There is no such thing as virtual community
Community is the stuff that happens between people when they sit together around a table, look each other in the eye (or not), and laugh, argue, eat, and plan together. As of now, there is no technology available that can adequately replicate that experience, not even some kind of Dr. Frankenstein’s FaceBook + Skype creation. Even the best social networking functionality still doesn’t replicate the kind of meaningful interaction that happens face to face (think of all the blogs you’ve visited where people are posting vitriolic diatribes anonymously).
Given the reality that most social change organizations are at their base about community – building, organizing, and empowering – it might seem discouraging to learn that virtual community is another one of those technological myths. But, before we “throw the baby out with the bathwater” let’s consider some of the ways that online technologies can be helpful in building real, face-to-face community.
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Including new members
When I hear about an effort, campaign, organization, or community that I haven’t heard of before, often the first thing I will do is google it. I want to know who they are, how they present their work, and what other people are saying about them. Of course, I will also talk to other people that may know about them, but my first step is always to go to the internet.
Now we should be clear that this isn’t everyone’s first step, and organizations should plan for multiple points of entry for new members. But, it is clear that these days, the internet is a central way for organizations to introduce themselves to potential members.
With this in mind, it’s important to have a clear way for new members to join in your work. For example, one of the first things you see on the Kansas Interfaith Power & Light website is the join button. For first time visitors to your site, make it easy for them to figure out how to get involved.
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Increasing engagement with current members
While it’s obvious that the point of having a website is to make connections with new and potential members, the advent of social networking functionality has made continuing connection with members much easier. Working with my above claim, that authentic community doesn’t happen online, we have to consider how we can utilize that functionality in such a way that we turn people away from their computer screens and toward actual community building activities.
With this in mind, I encourage folks to think how every online event can drive people toward an actual in person event. For example, imagine that your organization has a blog that tells readers about the latest in national health care policy and how it impacts your local community. You get a lively conversation going online regarding the benefits and costs of a single-payer health care system. In order to convert that online conversation into a face to face conversation, you invite the folks who have been involved in the conversation to be a part of a town hall meeting next week.
This may seem patently obvious, but in the effort to build community, we should think about how to turn online interaction into face to face interaction. Face to face interaction is where change happens, where commitments are made, where actions are agreed upon and community built.
