online community

While the term "online community" can be used in a general sense to describe the larger internet population, this term generally refers to smaller groups within the global web.

Jeremiah Owyang declared in his 2007 blog post that online community is "where a group of people with similar goals or interests connect and exchange information using web tools." After sourcing feedback from his followers, he further solidified the definition: "Online communities are bodies of people joined together by a common interest."

Much of the framework for these online communities is very similar from community to community, and consists of some, or all, of the following tools: wikis, forums (sometimes referred to as message boards),  user-generated content tools (e.g. photo or video uploading capabilities), blogs, groups, commenting. 

The level of participation in an online community varies from those who are lurkers (simply browsing and viewing community activities), to the most engaged users who post frequently and are leaders in the space. Forrester's Social Technographics analyzes people's social technology behavior defines 7 types of users: inactives, spectators, joiners, collectors, critics, conversationalists, and creators. 

by Jessica McLaughlin Are you a writer, passionate about this or any other topic? Join Blogcritics!

Original Technorati articles tagged “online community”

• in Business
  69% of UK Businesses to Appoint Social Media or Community Managers This Year
  Research released today finds that 69% of UK businesses have appointed or plan to appoint a social media or community manager in next 12 months.
  by cmimanagers / on Jul 26, 2011

Latest blogosphere posts tagged “online community”

 

• Book review: Misha Glenny’s Darkmarket: Cyberthieves, Cybercops and You

  
  etonDIGITAL — Authority: 97
  Ex-BBC journalist and organised crime expert Misha Glenny has followed up his fascinating McMafia  with another exploration of modern international crime networks - this time focusing specifically on the little-understood and discussed, but increasingly important, issue of cybercrime. It is that rare thing: an ...
  4 days ago

• Build a Buzz: A Writer Community Hits Paydirt Prior to Debut

  
  Web Developer and Content Management Expert Duo Consulting — Authority: 100
  For an online community, an active content strategy is crucial. For LitReactor , an online community of writers founded by Kirk Clawes and Dennis Widmeyer, content marketing turned out to be the key to a successful launch. Kirk and Dennis aren’t new to the world of online community. When they met prolific pop ...
  6 days ago

• An Online Writers Community

  
  Ask MetaFilter — Authority: 647
  Can you recommend a good online literary short fiction writers community? Ive recently begun writing short fiction again, and do intend to elicit feedback from people I know in the flesh, but Id also like to participate in an online community of literary short fiction writers, both for feedback and to read new ...
  1 week ago

• How to Survive an Internet Blackout

  
  Discovery News - Technology — Authority: 133
  Believe it or not, there are alternatives to the big websites millions have come to rely upon.
  1 week ago

• Google and Wikipedia Protest Anti-Piracy Bill

  
  Discovery News - Technology — Authority: 133
  A controversial provision would allow federal authorities to "blacklist" sites, essentially cutting off portions of the Internet to all U.S. users.
  1 week ago

• social business event with david armano, euan semple and vincent boon

  
  cybersoc.com — Authority: 391
  Edelman Digital is hosting, and Im going to be moderating, a great panel on Social Business as part of Social Media Week. The event will be in our offices at 105 Victoria Street, London SW1, on the morning of 14 February. You need to register to attend - heres the details: Social Business In Action A Social Media ...
  1 week ago

• Your Online Communities and Freedom

  
  Inkling Media — Authority: 531
  Image by theopie via Flickr One of the biggest fears that a business has when creating a presence is online, particularly in Social Media, is that they are opening themselves up to attack. If all you have is a website, an email address, and a phone number, the worst people can do is attack you in private. But once ...
  2 weeks ago

• REI Programs, Classes and Products Help Families Find Summer

  
  Online Banking, Trading, and Insurance — Authority: 133
   REI Programs, Classes and Products Help Families Find Summer REI’s Family Adventure Journal Seattle, Wash. (Vocus) June 2, 2010 REI (Recreational Equipment, Inc.), a retail co-op providing quality outdoor gear ...
  2 weeks ago

• Group enterprise websites are …

  
  FF — Authority: 116
  Group enterprise websites are cropping up all across the nation as local neighborhoods and towns are experiencing the advantages of getting his or her websites. Once limited to a club house message bored to death or swimming pool observe planks, business Web Directory enterprise web directories have developed a ...
  2 weeks ago

• Tried & True #Tweetchat Hosting Tips

  
  Your Social Media Mogul — Authority: 94
  What is a Tweetchat? If you’ve been on Twitter for any length of time, you’ve probably seen people posting tweets or even having conversations with hashtags (#) at the end of each tweet.  Many times, you will see an announcement encouraging people to attend these Tweetchats, which are scheduled events usually ...
  2 weeks ago

• Displays Get Bigger, Thinner and More Costly

  
  Discovery News - Technology — Authority: 133
  Now that the flat-panel TV has become a commodity, the next step is make them flatter and bigger.
  2 weeks ago

• Boulder Tech Startup BlogFrog Powers Online Community for Abc News and United Nations Foundation?s ?Million Moms Challenge? Campaign

  
  Online Banking, Trading, and Insurance — Authority: 133
  Boulder Tech Startup BlogFrog Powers Online Community for Abc News and United Nations Foundation’s “Million Moms Challenge” Campaign Million Moms Challenge New York, NY (PRWEB) September 19, 2011 Today BlogFrog is joining ...
  2 weeks ago

• Don’t draw attention to your community’s weaknesses

  
  Community Building — Authority: 85
  Movie-Vault does a great job at highlighting its weaknesses. Take a look at the homepage; as of Wednesday January 11th, in the left column we see 67 RSS readers and 55 Twitter followers. In the articles section, we are repeatedly reminded that nobody is commenting on the articles -there are four articles all with a ...
  2 weeks ago

• Beaded Laughter Blog

  
  Art Bead Scene Blog — Authority: 502
  Have you seen the new blog Beaded Laughter by Sylvie Lansdowne? OMG That girl eats funny for breakfast.  Above is my little rendition of the "Hey Girl" meme, dont you wish your husband was that understanding!   Sylvie was inspired to create the blog after reading Handmade Ryan Grosling .  For a ...
  2 weeks ago

• Online Community Decision: Public, Private or Hybrid?

  
  Building Online Communities For Business — Authority: 89
  Your organization has decided to develop an online community to serve your customers. Congratulations! This is an important step towards building a social business. As the team gathers in the conference room with whiteboards, markers and lots of coffee, you start by talking about other online community examples the ...
  2 weeks ago

• Online Community Clone

  
  Get a Freelance Job — Authority: 153
  I want a clone of a social network. Find it at http://bit.ly/bMTv3V if you can deliver this project on schedule, kindly bid below. I want a clone that is creative enough so as not to look like a clone. Note: I will expect Facebook connect and Twitter Login options I will also expect an invite a friend option on ...
  3 weeks ago

• Freundschaftsanfragen von Vorgesetzten in sozialen Netzwerken - Marketing, Personalmarketing

  
  socbo | Social Bookmarks — Authority: 142
  Annehmen oder ablehnen? Das ist die Frage für viele Arbeitnehmer, die in einem sozialen Netzwerk eine Freundschaftsanfrage von ihrem Chef bekommen.
  3 weeks ago

• Readers Choice: Best Stories of 2011

  
  Discovery News - Technology — Authority: 133
  What were the best stories of 2011? We asked you, and here are your favorites.
  4 weeks ago

• 2011 Best of the Diabetes Blogosphere

  
  DiabetesMine: the all things diabetes blog — Authority: 459
  This year is coming to an end, and over the past 12 months, we’ve been sharing our favorite posts each month from all around the DOC. Today, we’re reviewing a few of our overall favorites from 2011, plus a couple…
  4 weeks ago

Comments about online community