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Online Community Development Checklist

By Aneta Hall (@anetah)

PRE-LAUNCH Agreed upon goal for the community

Sizable pool of prospective members (remember 90-9-1 rule)

User research (e.g. surveys, etc.)

Clearly identified owner who oversees budget & sets direction

Documented community engagement strategy

Identification of measurable KPIs

Forum & sub-forum structure identified

Community manager who conducts planning and day-to-day decision-making

Content moderators who set tone, reinforce rules and help users

Community platform chosen & configuration options identified

Likes, kudos, “best answers” settings enabled to encourage engagement

Image sharing capabilities enabled

Editorial calendar with at least 30 days of content posts identified

“Rules of Engagement” copy developed

Worflows for customer service issues in place (when customer-facing)

Marketing/communication plan to drive new members

Email blast

eNewsetter mentions

website links

Printed flyers

Others (be specific)

AFTER LAUNCH Super user identification and recognition program

KPI reporting in place

Steady stream of valuable content to post

Maintenance of editorial calendar in place

Posting frequency adjustments made as needed