Post Like Your Momma is Watchin’
A community is widely regarded today as a group of people who support and respect each other with a common goal. There are several different types of communities one may be a part of neighborhood community, work/professional community, common hobby community, etc.
Now, whether these communities you are a part of our successful, is a completely different story. There are a few common characteristics between communities that are regarded as successful: supportive members, productive conversation, respectful members, and a comforting and accepting atmosphere. While these characteristics sound obvious, they can be much more difficult than you think.
Think about the in-person communities you are a part of. When we are young, most of us learn social queues and common courtesies that come with interacting with other humans. Those may include eye contact, reassuring body language, undivided attention, supportive comments, and more. There are many things one can do within communities to benefit the bonding and strength of the group as a whole, this is similar to what is required in an online community.
It may sound obvious, but just like in-person communities, online groups need work and those efforts directly align, if not more so, with online communities. I would argue that online communities need even more care than in-person groups. Without body language and voice inflection, it can be difficult to read comments from others online and deduct their intentions. It is essential to go above and beyond in supporting one another and being respectful in online communities so that they can be successful.
Even with technology and media being so present today, many people are still trying to get away with anonymous negative or derogatory postings. In-person communities will often ban or ask a person that acts negatively to leave the group. Online communities are similar. Many state their expectations as members apply to enter, and have several admins that uphold those guidelines.
A lot of social media works similarly to in-person interactions and online communities are not any different. Online etiquette is quite similar to the real world. Those who treat online communities and their members as real people with respect will find themselves in much more successful and fruitful communities.
