If you’re looking for an easy way to get your community members talking, write a quick blog complaining about an issue in your life and they will quickly commiserate.
It’s human nature, and people simply cannot resist the urge to chime in and tell their own stories. Throw out a topic and let them run with it. Keep in mind though, that it has to be something they can relate to, so don’t go on and on about something that matters only to you and expect people to care enough to jump on board.
Were you stuck in traffic this morning? If so, you weren’t the only one. Complain about that, and stories of individual traffic woes will follow. Trust me. l do it all the time in my Editor’s Blog and it works. I even devote an entire chapter to the benefits that complaining can provide in my new book, which by the way is now available on Amazon and Barnes & Noble.com.
I recall complaining about gas prices last summer and I was in good company. Remember those insane prices? Who didn’t want to complain about that?
Try it. Everyone can stand a little free commiseration.
9 comments
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May 30, 2009 at 9:47 pm
AW
Brilliant point, Angela. This definitely works! My recent experience of this came from our own community. A member complained about losing his new mobile phone, one he had for less than a month. That discussion attracted a lot of comments, more than other general mobile phone news we have posted.
May 30, 2009 at 10:05 pm
Angela Connor
AW Thanks for the comment and sharing your story. Yes, I bet that was a hot discussion! I’m finding as a community manager that sometimes it’s the little things that seem to spark the big conversations. The human condition is what it’s all about. Who can resist chiming in with their own story??! I’d love to see that post if you can provide a link.
May 31, 2009 at 7:04 am
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[...] A Sure Way to Engage Readers: Complain! (tags: community social) [...]
May 31, 2009 at 12:52 pm
Chris Bailey
Perhaps it goes without saying, but I’ll toss out the caveat to this: complain, but don’t complain often. It might spur conversation, but an overabundance of complaining can mark us (with a transference to the community) as whiny and self-serving. There are a few bloggers who I stopped reading because they started to complain about anything they could get their hands on. They thought they were offering critical analysis. I felt they were just out to find fault in their subjects. And very little has a turn-off factor higher than that.
May 31, 2009 at 1:51 pm
Angela Connor
Hey Chris Bailey! You are right about constant complaints. I couldn’t agree more. I think this is just a tool to have at your disposal particularly as a community manager if/when content is low or you don’t have many ideas. Too much complaining will send folks away fast, which you illustrate in your comment. This works better on sites that are of varied or general topics. I don’t have much tolerance for those bloggers you mention either. Thanks for the comment!
June 14, 2009 at 5:35 pm
Russell
I’m fed up of you plugging products and your book in nearly every post!!!!!
June 14, 2009 at 5:59 pm
Angela Connor
Russell If you followed my posts much at all you would know that I do not plug my book every post. Releasing this book has been a major event for me so it is natural for me to discuss it on my blog and in my tweets. You are certainly entitled to your opinion and there is always the option of not reading my posts. However, I would encourage you to view my history and you will know that I do not plug, plug, plug. Now that you’ve said this, I’m sure I’ll be more conscious of it in the event there is some truth to it. But again, I will definitely market my work. Thanks for taking the time to comment, though.
-Angela
June 15, 2009 at 10:02 am
Chris Bailey
Jeez, Russell. Because I know Angela, she’s being kind to you. But could you try to be a little less dickish in the future? It’s really not a pretty sight. Either approach your problem constructively or just stop reading.
June 15, 2009 at 10:05 am
Chris Bailey
Oh, or perchance your own complaining was done with tongue firmly planted in cheek? Guess there are always multiple viewpoints to every interaction.