Join me if you will for a ride on the online community management time machine. The year is 1999, and a woman by the name of Sue Boettcher* has written a Web article (remember, this is pre-blog) entitled “What types of virtual communities can I build and what tools are available?”
I stumbled onto this article a few days ago while doing some research. Much to my surprise, a lot of Sue’s advice is just as valid today as it was in those early days of the Internet.
Take a look at the article. The first half or so includes a lot of things here that are no longer relevant. I’m guessing most community managers aren’t too concerned about slow dial-up connections and limited Internet connectivity. The article also covers concerns like content and user management tools. But later in the article, you’ll find good, basic advice that stands the test of time.
Sue writes that while community managers need to be familiar with the technology, the more important piece is “an experiential knowledge of how online community works and how best to deal with disruptions.” She adds, “You, by virtue of your host role, will be seen by a cop by some, a mom or dad by others, and a regular user by almost no one. Try to keep things in perspective by remembering that any flak you get is not personal.” Still solid advice today.
Sue also makes important points about the role of the community manager in the conversation. She writes that community managers need to know “when to ask leading questions, when to email people privately, when to post publicly, and when to say nothing and let conversation flow.” Again, still true today.
This piece of community management history demonstrates that our profession, seen as new by many, has been around for a while and the basics are the same as they were back then.
*I wish I knew where Sue lives on the Web these days. If you know (or if you’re Sue herself) please drop me a note and I’ll add a proper link and attribution.
Photo credit: Fristle
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