THE QUESTION:
c. Explain briefly types of blogging communities & methods to build blogging communities. Then, discuss the structure of one blogging community in brief, eg. Global Voices.
MY ANSWER:
All bloggers are part of an online community which is a group of people who interact with each other via the Internet. (Tuomi, 2001)
In Malaysia, we have www.lowyat.com.my, its a popular site for people to find just about anything. You can research about your iphone, computers, cars and chat with dealers. You can even buy clothes and books from lowyat. Its extremely that you cannot find something on lowyat.
Also take into account SPILL a website purely for movie bloggers. As for other blogging communities, we have Nuffnang and Advertlets, the 2 biggest blog advertising communities in Malaysia.
Globally, there are sites such as MyBlogLog and Technorati. Both are sites in which can convene.
Nuffnang
Advertlets
--
- Have a website that is relevant to a specific field in blogging. (Rowse, 2009)
Take for example SPILL, it common denominator is the topic of movies. Movie buffs and movie bloggers can convene on Spill and comment, discuss and even debate movies.
- Start with comments. (Rowse, 2009)
People love having opinions, so ask them what they think. Make them feel important and let them have a say. It brings the reader into the topic and makes them a part of the group. Ask questions in your post and interact with your readers.
- Make sure you have a "Join As Member" option. (Rowse, 2009)
Once a reader joins, make sure they have constant updates. This way, they won't lose interest and will instead become a long term reader or member. Loyalty from readers is crucial.
- Be a part of the community yourself. (Rowse, 2009)
Get involved, join in to what the readers are doing. Don't play God and just tell them what they should do, take an active role in the blogging world as a whole.
- Reader centred post. (Rowse, 2009)
Have post that speak to the reader, when they read it; it should feel as if someone is speaking to them. This creates a sort of intimacy with the reader, usually this is lost through mediums of mass media. Have a interactive manner of blogging. Ask questions and expect some answers.
One example of a Malaysian blogging community thats been buzzing alot lately is Churp Churp.
Churp Churp can schedule post, tweets and even provide bloggers with jobs. This platform brings bloggers together by providing direction to bloggers through "assignments" or jobs. And through tweets, bloggers can contact each other even easier, quicker and more efficiently.
REFERENCES
- Schwartz, B 2007, "Building Your Blog Community," online, retrieved 25 April 2011, from http://searchengineland.com/building-your-blog-community-10556
- Tuomi, I 2001, "Internet, Innovation and Open Source: Actors in the Network,"First Monday, Vol. 6, No. 1, retrieved 25 April 2011, from http://firstmonday.org/htbin/cgiwrap/bin/ojs/index.php/fm/article/viewArticle/824
- Rowse, D 2009, "8 Tips for Building Community on Your Blog," online, retrieved 25 April 2011, from http://www.problogger.net/archives/2009/02/28/8-tips-for-building-community-on-your-blog/
