How online communities have come of age … for catalogers

By Joe Dysart

Jump-start the community’s nerve center — namely, the discussion board — by posting commentary on a dozen or so industry topics. Then encourage visitors to offer their own reactions and opinions to the discussions you’ve started.

With a little luck and perseverance, these discussion boards will take on a life of their own. Your community visitors will come up with their own follow-up topics. Others may volunteer to moderate special interest groups they’re passionate about. Some will even volunteer to guard your forums from the occasional visitor who just shows up to cause mischief.