While working on a writing project about the web, I
suddenly had a clearer and simpler understanding of something
fundamental about social tools in alumni relations.
Discussions about online "solutions" for alumni associations now focus on the social networking features of sites like Facebook. Many (including some software vendors) say that it is these features that draw users away from online communities hosted by alumni offices.
What's actually drawing users away is not the features of the software, but the scale, diversity, and breadth of the network itself — that is, the people.
Many people realized this some time ago, and have occasionally said it aloud. Stating it in this simple way helps me understand the potential effectiveness of activities like:
- building a Facebook application for alumni associations,
- creating so-called networking features on our own "walled garden" sites,
- building a private clone of Facebook that's exclusive to our campus, or
- grafting a standalone online community onto an alumni database.
I think the medium- and long-term prospects are limited. Networking features can be useful; but people don't want software features — they want other people.
These "other people" don't have to be schoolmates, they just have to be a trusted source of conversation, links, job advice, gossip — and yes, an occasional reminiscence.
This is why the enormous scale of the open social networks is erasing most of the utility that single-school alumni communities might have had.
Too simplistic? What do you think?
Note: After writing the post above, I came across Karine Joly's article in University Business titled It's the Community, Stupid! I think her argument supports my main point, but also goes much, much further. Check it out.
Photo of a real walled garden by Dana Graves via Creative Commons license