Web2Expo NY 2009 Presentation
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Transcript of Web2Expo NY 2009 Presentation
Building a Site for your
Developer Community
Lauren Cooney
GPM, Web Platform & Standards
Microsoft
www.twitter.com/lcooney
Who Am I?
Not Evil- Microsoft (Web Platform & Standards, Developer Division)- IBM (Apache Geronimo; Info Management CTO Office)- BEA Systems (dev2dev)- Apache Foundation- Eclipse- CodePlex Foundation- Advisory Board, Web2Expo SF
Porter’s 5 Forces?
Cooney’s 5 Forces of Site Community
Dev Community Website
Customer
Clarity
ContentConversation
Connect
#1: Clarity
Why am I building this website? What are my Top Level Goals?
Questions to ask:• What need am I
addressing?• Does my company
already have a site that addresses these needs?
• What results do I want to see?
• How am I going to achieve these goals?
• What does success look like?
#2: Customer
Who is my Target Audience?
Address:• Who is the target
audience?• Is there another
community out there that fits these needs (competitor/partner?)
• Do I partner or do I create my own community?
• What is my differentiator & how do I create that (is there one of value)?
Who is Your Customer?• Customers are different than “target audience.”
• Figuring out your site customer involves segmenting the target audience
• Both of these audiences require different types of content and different types of websites and communication mechanisms
How do I Segment my Audience?Less is More:Tips and Tactics (on the cheap)• Look at competitor sites.
• Data is available on lots of different websites for free or a fraction of the cost of analyst reports/DevTrackers
• Scouring public blogs, wikis, research sites
• Sometimes analysts offer up free reports
•Talking to people in the industry
#3: Content
Content: At the Core of WebsitesWhy Content is so Important:• Content is KING
• Good content is absolutely critical; poor content means you’ll lose customers (no repeat visitors)
• Helps new users or current customers learn about news, new products & information critical
• Important in helping customers build out their skill set
• Core way to get developers plugged in/bought in.
What Content is Good?
What is Good Content?• Less is More (Good Content v Bad Content)
• Developer websites need code
• Interactive content is good (but keep it short & to the point)
• Short Videos• Learning tutorials• Demos• Step by step articles/how to• Interviews with the experts• Blogs• Syndication
How to Get Good Content
Tips & Tricks (on the cheap):• Have a volunteer Editor• Ensure you have company buy-in; ask engineers/product managers to contribute• Ask the community to contribute• Syndication deals• Search for good bloggers
How do I ensure it’s good?• Commenting• Rating ability• Provide editor’s email address (be accessible)
Once You Get the Content
Information Architecture is Critical
#4 Community
Characteristics of Great Community Sites
• Great mechanisms for conversation• Allow for feedback & bi-directional conversations• Employees listen & react• Voting/commenting/rating abilities• Clean UI/easy to use• User Contribution is high • Useful information & code samples
Trying to On Ramp To Our Stuff – Where Do You Start?
How do I onboard the community?
How do I Start to get Noticed?Real World Example (www.microsoft.com/web)
SEO SEO SEO Microsoft SEO Toolkit
Works on bothWindows & Linux Sites!
www.microsoft.com/web/downloads
#5: Connect
ListenListenCritical to have an outlet for community and customers to provide feedback & ask questions
• Newsgroups• Comments sections• Phone number• Email aliases• A real Person
Respond
• People & communities want answers to their questions & comments.
• Provide access to real people
• Increases customer relationship & stickiness to community
• Respond in public if possible; likely other community members have the same questions
Audience Connection Methods
• Pick your methods of communication
• Ensure it scales• Make it easy to
remember/access/push method: user names, links, RSS, ATOM
• Commitment • Be Patient
Provide Personalities• Provide Interesting
Facts/Tidbits/ Information
• What are you doing? • Be polite and
respectful• Take time to
respond• Be relevant; be
credible• HAVE PASSION!
Questions?
Lauren Cooney Web Platform & Standards, Microsoft
Follow me on Twitter: @lcooneyEmail me: [email protected]
Thank You!