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How to Build a Sense of Community for a Web Site

By Tina Yew, October 27, 2004

Often, companies deploy a set formula for the a Web site: an introduction, a product/service catalogue, and contact information. The flaw in this set-up is that it leaves "customer service" and "user community" out of the formula. Here are some ideas on how to "be there for your customers" and increase customer interactivity for a Web site, and ultimately, a brand.

Create a Feedback Form

Even though your Web site may already have a contact email, it is still valuable to have an online form for visitors to directly send messages to your company through a form on the browser. This is because a client may not have an email account present in the browser / computer they are using to browse your web site. In addition, rather than having to open their email client to send a message to you, the site visitor can easily complete the form online. By placing a form on your web site, you will be saving the visitor time and giving them more convenience.

A Virtual Customer Service Desk

There is often a separate Customer Support desk at a department store or supermarket. They are there to handle customer issues or concerns, which may or may not be sales related. Now, analyze your Web site. Can your visitors easily contact you if they have pre-sales inquiries, such as how long it takes to ship to a certain province? What can customers do if they want a return or refund? Your Web site needs to clearly identify issues a visitor may have, and provide contact method for special scenarios.

Hosting a Forum

Some retailers offer products / services where the value of the product / service increases if the customers are able to contact each other and discuss certain issues. For example, a running shoe specialty store may host a community forum for customers to post product reviews, exercise tips, or a social gathering. This is a method where the customer identifies with the store's brand identity, as well as drive traffic as visitors return to the Web site for new forum discussions.
There are caveats in hosting a forum. For example, it is necessary that a minimal number of threads exist to create value. Therefore, if starting a new forum, a number of discussions need to be created. In addition, a forum needs to be regularly moderated for offensive material. Finally, the moderator needs to establish rules for posting competitive or sensitive information.

Writing A Blog

Another method to create a sense of virtual community is to host a blog on the Web site. Other than providing recent news about the company, one may also include additional information such as editorials or articles about relevant topics. Visitors coming to the site will be impressed that the Web site is updated frequently according to industry trends. In addition, they have the opportunity to post comments to your blog, where the Web site is able to collect valuable user feedback. In addition, putting a blog on the Web site shows your unique perspective and is a method to give your brand more personality!

Creating a e-Newsletter

Sending newsletters to your clients not only maintains a constant contact with your client, but also shows that you are knowledgeable about the latest happenings or is the trendsetter in the industry. To provide the most value for your subscribers (and not annoy them), make sure you only include relevant and breaking stories that the reader can learn from. Also, be weary of the number of emails sent to your client, ideally, do not email them more than once every two weeks. Finally, one rule that must be respected is that you MUST have the customer's confirmed opt-in (i.e. they signed up for your newsletter on your home page, AND they also sent confirmation to your subscription confirmation. If your subscribers are geographically dispersed, make sure your emails are compliant with each country's junk mail legalities.

Conclusion

Though it is difficult to measure the return on investment on building a virtual community for a Web site, it is a worthy investment to build traffic. As customers make revisit an interactive site, the brand makes a larger imprint on the consumer's mindshare. Furthermore, search engine rankings tend to increase with the enriched content of a virtual community. One final piece of advice - do not limit yourself to using the above methods - be creative and introduce new elements to a web site!

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