THIS! "What is their greater purpose within all the other channels our customers can interact with? Should a brand run its own? Would it be better to support an independent third party run community? There are lots of questions to consider. However, there is also room for a unique branded space which offers exclusive content access and experiences. Conceived with care, brand-owned communities have a reason for existence. "
I completely agree with you here, Adrian. Companies need to think carefully about the value of their branded community to the members and ensure they are consistently delivering on that value. Otherwise, members are likely apt to find other, more independent spaces to gather. Digital community members are very savvy these days and don't want to participate in a branded community just because. Value provided is everything.
"What needs a rethink is community and social media. These should not be separated into silos. Greater cooperation needs to happen from the social and community professionals on the team. What do these experiences look like in an omnichannel experience? The hub and spoke model of the owned community having insider access and content is still viable - but requires cooperation, thought and planning. Territorial community building is not the future."
This sounds good in theory and at a high-level, but can you provide more tactical advice on what you mean by this?
THIS! "What is their greater purpose within all the other channels our customers can interact with? Should a brand run its own? Would it be better to support an independent third party run community? There are lots of questions to consider. However, there is also room for a unique branded space which offers exclusive content access and experiences. Conceived with care, brand-owned communities have a reason for existence. "
I completely agree with you here, Adrian. Companies need to think carefully about the value of their branded community to the members and ensure they are consistently delivering on that value. Otherwise, members are likely apt to find other, more independent spaces to gather. Digital community members are very savvy these days and don't want to participate in a branded community just because. Value provided is everything.
I agree with everything but the "forums are dead" or 'community platforms are dying' aspect of this.
I've read everyone's comments on it so far and haven't seen a single person say that.
Forums have a major role to play in the future. However, their role has largely narrowed to primarily support-based communities in specific sectors.
"What needs a rethink is community and social media. These should not be separated into silos. Greater cooperation needs to happen from the social and community professionals on the team. What do these experiences look like in an omnichannel experience? The hub and spoke model of the owned community having insider access and content is still viable - but requires cooperation, thought and planning. Territorial community building is not the future."
This sounds good in theory and at a high-level, but can you provide more tactical advice on what you mean by this?