Network = Community? Not always.

Chloe Stromberg at Forrester's Marketing Blog has written a wonderful analysis of the definitions of "network" and "community." She contends they're not the same thing -- although people often use the terms interchangeably.

But a community is just one type of network. My working definition of network is: a group of people who have something in common and who have a motivation for connecting. For example, a bunch of people who all buy the same brand of toilet paper, but have no desire to meet, are not a network. Another type of network is a mob (commonality: enraged about something, motivation for connecting: aggregate power to use against something). Yet another type of network is a clique. It's not all warm and fuzzy.

She goes on to define different kinds of online networks: emotive networks, advice networks, blog networks, and others. It's really a wonderful primer on different ways people are connecting online. And seeing the categories defined may help you determine what kinds of ways you can best communicate the message of your business or organization. Each kind of network has its uses in both the nonprofit and business world. If you're not sure where to start, pick one that seems a good match for what you're trying to accomplish, and jump right in.

And, as always, if you have any questions, let me know. My email's over on the right, and I love answering questions, no strings attached!

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