Managing Online Communities

This one-day course provides an introduction to building, managing and moderating online communities. Presented in association with Emint, the course is delivered by Lizzie Jackson, Editor, Communities at the BBC.

• Learn to build, manage and grow online communities in one day..

This one-day course will give new media professionals a thorough introduction to the business and practice of running an online community.

The course is presented in association with Emint (www.e-mint.org.uk), the network of virtual community professionals. The tutor is Lizzie Jackson, Editor, Communities at the BBC. She will take the class through the major issues, challenges and opportunities in managing an online community.

Programme

Coffee and convene

Introduction and Definitions

• What is an online community?
• You already have community!
• Examination of any existing dialogue with customers
• Online 'gathering places' are a natural extension of that
• What are message boards, live chats and chatrooms and how are they different from each other?

What might your organisation get out of Community?

• CRM
• Return visits
• Analysis of your 'people'
• Content! (user-content)
• A more equal relationship
• Ideas and customer feedback
• Development 'Partners' - the community helps shape the organisation?

How to Build a Community

• Start simple - Newsletters, Email in and publish html pages, voting
• Getting a dialogue going and building a relationship - what shall we talk about?
• Building a member centre/linking the discussion areas to the rest of your site
• Message boards - when to begin to bother with the big stuff/expense/moderation

Meet the Community Managers

In the afternoon, Lizzie will be joined by experienced online community professionals, who will answer your questions about the challenges and responsibilities of managing an online community.

Lunch: Lunch is provided with this course.

Testimonials

"Excellent overview of key issues"

"I host forums for clients and consult on forums to others, so this was all very excellent and useful info."

"Stimulating debate, useful examples and good insights."

"Very good subject knowledge from tutor and guests. All pitched at right level."

"Business and personal - gained an excellent knowledge of what the on-line community world is all about - lots of ideas and benefits to take back to work."

"Didn't know about the subject area at all beforehand and thought it was a great introduction, particularly the workshop. Very open and yet well structured."

"Looking at actual examples together was productive, because it was both critical and imaginative, bringing in the expertise of participants with the tutors."

Participants

Companies that have previously attended Managing Online Communities include:

BBC
Berrycroft Computer Services
Beyond Bricks
COI Communications
Centre for Scientific Enterprise
Dowcarter
DVisions
Grey Interactive
Hey Moscow
Icon Medialab
Internova UK Limited
Jubilee Debt Campaign
Just Customer Communication
Learn.co.uk
Millennium Commission
Narrateo
NESTA
NOW - Network of the World
OneWorld International
OpenDemocracy
Panlogic
Paramount Comedy
Pausoka S.A.
Quantum Business Media
Realdo Limited
RM plc
Roffey Park Institute Limited
Shell International
Simulacra Media
Sony Computer Entertainment
Student UK
Surrey Drug Action Team
Tenten Digital
The College of Law
Ultralab
Unilever Plc
University of Bath
University of Exeter
Wales Digital College
Wolff Olins

University of Westminster, 309 Regent Street, London W1B 2UW

Room 107 - ask at reception upon arrival. The nearest London Underground station is Oxford Circus. From there, head north towards BBC broadcasting house, the University is on the left.