Re: UKNM: Communities: Fact or Fiction!

[Duncan Clubb]

Charles Linn wrote:


> Last week I was speaking to an industry friend of mine (who has been

> making websites for blue chip clients for 4�5 years), and I was talking

> to him about 'communities'.

>

> My original definition of a 'community' was a group of like minded

> people who have an interest in common rather than a geographical

> location.  My contention was that if you can create a place on the

> internet to facilitate people talking about and exploring their shared

> interest, then providing the design is good (technical, graphical and

> informational), and the marketing is strong, then this can be used for

> the basis of an internet only business, with great opportunities for

> advertising, sponsorship and commerce.

>

> His response which was that there are no good examples of community

> sites which make money and that as far as he was concerned, building

> website for corporate clients was where its at and where it will be at

> for the foreseeable future.

>

> This was a bit of a surprise to me.  I had always assumed that aiming to

> create online communities was a sensible aim for building traffic, and

> that therefore it would be a sensible part of any business model.  This

> is fine for me working at Friends of the Earth as I don't actually need

> the site to make money (although it would be nice) and repeat viewing

> and building aloyal audience is an end in it's own right, as we want as

> many people as possible to hear about our campaigns and then get

> involved in them.

>

> My questions for the list are:

> 1. Can people think of any commercially viable community based sites?


there are tons, mostly in the states. one of the oldest and best known is the

Well (www.well.com).


>

> 2. Do they agree that a community site which is not just an online

> version of an existing brand can form a viable basis for a commercially

> successful site?


Yes (see above)


>

> 3. Are there any commercially viable sites in their own right at all?


Yes (see above)


>

> 4. The million dollar question � Is there any published info on how

> websites make money with real�life�example income streams?


Try Hagel and Armstrong - Net Gain


>

>

> I have some good ideas but I am having great difficulty filling in the

> gaps and therefore difficulty in 'going for it'.

>

> All responses most welcome

>

> Cheers

>

> Chas Linn

> Web Producer

> Friends of the Earth

> www.foe.co.uk (Yell Awards - Runner Up 1999)

> 0171 566 1701


--

Duncan Clubb

e-mail:

duncan [dot] clubboffworld [dot] net

    Offworld Industries,

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