It seems that in order to feel connected in social media communities, the trend is to create micro communities within a network. Where a year ago it was all about how many Twitter followers and Facebook friends you have, this year we are looking to build more intimate and meaningful neighborhoods. It makes sense. After all, working a room takes a lot of effort. Ultimately, you are trying to have meaningful conversations and exchanges.

Here’s the thing: If you are thinking about building a customer community, there are a lot of great ideas and discussions that hopefully will come out of it. Outside of providing better avenues of service, exchanges between you and your customer and customer to customer are valuable insights into a customer’s needs, decisions, and challenges. Why would you want to keep that just in the community?

E-tailers got it right when they incorporated rating systems and customer comments on products to help drive more sales. In a business-to-business community, sharing opinions and advice with potential customers on the main website can help further engage browsing visitors and improve lead generation. Locking support forums behind customer community gates might seem like a good idea because you don’t want potential clients scared off when investigating your solutions. However, isn't it better to have them engage in the forums to help further understand how your solutions fit their requirements and have customers and community leaders help out in the discussion? If they go to other communities and forums where you aren’t present, you and your customers don’t have the ability to influence their opinions.

I suggest that part of your social media marketing strategy takes into account ways to break down the social media silos you may be developing when trying to service various segments within your interactions. Just as you create dynamic content on your website with Twitter streams, podcasts, and video, think about how conversations and insight within the customer community can optimize and improve engagement and interest on your website. Include comments and opinions from the customer community. Include dynamic case scenarios of how to overcome the challenges of implementing your solutions with forum and blog discussions.

Let your customer’s voice shape your website.


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