User experience in an online community
Posted: Mon Jan 06, 2025 6:28 am
As we well know, an online community is a novel research tool that allows us to obtain observations and insights from a market segment through quantitative and qualitative activities.
So it's easy to view communities as tools, much like we would view a hammer: We don't care too much about what they look like as long as they do their job.
However, something that is often forgotten when we think in this way is that participants in online communities are people who are not usually obliged to participate in the studies we carry out. An example of this is that there are those who join a research community out of self-interest and who, after a while, stop participating because they do not perceive value in the activity, or simply because the experience is not pleasant.
This is where the topic of this article focuses: On user experience as a factor that can increase the response rate of a community, increase interaction levels and reduce the dropout rate.
I share with you 3 of the characteristics of an online community .
In an online community, it's all about processes
The first step we need to take is to understand the process that our peru phone number panelists will have to follow to enter and participate in our community; something like the Customer Journey but adapted: A Panelist Journey.
In this Panelist Journey we must separate it into two stages: Introduction and participation.
The introduction
This is the point where we get panelists to become members of our online community and it is vital that we know how this will happen. Depending on the platform used, there are several ways to get people into a community:
It can be with your own databases,
Through filter surveys or
Registration forms inserted into a particular page.
In any of these situations, it is important that the panelist knows and agrees to be part of this activity . Believing that adding a person to a panel where they will receive surveys or notifications of activities constantly without having previously approved the use of their personal data for this purpose can create a feeling of anger against the visible brand of the community, as well as complaints of unwanted email, SPAM or even legal problems.
A database made up of people who voluntarily consent to the use of their information to participate in activities represents a cleaner database, with more commitment and involvement in the community's activities. Let's not forget that participants are the success of an online community .
So it's easy to view communities as tools, much like we would view a hammer: We don't care too much about what they look like as long as they do their job.
However, something that is often forgotten when we think in this way is that participants in online communities are people who are not usually obliged to participate in the studies we carry out. An example of this is that there are those who join a research community out of self-interest and who, after a while, stop participating because they do not perceive value in the activity, or simply because the experience is not pleasant.
This is where the topic of this article focuses: On user experience as a factor that can increase the response rate of a community, increase interaction levels and reduce the dropout rate.
I share with you 3 of the characteristics of an online community .
In an online community, it's all about processes
The first step we need to take is to understand the process that our peru phone number panelists will have to follow to enter and participate in our community; something like the Customer Journey but adapted: A Panelist Journey.
In this Panelist Journey we must separate it into two stages: Introduction and participation.
The introduction
This is the point where we get panelists to become members of our online community and it is vital that we know how this will happen. Depending on the platform used, there are several ways to get people into a community:
It can be with your own databases,
Through filter surveys or
Registration forms inserted into a particular page.
In any of these situations, it is important that the panelist knows and agrees to be part of this activity . Believing that adding a person to a panel where they will receive surveys or notifications of activities constantly without having previously approved the use of their personal data for this purpose can create a feeling of anger against the visible brand of the community, as well as complaints of unwanted email, SPAM or even legal problems.
A database made up of people who voluntarily consent to the use of their information to participate in activities represents a cleaner database, with more commitment and involvement in the community's activities. Let's not forget that participants are the success of an online community .