Marketology

There’s a clear distinction between people you know personally and those held together by common interest. Interpersonal relationships that are pre-established are more personal but not necessarily your best advocates/followers. It’s often people who you don’t personally know but share common interests with who evolve to make your community. So I see a bit of an overlap here, especially from a business perspective. Eg. your wife would feature in the first category but she may have little interaction with you online, so all your personal relationships don’t necessarily form you inner circle or ”community” as you term it.

I’d divide it into two broad categories – social media and communities. Your social media has a network structure where people know each other and you know them personally whereas your community is made up of people, some of whom may know you personally, but with little connection with with most people in the community. Communities tend to have a more overlapping structure where individuals are held togehter by common interests. These individuals have their own social media outside the communities the are part of. Would you agree?