RSS Ray Interviews Jon McNeill, Account Manager for Hall & Partners USA, on Online Communities and Web 2.0.

RSS Ray recently sat down with Jon McNeill, Account Manager at Hall & Partners USA, for an in-depth look into how and why people participate in online communities.

1. Why do people use Web 2.0 tools?

We spoke with people who are highly visible online and those who we called ‘digital hermits,’ and everyone in between. We found that people who use Web 2.0 tools to share content about themselves on the web do so because they are looking to connect with others – either deepen existing relationships or begin new ones. Everyone knows the Tila Tequilas or Perez Hiltons of the world – those who seem to only be interested in their own celebrity – but they are just the visible tip of the iceberg and don’t represent the majority at all. In fact, the more that people get into this culture, the more it becomes about community, about something bigger than you; not self-aggrandizement. People who are already doing these things online won’t be surprised by this of course, but this is news to those on the outside looking in.

2. Why is understanding how humans connect in the internet era so important to business?

At a basic level, companies want to be where their consumers are, and these days many are online. But more importantly, brands are moving past the old models of one-way communication and are looking to get consumers to interact with them. Think about Burger King’s “Subservient Chicken” or Office Max’s “Go Elf Yourself” campaigns. The web is a powerful format for allowing consumers to interact with brands, and brands want to know who these consumers are, and how best to talk to them. Beyond this, there are certain rules of engagement within this new culture, and brands need to know what these are. We talk about these as part of our “book of etiquette” for the culture of exposure.

3. Why do people want to share online what has historically been private or personal?

People’s motivations tend to change as they get deeper into the culture. One woman whom we spoke with had started a blog to motivate herself as she trained for a marathon. But after a community of other runners began to form around the blog, she used her experiences to cheer others on with their training, and provide advice. It often starts as a way to keep in touch with friends and family, but as people begin to see the power of social media and the Internet, and begin to realize their own role within it, the desire to share becomes about fostering community and imparting some personal knowledge or experience to others to help them.

4. What do we know about people that present content about themselves to others on the web?

They’re not appreciatively different from those who don’t – but they do seem to have internalized some lessons from the Long Tail. They understand that their personal thoughts and experiences may not be useful or interesting to everyone, and that’s okay. The web is made up of micro-audiences, and everyone has something to share that will be helpful to a few.

Those who are not ‘in’ the culture have trouble understanding this: they wonder why anyone would be interested in hearing about their day to day experiences, and they are really not interested in hearing from other ‘normal’ people about their lives, either.

5. How closely do online identities reflect actual reality? After all, people have been known to behave differently online.

While it’s true that some do behave differently online, this is usually role play or misbehavior. The majority of people are not appreciatively different online and offline – but many have created a persona, a version of themselves that they are comfortable sharing with everyone. This persona is normally very close to the true ‘them,’ but it is formed in such a way that it becomes an acceptable face to show all of their audiences. Just as in real life, how people may show different sides of themselves to different people; a persona ensures that they can show the same side to everyone.

6. How can users of online communities control what remains private and what is public?

People who decide to participate in online communities engage in an exchange: they must give up a bit of control to gain the benefit of deeper (or completely new) relationships with others. People are comfortable with this exchange as long as the benefit balances the loss of control.

7. Tell us what you mean by the culture of exposure?

We saw a trend of people exposing their private lives for the world to see online and termed it the “culture of exposure.” But ultimately this is a misnomer and a bit sensationalist. This is actually about the two sides of visibility. Either one can feel exposed by the increased visibility, worrying about what one reveals… or one can view it as an opportunity to embrace openness with one another.

8. Why do people expose themselves in online communities?

See #1 and #3

9. What’s the difference between the “exposed” and the “discreets?”

There is no discernable difference between the “exposed” and the “discreet” in terms of personalities, but we have found four distinct mindsets toward sharing online: Outsiders, Dabblers, Explorers, and Fluents.

Outsiders are perfectly happy with their lives as they are, and are skeptical that there would be any benefit from getting involved. They often see social networking and the like as being “just for kids” or people with a lot of time on their hands, and they are skeptical they would be interested in other people’s sites, or that others would be interested in their own stories. For some, there is the added barrier of caution and fear about security and privacy. And without a critical mass of others in their peer group jumping in and giving them the constant impression they are missing something, there’s no need to face their fears and get involved.

Dabblers are dipping their toes into the pool. Facebook and MySpace are often the gateway drugs that Dabblers try. They worry about exposing themselves to others, and are tentative about doing so.

Explorers are the taste-testers. They have found value in visibility and are now looking for more. Maybe they’re fond of Twitter but also curious if Loopt could add more value. This is also the stage when people come up with a persona that allows them to feel comfortable about others viewing what they’ve shared.

Fluents are at the center of the culture of exposure. They are heavily engaged in the culture and confident in it. It would be a huge loss to them if their lives went back to the way they were before. Many have expertise in a subject and use their visibility to become a resource for others.

10. What are some behavioral etiquette guidelines for users of online communities?

Through our conversations with people we discovered that there are strong implicit rules governing behavior online, but nothing as codified as those etiquette books from the turn of the 20th Century. So we decided that these recommendations could be the first page in the book of etiquette for the culture of exposure:

Don’t be a driveller: Have conversations. The ultimate goal of the acculturated is more than just sheer self-expression – it’s to inspire commentary and dialogue. This is not a forum for monologues – each communication is meant to invite response.

Don’t be a shameless self-promoter: Think of the community. You should not make yourself the hero of your own story. Spammers are not welcome – they care about getting their message across and do so – and this is key – without being invited in. Likewise, it’s considered bad form to constantly be tweeting links to your own content – it’s simply not community-minded and it doesn’t promote conversation.

Don’t be a stalker: Build relationships. There is something unsettling about the person who spies on others persistently – especially without giving insight into their motives. People instead leave evidence of their attention generously, in the form of flattering comments and notes, which oils the social machinery and avoids awkwardness.

Don’t be a faker: Tell the truth. It makes sense that truth is an important piece of a culture based on sharing. The potential for abusing the tools of exposure to distort the truth is vast. Fakers exploit the culture of exposure for their own ends, devaluing the trust necessary for the culture to function.

11. What behaviors do people hate?

See #10.

12. How do you know what to share online?

If people follow these rules of etiquette they can share their lives, experiences, and expertise online and be comfortable that their sharing will be beneficial for others. But it’s not always smooth sailing from the get-go. Some plunge in right away, share too much, then pull back in horror. One woman that we spoke with had the address to her birthday party posted on her MySpace page for her friends – and then was astonished to find that a complete stranger showed up! On the upside, he did bring a present for her. Others are much more cautious, starting with very little revealed, and then proceeding onward as they get more comfortable. Everyone seems to have different ways of adjusting to the different ways this culture operates. In a way, it’s a bit like different people’s approaches to dating.

13. What are the implications of online communities for brand marketers?

Online communities are powerful ways to build relationships with a brand’s consumers, and interestingly, brands must follow the same rules of etiquette as people do: Don’t be a driveller: Have conversations. Don’t be a shameless self-promoter: Think of the community. Don’t be a stalker: Build relationships. Don’t be a faker: Tell the truth.

14. What are best practices marketers can use when interacting with online communities important to their brand?

The best practice – and from what we’ve seen, it does take practice – is learning to let go of some control over the brand, and then working with the consumers to build something together. Don Draper’s appearance on Twitter is a great example. Fans of the show (brand advocates) took what they loved about the brand and added to it, strengthening the brand and creating new advocates along the way. This is not something that the show or AMC could have done on their own, and they were wise to let their fans continue.

15. What companies are doing a good job interacting with communities and using them for business purposes?

One example would be what William Sanders has been doing on one of the largest frequent flyer communities, FlyerTalk, for years now. During that time, he has posted more than 15,000 messages to the discussion boards. One key feature that distinguishes his posts from those of other travelers is his user name – “Starwood Lurker” – as it alerts everyone on the site that Saunders works for Starwood. It’s not hidden – it’s open – and inviting dialogue. He listens on the website on behalf of Starwood, offering suggestions, and helping people resolve their complaints. He has been cited by several frequent travelers as the sole reason they stay at Starwood properties.

16. How can you tell who within an online community has the most influence?

There seem to be go-to people within each community that have plenty of experience to share with others. And oftentimes these go-to people will have definite thoughts about which brands are best. Brand passionates can often be the key for a brand to enter into a community. Armand Frasco is one such brand passionate for Moleskine, the makers of leather bound notebooks for discerning journalists and travelers. His blog is devoted to all of the things one can do with a Moleskine notebook – an ideal brand evangelism tool. It’s been so successful that in January 08 Moleskine made him and his blog their official spokesman. Not every brand advocate should be put on the payroll, but they all do need support of some kind to continue their advocacy.

17. How can a brand best reach users of an online community?

Have conversations. Think of the community. Build relationships. Tell the truth. In summary, brands must remember that it is a dialogue, not a monologue.

18. If you could start an online community about any subject, what would it be and why?

We have recently begun an online community with people from all walks of life to talk about how the recession is affecting them. We’re excited to see where this new initiative will lead, and we’re looking forward to when we will have some findings to share.

19. What does the future hold in store for online communities?

Growth. As more people realized the benefit in sharing themselves with others online, this “culture of exposure” will cease to be a trend at all: it will simply be a part of life. We think Clay Shirky is correct when he refers to the Internet as the most important force for collaboration and organization that the world has seen.

20. How can people best stay in touch with you?

I can be reached via email at j.mcneill@hall-and-partners.com or via Twitter: @jonmmm

Jon McNeill is an Account Manager for Hall & Partners, a brand and communications research agency with offices in New York, Los Angeles, Chicago, and London. The company has worked with over half of the top 100 advertisers in the US and Europe, as well as many of the fastest growing and most differentiated brands around the world.