Exploiting the new wave of empowered online users
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Transcript of Exploiting the new wave of empowered online users
Exploiting the new wave of
empowered online users
Hugh Wallace
Head of Interactive Media, Oxfam
29 November 2006
What is Oxjam?
A month of music events raising money for Oxfam
Community fundraising model – Oxfam doesn't put on the events, members of the public do
Oxfam supplies the tools to enable them to do so
Main Oxjam website:www.oxfam.org.uk/oxjam Information and news about Oxjam
'Backstage' area for people to add their events, and tools to help them run, promote and fundraise
Search facility for users to find out what events were happening near them
User-generated reports and reviews from events that had taken place
Oxjam on myspace: www.myspace.com/oxjam Central presence on myspace
Information and news about Oxjam
Web-based tools for users to download
Community hub for event organisers to keep up-to-date and get support – genuine network of 'friends'
Created a buzz – visible record of how widespread the events were getting
Why myspace?
Its size: already a well-established social network in the UK with a large, active user base
Existing community of musicians linked up via myspace music
Brought together tools (video and music players, blogs) in one place
Hype
Myspace friends
Saw early benefit of allowing users to co-ordinate regional hubs and hook up with other people in their area
Empowered users and allowed them to take ownership of communicating and promoting their events
Support network – easy to find someone else in a similar situation and ask questions
Online Successes
Massive flow of traffic to the Oxjam website
Satisfied customers – 85% of those involved rated myspace as very useful or useful
Huge 'word of mouth' effect via myspace friends network, and uptake from websites such as nme.com
Local events meant local press and PR – 100s of websites talking about Oxjam events
Embodies Oxfam's brand values of empowerment and inclusivity
And some challenges...
Many versions of the Oxfam logo and Oxjam identity visible online
And some challenges...
Many versions of the Oxfam logo and Oxjam identity visible online
Loss of control over what people say and who they connect with meant potential of negative associations
Too exclusive? Held more appeal to particular audience types
However...
Close working with Oxjam network of friends meant it was possible to put baseline rules in place
People's desire to make it their own and get creative is actually a real success
Paradigm shift – you can't be active in these spaces and not be prepared to accept some risks
Why did it work?
Strong proposition in the first instance – critical to any development in web 2.0
Used a social network with strong ties to music and an existing community base
Gave users a sense of ownership – genuinely empowering model
Embraced the medium – didn't get heavy handed and accepted the potential risks
What we’ve learned
Quality is far more important than quantity – a large
volume of friends doesn’t actually mean anything
It’s easy to get people interested, but far trickier to
keep them engaged
Managing a community needs to be budgeted for
and resourced – don’t enter social network spaces
without considering this
Take steps to broaden appeal
Thank You