Forming an online community is often
a knee-jerk reaction to the CEO's
demand for a Web 2.0 strategy. Online
social networks get lots of buzz, and
given today's enabling technologies it
seems silly to pass up opportunities in
the virtual world. Unfortunately, most
company-sponsored online "communities"
are nothing more than far-flung focus
groups established in the hope that
consumers will bond around the virtual
suggestion box. There's nothing wrong
with listening to customers, but this isn't
a community strategy