Are Private Social Networks Seeing Their Hayday?

Earlier this week I published an article
on Forbes:”The
Private Social Network: It May Just Be What Your Company Needs,”
which explores the quiet but powerful revolution private online communities are
bringing to businesses.  Unlike the
bright lights, buzz and superficial attention generated by public social media
efforts, private communities have a significant impact on organizations and the
customers and stakeholders they serve, yielding higher-quality actionable
outcomes than their flashy public counter-parts.

I wrote the article to raise awareness
of private online communities from a leadership perspective and provide an
opportunity to explore the reasons why these communities fail to grab headlines.
Here’s the good news: for those in the know, the benefits of private networks prove
themselves every day. Comments on the article are loud and clear, offering powerful
points of view on the value of private online communities. Some examples:

One commenter, rosemaryoneill, mentioned that “in highly regulated fields, or industries
that deal with sensitive information, a private community can become a safe
zone for collaboration.”

Commenter Jay Abramson discussed
the concept of ‘systems of engagement’ within private communities as a
foundation for knowledge management. “This [private networks] can really redefine the concept of Knowledge
Management, and help organizations truly move from Systems of Record to Systems
of Engagement. The idea of connecting two people who have never met, but can
share critical information is a big idea.”

Jay went on to say:” In the old days, businesses had a core footprint which enabled
exchange of ideas and connections within the four walls of the workplace…either
in the cafeteria, hallway, breakroom or just walking down the cubicle aisles.
As you fast forwards to the 2010′s teams are dispersed around the globe, and
even if people are in the same city, they are work from home folks and mobile
workers. So, the challenge is how to connect people and try to simulate what we
had prior to mobilization and globalization. This is where the online
communities can play a huge role.” 

Bradfordpowerasked: “Have
you seen smaller private social networks that might have a few to a dozen
members? For example, I worked with nine healthcare providers who became a
cross-organizational team working on hip and knee replacements. Or I saw four
manufacturers that collaborated in a supply chain from metal forming to lawn
mowers.”

tiafisher
recounts her experiences with a long-standing private
online community: “I belong to a community aimed at social
media professionals which was started way before LinkedIn became what it is
today, and it’s an excellent example of your point: ‘To thrive, they must
accelerate a business process or make possible some activity, exchange, or
collaboration that wasn’t feasible before. The appeal of privacy coupled with
the strength of affinity leads to high levels of peer-peer and peer-firm
engagement, just as in the offline, face-to-face world.’ It’s a community in
which we feel free to ask and answer calls for help and experience irrespective
of whether we are in competition with each other. The emphasis is on sharing
information and support, and not spamming or attempts to influence or impress.
It’s an important space which allows for exchange of opinion but because it is
gated, the exchanges remain on topic and civilised. I agree with you on the
importance of such areas ”

I’m pleased the capabilities of “quiet
but powerful” private social networks are garnering some long-overdue attention.
So here are some questions for you: 

• What is your experience as a member of one
  or more professional online communities? 
• Have they helped you solve a problem
  or learn about a topic in any way? 
• As a customer of, or stakeholder in, a
  company or organization, would a private community benefit you?

Feel free to share your
ideas and experiences by sharing here or on the Forbes article. You’ll need to
register first but it is quick and painless. 
Here is the link to the article on the Forbes site. 
I look forward to continuing this
conversation.

Vanessa DiMauro is the CEO of Leader Networks, a research and strategy consulting company that helps large organizations succeed in social business and B2B online community building. DiMauro is a popular speaker, researcher and author. With over 15 years experience in social media leadership positions, she has founded and run leading online communities for CXO Systems, Cambridge Technology Partners and IDG, and has developed winning social strategies for influential companies such as Cisco, Cognizant, EMC, Palladium Group and SAP.

Vanessa DiMauro is an Executive-In-Residence at Babson College’s Olin School of Management, and holds both a B.A. and M.A. from Boston College. She serves on the Advisory Board at WEGO Health and blogs at http://blog.leadernetworks.com.