How do community operations manage their own value proposition?

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First CHOP Bamboo Classmate I write article has always been Scholing, digress, in the middle and back interspersed, so you reader first buy some non-staple food ready. How does the community manage its own value proposition? First of all: The International school teacher has an open-ended question: "What do you think of food shortages in other countries?" African students ask: what is food? European students ask: what is a shortage? American students ask: What do you call other countries? Chinese students ask: What do you call your opinion?

Therefore, to answer this question, first of all, to clarify what is called "community"? What is "Value proposition"?

First, the community, the community in this article mainly refers to the Internet Community Class Web site. The community may be one of the oldest forms of link in the Internet. First of all, from the surface, how to classify the bearing form? The oldest nature is the forum, here does not repeat. Let's take a look at another emerging community, a community that is detached from the traditional forums and has its own characteristics, and is not responsible for the new community. For example, watercress, shell, shrimp and so on.

Community trends

The development of the new community, watercress is the best research object, the content is also a lot of users have summed up. In contrast to traditional forums, hodgepodge and emerging communities, there are several notable trends that deserve attention:

1. The independence of the object

If people are the main body of the community, then the topic of communication between people is the object. Similarly to the book as the object, watercress reading and "Tianya Leisure readings" plate is a very different way of communication. Emerging communities, such as watercress, draw objects away from the conversation to form independent functions (such as book reviews), so that the object is no longer attached to the dialogue. The benefits of object independence are obvious. First of all, it conforms to the sociological law, and the subject and the object are essential parts of communication. Second, the object can be independent, communication more focused, more depth, effectively reducing the trash talk without objects to show off the ventriloquist. And trash Talk is the Tianya, Baidu Bar and other traditional community disease. More importantly, in the object of independence of the general trend, the object of the instrumental function has been unprecedented development, so that a large number of original tools are the site to become a community.

This sounds a bit round, or for example. Shrimp, an emerging music community, defines itself as an introduction to sharing high-quality music. As a community, the object of the shrimp is music. So how does the shrimp do the music community? It is not a forum, we discuss together, but developed a lot of music enthusiasts for a variety of bizarre requirements of the strange function. For example, find some rare accompaniment, open the room as a DJ and so on. Originally the shrimp Can do imaging cool music box such tools, but it finally made a community. The tool of the object is unique and easy to use, and the community develops and expands accordingly. It's like you want to pull a bunch of aunts to form a square dance community, the best way is not to send leaflets, but occupy a convenient and eye-catching square, buy a box of good quality Phoenix legend accompaniment. The mother jumped to be happy natural spread wildfire, this community is formed well.

2, synthesis and vertical boundaries begin to Blur

The early years of classifying communities were the combination of communities, vertical communities, and even regional communities. Some people have predicted that with the refinement of social division of labor, the rich content of the community will be more vertical, comprehensive community will be difficult. That's why a lot of VC agencies shake their heads when they hear about people trying to be a comprehensive community, and don't chew much.

So is the community really getting more vertical? The answer is beyond definition. Because the general and vertical boundaries are beginning to blur. The so-called synthesis or vertical, initially from the content of the definition (note is content, not the user group), the content of diversity is integrated, content focus is vertical. The logic of the community tending to the vertical theory is to focus on the content, in exchange for user stickiness by sacrificing the user base. After a time test, it was found that the claim was both right and wrong. The beginning is correct, the community began to subdivide, have to do reading, have to do watching movies. But after a while, we found that something was wrong, and the "vertical" community began to be not straight enough. Watercress from the beginning to share books, and soon began to share movies, music, and city activities. Another late start a lot of science and technology community Shell, a start to do science, now defined as the pan-tech theme site and question and answer platform.

The fundamental reason for the blurring of the integrated and vertical boundaries of emerging communities is that they are the product of the fusion of traditional communities with other forms of Internet. Community + Tools-shrimp, Community +sns-watercress, Community + Media-nutshell, Community + knowledge Platform-know, Community + electric business-mushroom Street. So it's hard to sift through the simple dimension of vertical, to determine whether a topic should belong to the community. Since content starts to be a variable, the nature of the content-based boundary begins to blur. The original constant becomes a variable, where is the new constant? Finally returned to the content of the title of the article. A new, more appealing, and more elusive, constant alternative to content becomes a new standard for community boundaries, and it is a value proposition.

To sum up, with the independence of the Community object, the instrumental nature of the object has been an unprecedented development. The original content-based synthesis and vertical boundaries began to blur, and the value proposition instead of the content theme became the only constant in the development of emerging communities.

We can imagine that in the Forum era it was a hodgepodge of people discussing the same content, and now like-minded people are discussing all sorts of things they like in their tailored communities.

Value proposition

After analyzing the community, we look at the value proposition. Value proposition (proposition) is also derived from sociology, with the rise of advertising industry widely used in brand strategy. We might as well test, which of the following is not a value proposition?

A, nutshell: Science and technology interesting;

B, Mengniu: a pound of milk a day, strong Chinese;

C, China's good voice: looking for a good voice in China

D, eight honors and eight disgraces

The answer is that they are all value propositions. Whether Mengniu's products are strong Chinese or poisoned teenagers, no matter how many people are ashamed of eight honors and eight disgraces, they all contain certain values, and the comprehensive refinement of values forms the proposition that they are passed on to us in a variety of magical ways, though they do not necessarily want to do so.

The network society is a brand-new social structure, but it is still the social structure, so it is more and more developed to the real social structure, and many sociological research laws begin to apply to the network society. This is probably what many Internet watchers call "the reality projection of virtual space".

Let us take a look at the role of the value proposition that was born in the sociology field, what changes did the network community have?

1, with "I" and "community" of the partition.

A personal homepage with a blog is almost standard for emerging communities. The personal homepage is a good distinction between private and public areas. A rational answer to the sociological question of what I would like to do in the community.

2. The distinction between "labor" and "ridicule".

"Labor" corresponds to doing the right thing, writing articles, finishing materials are for the community "Labor", "ridicule" before called "irrigation", now called "Flirt Landlord" "Sell Meng" "God reply."

3. With the "talent" and "fans" positioning.

It is absolutely impossible for a community to be in a centralized state for a long time. Because the biological properties of human beings in the process of evolution determine that no central organization either spontaneously produces the center or collapses.

4. Virtual currency incentives are replaced by reputational incentives.

Integral system, virtual money is almost accompanied by community growth, but this is unscientific. Have you ever met someone who spoke to a neighbor in the neighborhood to get money from the property so that he could talk to a neighbor who was shameless enough to pay for the speech next time? It's really unscientific, so it's not popular anymore. (Daniel Pink in the book "Driving Force", the old "Give me reward, I work harder" in the creative social division of labor only short-term effect, the real driving force 3.0 is derived from the exploration of their own sense of achievement and recognition. )

The change of the network community and the sociological reason behind it is too rich, unfolds to also an article. From the point of view of value proposition, driven by the value proposition, rather than the original content theme-driven, the network community is more and more like the real community.

Discuss the result of value proposition, and then look at the formation of value proposition. This simple, nothing more than two: first identified, later formed. Whether a value proposition (such as a nutshell) is clearly identified at the outset, or by positioning the value proposition that the population is naturally forming, such as watercress. In the end, each community that can use the value proposition to gather people has grown up or is growing, no value proposition, or the value proposition is not accepted by the masses of the site, will inevitably die. It's just a matter of time, and this time is going to be faster and faster.

The value proposition of watercress is not directly read on the homepage, users need to slowly experience, summary. There are many different interpretations, just as "1000 of people have 1000 hamlet in their eyes", but they are inseparable from "humanities" and "sharing". The value proposition of the Nutshell is very eye-catching written on the right side of the logo, "Science and technology interesting", straightforward, but also very cohesive. Why is "technology" is not "science", in fact, the shell more biased scientific. But two words give the image is different, life big bang of Xie Ear is science, hacker Empire Keanu that is technology. Every science nerd wants to be a cool Reeves instead of a Sheldon.

How does the community manage its own value proposition?

This question is like how to do three-dimensional geometry? Every community has its own way of doing things, and the method is new. So the method is to think, familiar with the theorem can be handy. (The following section, personal opinion more, need to be careful choice)

Theorem One: Value proposition does not directly affect the community, through the adjustment of influence

Value proposition is the flap of watercress, the core of the shell, it is very intrinsic things, and some communities even made unutterable unspeakable. Even if it is as straightforward as a nutshell to place the value proposition on the right side of the logo, you don't think it's Twitter or community content. Every day, "technology is really interesting, the lab's geek are also humorous" in addition to the people's Daily and some charitable organizations, directly with the value proposition is not a good way to throw. The approach most communities take is to influence the community with a "tone" derived from value propositions. What is "tone"? Perfume has a front, in the tone, after the adjustment, watercress is literary, clear, free, nutshell is Rensili, sell Meng, anti-authority. Then the content of the community goes along with the tune.

Theorem Two: The value proposition must be the personality of the shell wrapped positively positive nuclear

Similar to religion, no matter what kind of religious core teachings have persuaded people to do something for goodness. Why? Because it's a value that everyone agrees with. Non-mainstream communities need to tap positive values as part of their value proposition. "Chasing Dreams", "free and equal" whatever, is to be positive, is to be positive. In addition to this part, the teachings of the major religions are far away. Similar communities are also different. The shell of any community's value proposition is best served as a sign of distinguishing between this community and that community. Watercress is a humanistic quality, the Nutshell is a scientific explanation.

Theorem Three: Value proposition will inevitably and mainstream value proposition to form a deflection, anti-traditional, just proud

Communities are called tribes in primitive societies. The origin of the tribe stems from the division of the big tribes, and why they split because of different identities. Anti-Traditional, anti-mainstream is the commonality of Community value proposition. Politicians, both domestic and foreign, have always been the most cynical and ironic, because they are, unfortunately, representatives of mainstream values. It takes pride to unite the people, and pride in their own group. First to understand the mainstream values, and then form a certain angle, is to find their own value proposition. For example: Mainstream values want young people to find a safe and easy job, the community can locate the energy to release youth to explore.

Based on three theorems, there can be three inferences in use:

Inference one: can only be adjusted, there is no value proposition (is actually hidden). But not only value proposition, no tone.

Individual communities offer value propositions, but the content of the recommendations is often contradictory. Part of the shopping community is very obvious. It's a good idea to start with a selection of core users.

Inference two: The core of different value propositions is similar, so a person can theoretically belong to more than one community, but the shell of individuality publicity is necessarily different, so a person must make a choice. Religion is exclusive, and so is the community.

Inference three: If the deflection angle is appropriate, it will gradually form subculture and begin to define self and non me.

Value proposition in the process of operation will be based on community members of the perception of feedback constantly fine-tuning, and eventually form the appropriate deflection, not too mild or radical. If appropriate, the community will gradually form their own subculture, have their own vocabulary, have their own set of communication programs, and began to use more "we". So congratulations, the value proposition of the community has been fully recognized.

I have always believed that as a promoter of the community, editors or people who are involved in the organization's work, realize the social attributes of the Internet community are prescient. "Value proposition" does not want to "marketing" such topics can have a lot of specific tools. The article is also a clearer topic than methodology. Next will be combined with specific work, summed up some of the value of the management of specific examples.

Welcome the discussion and look forward to sharing your experiences with the operators of the excellent communities mentioned or not mentioned in the article.