18 Rules of Community Engagement: A Guide for Building Relationships and Connecting With Customers Online

by Angela Connor

Many organizations and businesses mistakenly believe that if they provide the tools for community engagement and interaction, a community will form on its own and ultimately engage and interact. Nothing could be further from the truth. A study of more than 100 businesses with online communities found that 35% had less than 100 members and less than 25% had more than 1,000 members, a clear indication that the tools are not enough. Engagement is the holy grail of building successful online communities and connecting with customers online and here's your chance to learn from someone with experience. In "18 Rules of Community Engagement," Angela Connor shares how she helped her online community surpass 11,000 members in 18 short months. This book is a definitive guide for those seeking to facilitate and grow online communities and develop social media strategies for themselves or their organizations. It is a playbook on exactly what it takes to be successful, with insights from community experts and practitioners. After reading this book, you will have the knowledge needed to drive user engagement and bring people together online regardless of the age of your community or stage of its development. Can you afford not to read this book?

88 pages, Paperback

First published May 15, 2009

About the author

I am a multimedia journalist and community manager with 15 years of experience in broadcast, print and online media.

I am passionate about growing successful online communities and enjoy teaching people how to capitalize on the opportunities they provide.

I look forward to meeting people here on Goodreads and appreciate all feedback on my book, "18 Rules of Community Engagement."

If you'd like to communicate privately, feel free to send an email to Angela-at-AngelaConnor-dot-com.

Blog: http://blog.angelaconnor.com
Book website: http://growingsuccessfulonlinecommuni...
LinkedIn: http://www.linkedin.com/in/angelaconnor
Twitter: http://www.twitter.com/communitygirl

Reviews

[Adeline · Rating 5 out of 5]

With this book, Angela Connor succeeds in what might be the most difficult exercise in writing: combining thorough research and clear writing in a succinct, enjoyable book that approaches all the aspects one needs to know before starting or expanding an online community.

The title is self-explanatory, this short (less than 100 pages) book breaks down the subject into 18 chapters that very clearly explain the why and how of online communities and message boards. Whether you are an individual looking into starting a message board (or ‘forum’), or a professional developing such a community for a company, this book is relevant to your project and should be read.

I have been active on online forums both as an administrator and a participant for 6-7 years, and this book taught me so much more than I thought I needed to know. How to attract participants, how encourage them to post frequently, how to build upon such a community, how to deal with positive and negative feedback, etc. – the author approaches various themes in a very simple way, that will help both administrators and active members.

Angela Connor not only offers advice, she also explains the common rules and guidelines – often easily forgotten – of such communities and provides many, many useful links and recommendations she gathered from talking to community members and administrators.
This is not only a ‘how to’ that explains the basics, it’s also a reference you will frequently go back to and use for your project. And maybe above all, Angela Connor’s writing is such that it’s also a book you will enjoy reading.

[Sandra Carrington-Smith · Rating 5 out of 5]

I clearly remember a time, not too long ago, when business and personal connections were forged largely in person or on the phone. During the past two decades, however, the cyber world has open portals of communications once thought impossible. People who are homebound, those who run home-based businesses, and even individuals who just look at the internet as a mean to widen their circle of acquaintances, have flocked to online communities in search of a way to spread their products or, sometimes, just to engage in interesting conversations with like-minded individuals.

Although managing an online community might mistakenly be painted in one's mind as a simple task, it is indeed a daunting venture the daring and unprepared managing editor will not soon forget. Marketing strategies aimed at enhancing the appearance of the site, personal interactions, and internal policing can indeed be double-edged tools - depending on the chosen approach, they will either be building blocks for future growth or a virtual wrecker's ball which will turn a potentially successful venture into cyber debris.

Angela Connor, whose enthusiasm and experience is fed by the never ending source of feedback she receives daily by managing a very successful online community, is destined to become a pioneer in her field, and her compelling book "18 Rules of Community Engagement: A Guide for Building Relationships and Connecting with Customers Online" is surely a must-have for anyone interested in developing successful online connections.

Offering valuable and fundamental tips on how to positively change a potentially frustrating environment into a fertile ground where everything becomes possible, this wonderful guide is written in a conversational style that calls to mind a pleasurable and informative chat with a friend.

Definitely a book worth reading. Two thumbs up.

[Tracy · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is a great book! I passed it on to my mother-in-law, who is working on promoting her own website and community.

Pros:
It's a brainstorm in a book. Every idea you could use to encourage participation in a community website is here. Plus, there are some good manners tips that everyone who's online should take to heart. Anyone who is trying to set up an online storefront should read this book. I wish anyone who participated in community websites would read this book. It's a great guide to help avoid online faux pas.

Cons:
This really is half a good book. It's missing the half that explains how to advertise and grow an online community. Angela Connor is very good at keeping every person who joined her website, but she doesn't explain how they got there in the first place. If she could write the other half or find a co-author, this book would be a top seller.

[Angela Connor]

I am the author of this book.