Since I apparently have a small but eclectic community here at Occam’s RazR, maybe we can attack a fundamental series of questions that have eluded the spotlight.

There are a bunch of us who know the tools of “Social Media”, (blogs, wikis, podcasts, forums) and even know a few communities really well. But we still haven’t wrapped our heads around several mysteries about “community”:

  • How much of a Community Personality is emergent, and how much is in the DNA of the technical aspects of the forum?
  • Once a Community exerts a Personality, how much can it be shepherded or evolved?
  • What degree of participation is required to “earn” the credibility one needs to be a true influencer, and one who adds value to the Community?
  • What subtle changes make identical communities turn into polar opposites?
  • Which elements of communities show a high degree of measurable correlation, such that we can learn from comparison?
  • What determines the internal structure of an online community?
  • How much “churn” is there within a meritocracy?  Can the “influence-poor” become “influence-rich,” and vice-versa?  What accounts for such “nobility mobility” in some communities and not others?

We can answer these questions on a case-by-case basis, but only after diving into the pool. At some point, if we’re going to get the serious business world to take notice, we’re going to have to do a better job being predictive. If there’s a forum community built around a consumer need, we need to have some general rules that can inform us as to the feasibility of joining and advocating. In many cases, it’s not worth the effort to join – but all of the people I know making those recommendations are doing it by the seat of their pants, not with any real sense of all the variables involved.

Marching AntsI’m not saying we should put Social Media on ice until we figure it out – but at least let’s acknowledge the importance (and implications) of asking the questions.

Who will be the E.O. Wilson of Social Media? Who is studying the ants, instead of just invading the anthills? And are we ready for when the ants attack back?

[tags]Ike Pigott, Occam’s RazR, community, emergent behavior, blogging, Social Media[/tags]