for you?
What tools and methods can every member hook into? What areas need stronger collaboration?
What good habits does your group have? How can you foster them?
What bad habits does your group have? What actions or lack of action leads to those habits? What attitudes, beliefs and past “baggage” contribute to those ongoing actions?
What ideas and practices are deeply ingrained in your community? Do they really serve the purpose? Can you identify any that are harmful or inhibit performance? Are you part of the echo chamber or do you have enough distance to recognize it?
Are you transitioning from a role of director to a role of working supervisor? Are others assuming roles of leadership?
Do you need to return to a new Forming or Storming stage to shake up your community? Who can you recruit to help?
Stage 4: Performing
Reflection: Sustaining High Performance
Congratulations if your community has achieved a level of high performance. Take some time to think about how you can keep it going.
Is your community financially solvent? Is it monetized via ad revenue or paid content?
Is your software keeping pace with your level of community activity?
Which social networks target your membership demographic or psychographic? Where else do your members hang out? Can you forge mutually beneficial partnerships?
Can use social media networks and user generated content platforms to expand services to existing members? Can you use these tools to boost membership?
What tactics do you see working in other high performing communities?
Post Mortem: Transforming and Mourning
Reflection: Changes and Death of an Online Community
Your community may be on the verge of temporary or permanent transition. Consider these issues to decide if you should embrace change or pull the plug.
Has your group achieved its goal? Are people wondering “what’s next?”
Have key influencers or core leaders left the group?
Are you facing burnout? Do you have time to continue leading?
Are you stuck in a perpetual Storming stage? Would it make sense to transition back to Forming or press on to Norming?
Who could potentially take over community management? Is there a stand-out leader or sub-group?
Is your advertising campaign approaching EOL? Is the community still flourishing? Do long-tail benefits justify continued community support, even without actively promoting it?
How can your community celebrate its accomplishments? Who deserves acknowledgment?
Final Thoughts
Community Managers that want to work on their community, and less time in it should study Tucker’s model of group dynamics in the context of a Social Community Lifecycle.
A couple years ago I took a 10-month leadership course on small group facilitation to learn about how new groups form and achieve sustainability. The lessons were geared for physical offline groups, but my experience as an online group facilitator, including one of the largest social networks on Ning, convinces me that offline group models remain intact in the realm of social media as well. Web communities are comprised of real people, so we can expect basic human behavior patterns to permeate regardless of the medium in which they communicate.
In 1965, Bruce Tucker proposed a model of group dynamics popularly known as Forming, Storming, Norming & Performing. In a nutshell, Tucker’s model encompasses several distinct stages, beginning from a group’s creation through its maturation and ultimate evolution or extinction.
Online community managers will find that Tucker’s work is still relevant today. These same stages of creation and growth are evident within all types of social media. If you moderate blog comments, forum posts, product reviews, news feedback, podcast networks or participate in social gaming or virtual worlds, Tucker’s model should be of interest to you. This is especially useful if you want insight into how your community can achieve sustainability.
The Lifecycle of Online Communities
Let’s look at each stage in sequence and consider how Tucker’s model applies to today’s online groups. As you read the descriptions, try to identify within which stage your online community currently exists. Is your community flourishing? Do you need to shift your community toward a later stage? Or retreat to an earlier one?
In the early stages of group development, individuals rally behind a leader or core steering committee under a banner of broad challenge or opportunity. Enthusiasm is high, friendships form easily and people begin working on tasks. Everyone tends to be on their best behavior, but founding members operate independently with sense of autonomy and tend to be self-focused.
Successful groups leaders claim a position of authority by virtue of their experience, maturity, availability or simply because they are the ones laying the ground rules. Leaders frame guidelines on how the group will function and how its members will interrelate. This may be expressly written or socially implied through mission statements, codes of conduct and “leading by example.” Sharing the principles of group dynamics among group leaders and moderators can be very helpful in preparing people to encounter situations. (wink wink nudge nudge: share this article with your social media managers…)
In the Forming stage, group leaders should also watch for early emerging leaders. When I instructed ROTC cadets in various drill camps and leadership schools, we closely observed individuals in order to fill positions as squad leaders and flight commanders within the first few hours of training. Extroverts tend to rise because they naturally make themselves known to others, but introverts are just as capable of leading if they are prompted or invited to do so.
Reflection: Online Community Formation You probably have a good idea about how you’d like to steer the early stages of your web community. Read these questions to see if you’re on track and where you might adjust.
Stage 2: Storming
Ideas and Personalities Compete to Be Heard
Every group encounters a period of identity & self awareness, where members debate essential objectives and problems and how they should behave individually and within groups. This is also a stage where leadership authority, knowledge, style and capability is most apt to be judged as either appropriate or unsatisfactory.
Groups can pass quickly through this stage or they can collapse for a number of reasons. If a leader abdicates their early role as guide, role model and referee, then stronger personalities are poised to set the behavioral tone. If purpose and objectives are muddled, then people will argue or undermine others to prove that their ideas are superior. “Good” people that were initially motivated, engaged and participating will leave the group.
Another common community “soul killer” is the mouthy member that cannot help themselves from yapping. You know these people. They speak too often, for too long, and usually about issues that are irrelevant and self-serving. They overemphasize the minutia and obfuscate meaningful issues. They can make others uncomfortable by being too personal or act insensitively to others. They are not invited to speak by others, rather they tend to chime in on everything to imply deep personal wisdom, even if they just want to point out that they have no opinion on the matter. They moan, whine and grind their opponents. At the same time, these people can be overly welcoming and kind to new group members in an effort to win them to their side. Their immaturity is so evident, one is surprised to learn they aren’t a teenager (perhaps they are in netiquette terms).
If group leaders do not want to lose control of their group at such a critical stage, they need to act decisively to stifling, filibustering and flame wars. A good community manager brings a big bag of tricks with tactics in nuance, creativity, subtly and force. Like a good parent, group facilitators need to be ready to discipline, lead and teach. By applying a little parental love to your community, you can present an example of nurturing behavior amid disagreement and discord and move quickly past an otherwise painful growth spurt.
Reflection: Online Community Growth As your community vision extends to others, you inherently sacrifice messaging control. Learn from the mistakes of others, and look at the many brands handling this change successfully. Read these questions to help articulate new and persistent problems and suggest possible actions you can take.
Stage 3: Norming
Purpose, Cliques & Team Habits Form Groups that reach the Norming stage enjoy clarity about their goals and objectives. That clarity helps to draw its members into service of the group, so harsh infighting and sabotage tends to fall away before this stage.
Individuals promote themselves less, unless the group’s objective involves self-promotion like business networks, alliances and chambers of commerce. Even then, members support each other through introductions into spheres of influence beyond the group.
Members in this phase naturally attach to sub-groups of similar interests and tasks. Teamwork is stronger within sub-groups and sub-groups work more seamlessly with each other. Trust is built as people get to know each other and as the group accomplishes objectives. Collaboration is built through agreement on rules and the sharing of methods and tools.
Groupthink is a hazardous risk in the Norming stage, where new ideas and creativity are stifled in favor of process and status quo. Community leaders need to caution against group denial and echo chambers by recognizing their symptoms. They can avoid groupthink by remaining neutral and inviting fresh POVs when appropriate.
Hierarchy tends to flatten out during Norming compared to earlier stages. With a clear mission, collaboration and interpersonal issues worked out, leaders are able to assume more production tasks. Conversely, team leads may be established with more authority and control passed down and shared from Forming and Storming managers.
Reflection: Habit & Tone in Your Online Community As your community matures, you will recognize healthy attachment among its members. Your community may operate fine in this stage with minor maintenance and attention. Or you might want to tighten cooperation and press for higher performance. Reflect on your community to see where it is healthy and where it needs attention.
Stage 4: Performing
Teamwork & Efficiency Prevail
A few groups will achieve the Performing stage where everyone seems to be firing on all pistons. Milestones are accomplished and objectives are routinely met. Experience is high, so communities become a rich knowledge base.
Teams become interdependent and work together fluidly without the drama borne from unnecessary conflict. Dissent does exist as long as it is channeled in a manner that is acceptable to the group. Supervision is minimal as people are held accountable to each other. Decision-making resembles more of a populist democracy than a dictatorship or republic. Community leaders tend to be highly participative.
High performing teams may face circumstances that thrust themselves back to early stages. For example, the void left when early leaders leave a community can trigger a new Storming phase. I’m also reminded of the downtime caused by an explosion in the Planet’s H1 data center in Houston, an experience that sent its support forums into overdrive. Communities can experience these cycles of life over and over.
Browse the Big Boards to get a sense of what some of the largest communities on the web are doing. This is an outstanding resource for guerrilla social marketing.
Reflection: Sustaining High Performance Congratulations if your community has achieved a level of high performance. Take some time to think about how you can keep it going.
Post Mortem: Transforming and Mourning
Dealing with Change and Coping with Demise
Online communities are like living organisms that either adapt to internal and external changes or they will die. Think back to the big events in your life and they were almost always precipitated by change. Leaving home, starting school, starting a career, leaving a job, getting married and having kids all involve a death of sorts. One ceases to act or exist in one way when they change in another way. The same kind of death and renewal applies to groups.
I have seen leaders “kill” online communities and the reaction is not unlike real-world death. Feelings may not be as severe as losing a loved one, but members do experience a sense of loss like seeing your favorite TV show get canceled or saying goodbye to a friend that move’s away. This experience in virtual communities is not surprising considering the personal investment and real formation of human bonds.
Brand managers should consider this effect when transitioning campaigns or taking down social microsites at the end of a media flight (aka End of Life or EOL). If maintenance costs are truly inhibitive to effective ongoing community support, then the community should probably be taken offline. A diseased community can actually be harmful to a brand.
On the other hand, if long-tail benefits are evident and the group is operating at a strong Norming or weak Performing stage, the community may merit a plan for transition and ongoing maintenance, even if it only provides minimal support.
If you decide to maintain a community because participation and impressions justify the cost, then turn to your vendor partners for help in this transition. Good providers like Mango Mobile plan for EOL at the beginning of a campaigns. They are very flexible in either extending maintenance agreements or handing all assets back to the client for perpetual hosting. Another example is Blockdot in the advergaming space. They continue to support several widgets, social gaming and community applications well beyond the original EOL campaign schedule.
The life and energy of a social network benefits from early planning in the Online Community Lifecycle. Likewise, it benefits from planning at the end of life. Leaders can use Transforming and Mourning stages as an opportunity to publicly praise the group’s accomplishments. Individuals can be recognized, relationships can be acknowledged and achievements can be praised. People celebrate the birth of children and they gather to celebrate the life of those departed in death. The same kind of celebration can be introduced to the life and achievements of an online community.
Reflection: Changes and Death of an Online Community Your community may be on the verge of temporary or permanent transition. Consider these issues to decide if you should change or pull the plug.
Final Thoughts
Community Managers that want to work on their community, and less time in it should study Tucker’s model of group dynamics in the context of an Online Community Lifecycle. Just as a sapling needs light, nutrients, water and fresh soil, an online community can be groomed for healthy sustainable growth.
While writing about the Online Community Lifecycle, I recalled an episode I observed years ago during the “storming” phase of the Clark Howard Message Boards. I remember one particular real estate expert who was an absolute tyrant in the community. This guy knew his field extremely well, but he had zero patience for real estate noobs and those with whom he disagreed. He offered world-class advise, but would turn on a dime into a crass name-calling bully. For the life of me, the only reason I can fathom that Clark allowed this to persist is because he is a notoriously self-admitted cheapskate that didn’t invest in proper tools and personnel to sustain a vibrant community. Unfortunately, Clark allowed his community to fester and attack each other relentlessly, and were it not for his very popular radio show and books, it surely would have failed.
I found this member’s disposition to be quite amusing in spite of the anguish he caused. He really did know his stuff, even though his tough-love modus operandi ruffled feathers. I joined the group and started a new topic entitled “Ode to [whatever is name was].” I wrote a simple sonnet a la the meter of “There once was a man from Nantucket” about this particular individual.
This is an example of the off-beat first post I offered to cut through some of the forum bickering.
An Ode to Smith
There once was a man named Smith.
Who’s warnings were roundly dismissed.
The people replied
In anger and cried,
“What manner of man is this?”
In an amusing and respectful way, I essentially pointed out how smart this guy was. People needed to look past his curmudgeon persona and listen to the genuine knowledge he had to offer.
The response was very positive given that it was so personal. People came forward to give the guy the credit he deserved, yet inviting him to chill out. He appreciated the gesture, other lurkers came out of the shadows and several people even wrote their own poems; very funny in a stale financial forum.
Unfortunately, Clark’s moderator got wind of the thread and, incredibly, removed it because it didn’t meet some strict (and secret) rule about never ever under any circumstances deviating from financial discussions. Shortly thereafter and ever since, newcomers are assaulted with the glaring red warning to behave and to watch out for unscrupulous behavior, negative messaging that is sure to drive them straight to the shadows of Lurker Land.
The moderator’s decision was a real shame because we had planted a fun seed of comradeship and goodwill amid a well-intentioned community. Moreover, this online brand was desperately struggling to find a kind voice that welcomed new members. It’s remarkable because if you spend 2 minutes listening to Clark, you’ll hear a very gentle and humorous tone that was in stark contrast to the vitriol people encountered on his website at that time. I think the moderator’s seemingly hip-shot decision to stamp out any fun was a serious mistake for another reason as well: Community leaders should never forget that people are actually investing themselves when they contribute content. This investment strengthens a community and develops brand evangelists. And converting lurkers to active participants should always be nurtured whenever possible.
Thankfully, Clark seems to have learned some important lessons. His team has a presence on the boards and applies more consistent moderation. New visitors can see clearly demarcated subject matters to consume content relevant to them.
Clark also does an excellent job of directing his radio listeners to his website during his “Trash Clark” segment where he invites people to log on and leave feedback in his “Clark Stinks” forum. This strategy accomplishes two key objectives simultaneously. (Note: I hesitate to say “strategy” because I believe Clark’s success is in large part because he has a true servant’s heart. He cares deeply about his listeners.) First, by promoting his message boards, he is encouraging people to participate beyond listening and lurking. I’d wager his website enjoys long length-of-stays and very low bounce rates. It’s prime real estate for his radio advertisers which presumably could generate more revenue for some technology improvements.
Second, Clark provides a vehicle for people to give him direct public feedback, which amplifies his nice-guy approachable image. Few people actually bash Clark, but his gesture is very smart.
While part of this online community feels as though it’s clinging to adolescence, at least it has matured beyond puberty. Clark’s radio convergence and enthusiastic team shows signs of even greater potential.
When I’m in a consumer mode, I often click on individual tweeters to read their last series of posts. I gravitate toward different people depending on what mood/topic I’m interested in at the time. 
HBO is experimenting with media convergence through it’s 
