Answers to 10 key community engagement questions for news sites: The best of #wjchat

Q1: It means they have an emotional, intellectual investment in/connection to the website. #wjchatThu Jun 24 00:15:24 via TweetChatDorrine Mendoza
AssignmentDesk1

Q1: engaged = conversation. engaged means users care about your site and contribute toward it’s success #wjchatThu Jun 24 00:14:12 via TweetGridP. Kim Bui
kimbui

Q1 Really… your community should flock to you like Edward Cullen fans flock to Twilight sites. ;) #wjchatThu Jun 24 00:19:00 via webBrian Manzullo
BrianManzullo

@amysimons I think a loyal user (consumes a lot of content) is diff than an engaged user (comments, spreads the word about content) #wjchatThu Jun 24 00:21:44 via webAmira Dughri
killbutton

@jeffsonderman Type of activity is more important b/c that’s what adds value to the community; frequency of visits/activity doesn’t. #wjchatThu Jun 24 00:28:24 via TweetChatLauren M. Rabaino
laurenmichell

Q2 If there is an engagement editor, it should be temp. position- Goal: Get everyone in newsroom to engage w/ community. #wjchatThu Jun 24 00:40:05 via webBrian Manzullo
BrianManzullo

No, this is full-time job. http://bit.ly/cNENUj RT @BrianManzullo Q2 If there is an engagement editor, it should be temp. position. #wjchatThu Jun 24 02:06:55 via webSteve Buttry
stevebuttry

Q3: Take it offline. We are discussing a Tweetup for our community, which is also a little frightening. #wjchatThu Jun 24 00:44:06 via TweetChatDorrine Mendoza
AssignmentDesk1

@wjchat Q3: Incentives for good contributions. Like foursquare badges. #wjchatThu Jun 24 00:43:55 via TweetGridEthan Klapper
ethanklapper

@wjchat Q3: Tell stories that matter to them and tell them well. Also, social media doesn’t hurt. #wjchatThu Jun 24 00:43:00 via webDustin Blanchard
dblanchard

@wjchat Q4 Mobile users expect their information to load quickly. Photos and YouTube video are nice, but not all devices can play it #wjchatThu Jun 24 00:51:37 via webIsaiah Narciso
AsianStig

Q4 News companies send OUT text alerts. What can we do with users texting US? #wjchat h/t @SarahDayOwenThu Jun 24 00:59:33 via webJeff Sonderman
jeffsonderman

The @qctimes just started promoting a text hotline with a local number for community members to text tips to. #wjchatThu Jun 24 01:01:42 via TweetChatBrian Smith
smithbm12

Q4 News orgs should make it easy for ppl to submit mobile content to their site. People want convenience. #wjchatThu Jun 24 00:52:02 via webBrian Manzullo
BrianManzullo

Q5: The biggest thing a news company needs is a staff that values engagement and is willing to dedicate time to it. #wjchatThu Jun 24 01:06:28 via webJuana Summers
juanasummers

#wjchat Q5 Engagement isn’t cheap. It’s cost-effective. Not the same thing.Thu Jun 24 01:09:47 via webSteve Yelvington
yelvington

@jeffsonderman Q5. Devs build tools for readers to suggest, rate story ideas, tag all content. Put more controls in their hands. #wjchatThu Jun 24 01:15:54 via Twitter for iPhoneJohn Hill
hilljohng

#wjchat Q6 A social contract — a broadly shared sense of purpose and community values. Better than gold. Very hard to achieve.Thu Jun 24 01:17:51 via webSteve Yelvington
yelvington

Q6 Message boards have done it for *years.* Rank users based on # of posts, replies, likes, etc. Why haven’t we done that yet? #wjchatThu Jun 24 01:19:59 via webBrian Manzullo
BrianManzullo

#wjchat Q6 I think foremost commenters need to know we’re there, not just reviewing for TOS violations, but talking backThu Jun 24 01:19:38 via webJustin Ellis
JustinNXT

@wjchat Q7 if someone makes a controversial statement, anonymity may be necessary. But it should be left to moderator’s discretion. #wjchatThu Jun 24 01:28:56 via webIsaiah Narciso
AsianStig

Q7 I’ve seen plenty of communities thrive without requiring real ID’s. How? Moderators. #wjchatThu Jun 24 01:29:23 via webBrian Manzullo
BrianManzullo

Q7 #wjchat anonymity should be allowed, but create an environment where people are encouraged to put their name with what they thinkThu Jun 24 01:30:08 via webJustin Ellis
JustinNXT

Q6 @TheBuffaloNews announced it will start asking 4 commenters’ real names + towns http://yhoo.it/90dwUG We’ll c how it goes 4 them #wjchatThu Jun 24 01:31:43 via TweetDeckNatalia Veronica Mar
journatweets

Q7: I’ve said it before: if anonymity isn’t available to people in rural media areas, they can’t comment. Everybody knows everyone. #wjchatThu Jun 24 01:36:07 via webJoseph O’Sullivan
jaosullivanx

Q7 it IS an ethics issue. Shouldn’t allow people w an agenda to hijack a thread, anonymity makes that easier #wjchatThu Jun 24 01:37:14 via webBob Berwyn
bberwyn

Q7 Here’s an effective method: Award moderator duties to users who regularly flag inappropriate comments. @huffingtonpost does it. #wjchatThu Jun 24 01:38:05 via webBrian Manzullo
BrianManzullo

@wjchat Q7 It may be possible to balance it out though. The moderator should know who’s posting, but let people have screenames. #wjchatThu Jun 24 01:39:49 via webIsaiah Narciso
AsianStig

Q8: Absolutely use viewer comments on air! It really does bring a perspective fellow viewers cannot get from “us” (the media). #wjchatThu Jun 24 01:44:43 via Twitter for BlackBerry®Megan Healey
MeganHealey

Q8:Don’t be afraid to talk back to your audience and curate conversation. Bring those interactions into your daily news product. #wjchatThu Jun 24 01:46:30 via webJuana Summers
juanasummers

Q8: Engage with the sophisticated/constructive commenters ignore others & they’ll get the picture. #wjchatThu Jun 24 01:47:45 via TweetChatValerie Garner
ValerieInRke

Q8. I appreciate when news outlets write follow-up that serves as round-up of comments & blog posts prompted by original story. #wjchatThu Jun 24 01:50:27 via webAlexis Grant
alexisgrant

@wjchat Q9. Page views, customer loyalty and passion for brand, which creates word of mouth. Now if I could just sell that to execs. #wjchatThu Jun 24 01:53:20 via Twitter for iPhoneJohn Hill
hilljohng

Q9 #wjchat You can’t deliver an ad campaign to someone who only visited your site once this month. Advertising requires frequency.Thu Jun 24 01:52:44 via webSteve Yelvington
yelvington

Q9 engagement = creating ambassadors for the site = more page views & more willing to take action #wjchatThu Jun 24 01:54:20 via TweetDeckAndre Natta
acnatta

#wjchat Q9 Isn’t the truth we don’t know if engagement helps bottom line or if comments/tweets translate into traffic & sales for biz?Thu Jun 24 01:58:35 via webJustin Ellis
JustinNXT

@wjchat Q10: Users should have control of their content, and have opportunities for input into yours. #wjchatThu Jun 24 02:05:25 via webDustin Blanchard
dblanchard

@wjchat Q10 You can give them plenty of control, but gently remind them that you reserve the right to take down offensive content. #wjchatThu Jun 24 02:05:34 via webIsaiah Narciso
AsianStig

Q10. Share control. Give users wide latitude, but they appreciate moderator & leadership role. They want control but not chaos. #wjchatThu Jun 24 02:09:17 via webSteve Buttry
stevebuttry