People

PEOPLE

The Member Benefits of Virtual Communities

by Jessica Williams

Virtual communities are popping up all over the World Wide Web, offering friendly environments and information tailored to their members. These mega-sites are becoming a popular choice among netizens, and if you aren't a member of one, you're missing out on all the perks. Most virtual communities require only your email address and full name to process your membership. After joining, you "log on" with a user name and password, but before you get in on the fun, take a look at the benefits of becoming part of an online village.

The best virtual communities offer a variety of information and entertainment for both members and nonmembers alike. Being accessible to everyone who has online access is the key to drawing in potential citizens for the growing community. So what's in it for them? Better sponsorship from advertisers. Advertisers know that if people are willing to join a virtual community, they're more likely to keep coming back. They may be more inclined to click on their advertisement banners and logos if displayed in areas for members only. Some virtual communities, like Compuserve, offer membership benefits for a fee, but many are free to join and continue to profit through sponsorship.

This is good news for you, because the advantages of becoming a citizen of a virtual community can be quite impressive. As more and more people join these online clans, the way we interact with each other over the WWW is redefined. In fact, the way we view citizenship and society in general may be drastically changed, as these communities often offer freedom from prejudice by way of controlled anonymity.

So what exactly are these benefits? Every community is different. Some offer you a little slice of their world for your very own, while others let you communicate with fellow members in a special way. There are even "Web Guides," like Suite 101,The Mining Company, and Eye on the Web (implementing new services this April), that scour the WWW and bring the "best" Web sources back to be categorized by topic. Writers and editors write columns about their topic and maintain links to other resources on the Web. Web Guides provide a community atmosphere by employing people who use the Web every day, and some even offer membership to their readers and provide places to chat and discuss the topics.

There are many different types of virtual communities. Most Web surfers just stumble into one-and get hooked. When it comes to member benefits you can really use, take a look at what these four virtual communities are offering:

Geocities

Geocities is perhaps the most well-known virtual community. Divided into 40 areas, and hundreds of "neighborhoods," Geocities offers free space on their server for members to build Web pages. Boasting over 1.5 million citizens, it is easy to see how many netizens are working to have an online presence through their very own home pages. Geocities also offers three types of HTML (HyperText Markup Language) editors for newbies and HTML masters alike. These editors make Web sites wonderfully easy to create without having to use off-line programs like Microsoft Front Page or Hot Dog.

Geocities also offers free email, chat rooms in every neighborhood, discussion forums, Web site promotion packages, and ways to win prizes. The pages and pages of help files, along with the help chat and discussion boards, make it easier for "homesteaders" to take advantage of everything they have to offer. With all the perks Geocities members receive, this site has set the standard by which all other free-homepage communities (like Tripod,Angelfire, andTowne Square 2000) strive to meet.

Cybertown

But a not-so-new virtual community has emerged from the background to offer more than just free Web space. Cybertown was created in 1995 by "two artists in a house in Los Angeles" and continues to be maintained by these creative minds. With no substantial financial backing, their little world is surprisingly unique. In their FAQ (Frequently Asked Questions) section, they describe their world: "Cybertown is set in a future where people are not discriminated against on the basis of personal beliefs, sex, age, or race-and a future where people are not attacked for these things."

Cybertown's inhabitants (called "colonists" because Cybertown resides on another planet) can move into an "apartment" where they can put a description of themselves and a home page up in hopes of meeting new people and making cyber-buddies. Cybertown's layout comes complete with buildings, apartment complexes (or colonies) and modes of transportation like the subway, freeway, ports, and pods within the town. There is a feeling of real community here from the moment you enter, and the town graphics put Geocities' neighborhood streets to shame. Cybertown is a great example of the future of virtual communities.

ParentsPlace.com

ParentsPlace.com under iVillage: The Woman's Network (which is a community in itself, offering member services and owning other communities like Parent Soup) is a place for parents to take part in a giant online support center. In conjunction with the general chat rooms, special topic chats (about 15 a day) ranging from breastfeeding to potty training to living with teens are offered for members. The discussion boards are grouped into over 400 topics and are viewable to anyone, but only members can post messages.

For members to learn more about one another, a profile is hyperlinked to each member's name in discussion boards and in the HTML chats (three types of chats available: HTML, Java-lite, and iChat). This gives other members a chance to learn more about the parents with whom they are communicating. Nonmembers are not permitted to see or create these profiles. The profile function is optional, as is the newsletter and other member functions, which gives parents control over how information is shared.

ZDNet

When integrating member benefits within a super-site that already offers loads of information and benefits to nonmembers, you run the risk of not having netizens join up. But ZDNet must be doing something right. Although the community section of the site is listed toward the bottom of the main page, their community is growing increasingly popular. ZDNet's member benefits aren't much different from other virtual communities (ability to post on message boards, chat, newsletters, free prizes, etc.), but they also have another membership area with a much different approach.

For $4.95 a month, membership of a virtual community can take on a whole new meaning. Welcome to ZD University! Here, you become a student and enter the world of the virtual classroom. The 4-8 week courses take place in moderated message boards. Your instructor gives lessons and weekly assignments that you and your classmates complete. Some of the main courses are in programming, design, business, databases and Web authoring. ZD University also offers classes (like C ++ programming and Windows NT 4: System Administration) that provide CEUs (Continuing Education Units) through the American Council on Education. The experience is enhanced by the student union, campus store (where you buy materials required for courses), and student hangouts.

Whether you are joining a virtual community to launch your presence on the WWW, meet new friends, find support, or continue your education, one thing is certain: it will change the way you view communities forever. This is a whole new world filled with people from all walks of life, and you get it all from the comfort of your own home. So, join up! Become an active member, or even a community leader. You just might walk away from your computer and back into your own community with the desire to become more involved.

Jessica Williams is a freelance writer and columnist specializing in parenting, family and Internet topics. She writes and designs Web sites from her home in Northwest Montana.Visit her home page at http://www.angelfire.com/mt/williams711/about.html.