Why Most Corporate Online Communities Are Ghost Towns

The WallStreetJournal.com ran a piece this week entitled “Why Most Online Communities Fail” by Ben Worthen.

In it, he discusses a new research study of online communities run by businesses.  A variety of worst practices lead to most corporate-sponsored communities becoming “virtual ghost towns.” 

Businesses launching online communities repeat a series of blunders. First, they have a tendency to get seduced by bells and whistles and blow their online-community budget on technology. [Study author Ed] Moran suggests that businesses spend resources identifying and reaching out to potential community members instead of investing in software that makes predictions, or even social-networking technology.

Two of the study’s lead researchers, Ed Moran (of Deloitte) and Francois Gossieaux (Beeline Labs) will be presenting their findings on Oct 16 at our BRITE Workshop on Online Communities.

Image: Andrew Dunn via Wikipedia