With over three quarters of Australian online adults using now social technologies, it is clear that businesses have to shift the way they communicate their message to their audience.
As the user-generated content (UGC) phenomenon grows unabated, now is an opportune time for businesses to evaluate the best options for starting, developing and capturing an online community that has their audiences at the core. Here are a few tips:
Passion
Owners of UGC businesses must remember it’s personal. Every decision made evokes an immediate response so it is critical to establish a growing trust between consumer, contributor and business. Passion trickles down from business leader to employees and users and an entrepreneur fuelled by passion will trounce one whose only motive is profit.
Innovation
Innovation is important to a company’s continued growth but it must play to its core strengths and adhere to its fundamental business model. Passion provides the drive but experience provides the wisdom for innovation.
Communication
Clear and consistent communication to an enthusiastic community is the foundation for success. Make sure to take time and consider how your messages are delivered to your community.
Outsource
Outsourcing to the crowd is a great way to include the community in the business and site operation.
IT is king
The motivating factor behind monetising many user-generated content sites is IT-related. In the online world, growth can be difficult to predict. It can be explosive and unanticipated so when constructing your site, plan for your own best-case scenario but allow a reasonable margin of error and have a strong contingency plan in place in case you are wrong.
Flexible focus
Focus on executing the basics flawlessly. The excitement that UGC businesses offer can lead to many innovations but often the community would prefer a well performing site to one with all the bells and whistles. The key is a delicate balance between the new and exciting and the fundamentals.
