In the age where companies are vying to have their blog/social networking voices heard, a new trend is emerging for those with obvious markets … turning the voices of your customers into attention and sales. To do that, many organizations are developing their own social networking platforms. From freeware Ning social networks to WordPress MU blogspheres, these companies are providing a place for their markets to converse… they’re hosting a community! In doing this, the benefits are obvious; Primarily that you have the FULL attention of your audience by gathering them in one spot on the web around a subject they all have in common and that you are providing a service… typically a free service!
In 2007 OncouRSS was mandated by the World Kayak Federation to create a place where paddlers could blog. Tired of trying to find kayaking conversation in the vast outreaches of cyberspace, the directors of World Kayak wanted to provide a single place for whitewater conversation. OncouRSS created www.worldkayakblogs.com out of WordPress MU. This groundbreaking content publishing system allowed us to instantly create a network of blogs… complete with simple registration system, custom layouts folks could select from (150+ now) and the ability to point a domain to the blogs so they can be used as web sites. The end result for World Kayak has been that the market literally gathers around them and hangs out! This provides a simple means for World Kayak to market its programs. Today worldkayakblogs.com is the single largest private WordPress MU! With over 5500 members and an average of 500 posts a day, this site is the core of the boating community and its #1 trafficked site.
In 2008 the Art of Being Green festival approached OncouRSS for a strategy on how to keep content fresh on their ’socially pertinent’ web site. They were also trying to find ways to attract exhibitors and attendees. OncouRSS suggested the creation of a blog network for ‘green minded’ exhibitors. Again with WordPress MU, OncouRSS built a full network of blogs for their exhibitors and friends. Each ‘green’ exhibitor now has a blog spot at the site and all posts go to the main screen of Artofbeinggreen.com … keeping the mainscreen fresh with socially conscious thought and news!
There are other great applications to these tools. The good news is that they are continually improving and creating more and more opportunity to engage your market by literally hosting them and providing a means for them to converse.
