The Role of Community and How It Should Be in the Curator Economy

The Role of Community and How It Should Be in the Curator Economy

In today's oversaturated world, the concept of curation has lost its true meaning. What was once meant to be a meticulous process of informing and selecting valuable content has now become a means of monetization and lack of creativity. It is up to a knowledge-obsessed community to rescue the true essence of curation.

A community serves as a connection to the environment around us. It keeps us grounded and helps us navigate through the overwhelming amount of information available. As Hans-Ulrich Obrist, an artistic director and curator at London's Serpentine Galleries, warns, the overuse and misinterpretation of the word "curation" risks creating a bubble where its meaning is lost.

To combat this, people are turning to influencers who have the same vibe as them. These micro-influencers are more connected with their community and therefore more relatable. They provide a sense of trust and authenticity that is lacking in the curated content of today. The value lies not in the distribution of content, but in the judgment of an expert.

As a community, we have the responsibility to teach one another what is worth focusing on. We must keep well-curated information available to everyone. But how can the community ensure that good curation thrives in this digital age?

A founder's guide to community

Building a community starts with creating a sense of belonging. This is the baseline for exponential growth. However, true growth happens when members take an active role in the community. To align a community with business objectives, the SPACES model can be used:

• Support: Create spaces for customers to answer questions and solve problems for each other.
• Product: Create spaces for customers to share product feedback and ideas with each other and with your team.
• Acquisition: Build programs that help you grow your pipeline and customer base.
• Contribution: Enable members to contribute content, services, or something else of value to a platform you create.
• Engagement: Connect customers to each other around their common interests to increase customer retention.
• Success: Enable customers to teach each other how to better use your product and be more successful in their careers.

The objectives of a community will depend on the stage of a company. In the pre-product-market-fit stage, the focus is on collecting feedback and insights to solve a problem for customers. As the customer base grows, the objectives shift to supporting and helping customers better use the product.

When it comes to owning a community, it is common for one of the founders to take on the role initially. This allows for a hands-on approach and staying close to customers. When hiring for community roles, it is essential to look for genuine curiosity in the topic the community is built around.

Community professionals do not solely focus on driving engagement. Many function in an operational capacity, ensuring the smooth running of community programs. Creating community-level goals is crucial, as it helps align the community strategy with business goals. Programs can be asynchronous spaces like forums or message boards.

The success of a community can be measured through activity, value, and a sense of belonging. The 7Ps of community - People, Purpose, Place, Participation, Policy, Promotion, and Performance - serve as fundamental elements in creating successful community programs.

When launching a community, it is important to start small. Inviting a select group of founding members allows for the shaping of the cultural mold and provides a better experience for community members. This initial group can seed quality content and conversations, setting the tone for future members.

Starting with 10 to 50 members is recommended, and these founding members should be asked to post thoughtful questions and provide quality answers. Keeping the number of channels or topics to a minimum initially can help create a cohesive and curated experience for community members.

Once the model is successful, scaling the community becomes easier. Google, for example, has over 1,000 Google Developer Groups around the world. The key is to maintain the focus on what is good for the community, as it ultimately benefits the business.

In conclusion, the role of community in the curator economy is vital. It is up to a knowledge-obsessed community to rescue the true meaning of curation and ensure that well-curated information is available to everyone. By aligning community with business objectives, creating a sense of belonging, and starting small, communities can thrive and provide value to both members and businesses.