Comments on: Signs That Your Network is Dying http://frumpyhausfrau.com/business/signs-that-your-network-is-dying/ Defining True Success in Business and Family Mon, 16 Aug 2010 17:01:52 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.9.2 hourly 1 By: Mitchell Allen http://frumpyhausfrau.com/business/signs-that-your-network-is-dying/comment-page-1/#comment-169 Mitchell Allen Wed, 15 Jul 2009 17:56:22 +0000 http://frumpyhausfrau.com/?p=231#comment-169 I think this might be due to Twitter and FaceBook. 1. The instant feedback is more gratifying than posting and waiting 2. The ability to latch onto the next new thing may be too compelling to resist (as evidenced by trending topics) 3. The desire to truly connect with "real people" that you know makes Twitter and FaceBook more approachable. Forums have to build trust the old-fashioned way. The networks that DO thrive feed off multiple streams of participation. They cross-pollinate with social networks and the professional networks are beginning to open their code to take advantage of this. Creative endeavors - those with a devoted offline fan base - seem to have no trouble growing. I watched a friend build a guitar video site from the ground up. It is vibrant today. Enthusiasts will flock to a network if their interests are being nourished there. Technology-related communities - I haven't seen any new ones, but the existing ones are very active. Check out the open source forums surrounding just about every piece of software. There is one other social phenomenon that favors nimble networks over stodgy forums: memes. It used to be possible to attract insane attention with publicity stunts and events such as TheMillionDollarHomePage and OneRedPaperClip. These two examples were relatively low-tech: the former was selling pixels, for Pete's Sake! The OneRedPaperClip relied heavily on CraigsList, email and a blog. Nowadays, you need a video. You may have heard about the Best Job in the World campaign. The winner posted this video: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jgPXkIDYr7M This has to be the foremost option offered to a fledgling community - the ability to share rich media. I am sure the barriers are not too high, but it's about as hard as doing all those tactics you mentioned in your article. Cheers, Mitch I think this might be due to Twitter and FaceBook.
1. The instant feedback is more gratifying than posting and waiting
2. The ability to latch onto the next new thing may be too compelling to resist (as evidenced by trending topics)
3. The desire to truly connect with “real people” that you know makes Twitter and FaceBook more approachable. Forums have to build trust the old-fashioned way.

The networks that DO thrive feed off multiple streams of participation. They cross-pollinate with social networks and the professional networks are beginning to open their code to take advantage of this.

Creative endeavors – those with a devoted offline fan base – seem to have no trouble growing.

I watched a friend build a guitar video site from the ground up. It is vibrant today. Enthusiasts will flock to a network if their interests are being nourished there.

Technology-related communities – I haven’t seen any new ones, but the existing ones are very active. Check out the open source forums surrounding just about every piece of software.

There is one other social phenomenon that favors nimble networks over stodgy forums: memes.
It used to be possible to attract insane attention with publicity stunts and events such as TheMillionDollarHomePage and OneRedPaperClip.

These two examples were relatively low-tech: the former was selling pixels, for Pete’s Sake! The OneRedPaperClip relied heavily on CraigsList, email and a blog.

Nowadays, you need a video.
You may have heard about the Best Job in the World campaign. The winner posted this video:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jgPXkIDYr7M

This has to be the foremost option offered to a fledgling community – the ability to share rich media. I am sure the barriers are not too high, but it’s about as hard as doing all those tactics you mentioned in your article.

Cheers,

Mitch

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