Friday Buzz: The Metrics That Matter Most

Building an online community? Don’t forget about metrics.

According to Socious Director of Marketing & Strategy Joshua Paul, metrics need to be thought out before you take the plunge with an online community platform.

“Your investors, board members, and upper-level management will want to see that your online customer or member community is a worthwhile financial investment,” Paul notes in a blog post  (opens in a new tab), “while your community members will want to see that your online community is a meaningful place to spend their time. Lastly, your community management team will want to know where to focus their efforts and whether your current strategy is working.”

Paul highlights four types of metrics that will be of utmost importance to your stakeholders: traffic, activities, members, and subscriptions.

“Keeping these records from the very beginning of your community’s lifecycle allows you to compare growth over time as you learn what works and what needs improvement,” he adds.

Pick a Password Like Edward Snowden

According to famed whistleblower Edward Snowden, a great password is “margaretthatcheris110%SEXY”—but “limpbiscuit4eva” doesn’t make the cut. Why’s that?

In a recent interview that HBO host John Oliver held with the National Security Agency critic, Snowden explained why most passwords don’t make the cut.

“Bad passwords are one of the easiest ways to compromise a system,” Snowden said. “For somebody who has a very common eight-character password, it can literally take less than a second for a computer to go through the possibilities and pull that password out.”

He suggests using longer “passphrases” with more complex wording, one that is memorable to the user but difficult for a hacker to discern.

Other Links of Note

Here’s an unlikely suggestion highlighted by Fast Company writer Jeff Beer: Instead of loading up your resume with puffed-up information that makes you look good, put all the negative stuff in there, too  (opens in a new tab). Beer explains the thinking behind a new site called the Relevant Resume  (opens in a new tab).

Wired‘s analysis of the thought process behind the Instagram app for the forthcoming Apple Watch offers some important lessons  (opens in a new tab) about how new formats change design strategies.

Event waste is problematic already, but these dozen items are the worst of the bunch, according to sustainability specialist Shawna McKinley  (opens in a new tab) on Event Manager Blog.

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