Who are the ''bad boys/girls'' of your organization's online community? The enduring myth of the ''One Percenters'' - the minority of motorcyclists who embrace a rough and tumble, anti-Bureaucratical lifestyle - lives on strong in the online world.
While the Harley Davidson-riding, tattooed One Percenters are still alive and well, it's important to give due credit to the 1% of users on your Web site who contribute the most to your online community.
These 1% are the members brimming with knowledge and ideas to share and who religiously post them on your Web site. Statistically, this group consists of approximately 1% of your total site users. Maybe a bit more or a bit less - but usually around 1%.
Does that small figure depress you? Do not despair - what your One Percenters lack in numbers they excel in passion and enthusiasm. These vital few can carry the rest of your organization online and find enormous satisfaction sharing information and interacting online.
So how do you encourage this volunteering society? How can you stoke your contributors' enthusiasm and begin to benefit from collaborative content on your Web site? Let's take a look at 3 different basic user motivations:
- Social - Online communities are as great a place to network as any committee meeting or breakfast training session. Your socially-driven Web site users are eager to align their names with great ideas and content, hoping that this will help them attract new business, keep them in the mind of your members or simply make valuable industry contacts.
Beyond professional development many socially motivated users may simply be looking at your Web site community as a place to, well, socialize. Utilizing 2-way communication tools allows these users to interact with other members' content and ideas, engaging each other in conversation and creating relationships. - Material - Some of your contributors might be attracted to more tangible incentives - whether it be some sort of gift of recognition (perhaps a plaque or gift card thanking them for their Web contributions), discounts on membership or free event registration.
Whether it be a free business directory listing, links to a members'' Web site or even a free newsletter sponsorship opportunity, your Web site can offer many valuable material rewards to your material-driven One Percenters. - Ideological - Your Web site ideologues are strong believers in your organization's mission. They support this mission by making content contributions and keeping your community going. As the success of the community is so important to them, consider involving them in your Web site planning or give them a more in-depth look at what's going on behind the scenes. Their commitment and passion to your cause may be incredibly helpful to you and their increased participation will be very gratifying to them.