In homage to an excellent post by Adam Christensen today, I choose to follow suit and proclaim that everything I’ve learned about social computing I’ve learned from the Beach Boys. Well, primarily, I’ve learned a great deal through networking with Beach Boys fans by administering an incredibly popular Beach Boys fan message board from the mid-90’s through 2006.
Yes, I’m a message board geek. I’m proud of that as a matter of fact. I’m a Beach Boys geek too, and equally proud. Their history, accomplishments, longevity and relevence hold mythical power over some in certain circles. Their story is complex and riddled with drama and struggle. They remain one of the most important pop bands ever assembled, their productions, recordings and writing of the highest standard – as best anyone could ever accomplish on a long-term basis - throughout their lifespan.
It began with my joining a set of online boards and communities and falling in love with the community, all sharing the same passion for the band. My favorite board – the most open one, and the one devoid of any ‘deleting’ or censorship – was being shut down by it’s admin for various reasons. I jumped at the chance to grab his community and mission, re-brand it, and maintain a home for its followers. So what did I learn that translated into value for my current role at IBM in creating, nurturing and promoting social efforts?
(using Adam’s list below… see his post for how it may relate to your professional endeavours)…
Go where the communities are already congregated on the topic. Done, did that, saw the power, became a friendly voice, was attentive, active, etc. I joined a community and earned trust before striking out on my own.
Want value? Add value. Listen, learn, follow. Did that too. I felt I knew the subject well. I studied the subject, kept on top of it, was genuinely interested in the information-sharing, speculation, theories. I added anything and everything I could that was breaking news or information. This is related to good citizenship, even if online. This is abpout being open to the opinions and discussions of others.
Closed loop Surface the best stuff, nurture the best conversations, lead by example.
It’s a long-term commitment Ahh, the hard part… This is an element that takes some getting used to. It takes a great deal of effort to spend the time required to be a voice in any community, whether real or virtual. Same goes for being a leader in any community, or an expert voice. This is the message board / blogging deal breaker for most people and the reason why so many fail. But where there is passion and curiosity, there is hope.
It’s not just about blogging 2008 has found us moving further and further out of the message board / blog realm and into equally exciting spaces such as Facebook and Twitter. These social efforts can all be woven together with time, passion and patience.
Avoid any place that sells “hard shell tacos” OK, this is only something I learned from Adam. You will have to see his post to understand. Guess I need something that fits into the Beach Boys lessons-learned to match his thinking on a fun and inspirational finale to the post…
Avoid the 80’s and 90’s Beach Boy recordings At least at first. Just no need to go there right off the bat. Stick to the period between 1964 – 1977, this is the golden era. Hardcore fan favorites (outside of the stunning Pet Sounds) include the albums Summer Days and Summer Nights, Friends, Sunflower, and for a quirky blast of offbeat stuff, the album Love You.
That’s all I’ve got. I’m happy to talk Beach Boys anytime with any of you. I encourage all of you thinking about how to enter the social web successfully to do what Adam and I did… start in a community that shares the same passions as you.
