{"id":1384,"date":"2024-02-01T18:29:17","date_gmt":"2024-02-01T18:29:17","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/content.one.lumenlearning.com\/businesscommunication\/?post_type=chapter&#038;p=1384"},"modified":"2025-10-16T02:31:58","modified_gmt":"2025-10-16T02:31:58","slug":"apply-it-content-distribution-and-thought-leadership","status":"publish","type":"chapter","link":"https:\/\/content.one.lumenlearning.com\/businesscommunication\/chapter\/apply-it-content-distribution-and-thought-leadership\/","title":{"raw":"Apply It: Sharing Information and Building Community with Social Media","rendered":"Apply It: Sharing Information and Building Community with Social Media"},"content":{"raw":"<section class=\"textbox learningGoals\">\r\n<ul>\r\n\t<li>Discover how social media can help build community and foster connection<\/li>\r\n\t<li>Understand ethical considerations in managing online communities<\/li>\r\n<\/ul>\r\n<\/section>\r\n<h2>LEGO's Community Building Success Story[footnote]Wesson, Hannah. \u201cBuilding thriving social media communities: Inspiring examples to learn from.\u201d <em>Community-Led Alliance<\/em>, November 8, 2023. https:\/\/www.communityledgrowth.com\/building-thriving-social-media-communities-inspiring-examples-to-learn-from\/[\/footnote]<\/h2>\r\n<p>LEGO\u2019s diverse audience includes both children and adults. To address their different needs, LEGO\u2019s website features a \u2018kids zone\u2019 with games and quizzes and a section for adults with discussion forums and marketplaces. This segmentation ensures both groups feel valued and engaged.<\/p>\r\n<p>User-generated content is a key part of LEGO\u2019s strategy. LEGO Ideas, an online platform where fans submit and vote on original LEGO set ideas, empowers fans to contribute to the creation process. Winning ideas are reviewed for production, fostering a sense of ownership and collaboration within the community. Regular creative challenges further engage specific audience segments, allowing fans to showcase their creations.<\/p>\r\n<p>LEGO maintains a strong presence on various social media platforms, tailoring content to each platform\u2019s audience. For example, on Instagram, LEGO\u2019s 10.6 million followers enjoy updates, behind-the-scenes content, and fan creations. LEGO\u2019s active engagement with fans is key to its community-building success. By responding to comments, sharing user-generated content, and hosting challenges, LEGO fosters a sense of belonging and loyalty. This inclusive approach strengthens the emotional connection between LEGO and its community.<\/p>\r\n\r\n[caption id=\"attachment_4659\" align=\"aligncenter\" width=\"435\"]<img class=\"wp-image-4659\" src=\"https:\/\/content-cdn.one.lumenlearning.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/35\/2024\/02\/25185450\/pride-564x1024.jpg\" alt=\"An Instagram post from LEGO's official account features a scene with LEGO minifigures participating in a Pride parade. The background shows a circular white structure with the text &quot;mini STORIES PRIDE PARADE&quot; prominently displayed. Three colorful minifigures are standing on a LEGO-built rainbow pathway that includes brown, black, red, orange, yellow, green, blue, and purple stripes. The caption reads, &quot;These dazzling minifigures are ready for Pride with their very own spectacular Pride celebration! \ud83c\udff3\ufe0f\u200d\ud83c\udf08\ud83c\udff3\ufe0f\u200d\u26a7\ufe0f\ud83c\udf89\u2728\u2b50\ufe0f #LEGO #Pride #Celebration #LGBTQIA.&quot; The post has 24,196 likes and 2,536 comments.\" width=\"435\" height=\"790\" \/> LEGO's active social media engagement builds community among fans.[\/caption]\r\n\r\n<p>You can view the <a href=\"https:\/\/www.instagram.com\/reel\/C8cKrBdIc05\/\">LEGO video on Instagram<\/a> and the <a href=\"https:\/\/course-building.s3.us-west-2.amazonaws.com\/BCommMgrs\/Transcripts\/ThesedazzlingminifiguresarereadyforPridewiththeirveryownspectacularPridecelebration!%23LEGO%23Pride%23Celebration%23LGBTQIA_transcript.txt\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">transcript for \"These dazzling minifigures are ready for Pride with their very own spectacular Pride celebration! \ud83c\udff3\ufe0f\u200d\ud83c\udf08\ud83c\udff3\ufe0f\u200d\u26a7\ufe0f\u2728\u2728 #LEGO #Pride #Celebration #LGBTQIA\" here (opens in new window).<\/a><\/p>\r\n<section class=\"textbox connectIt\">\r\n<h3>What are the potential risks of relying on user-generated content to build and sustain a social media community?<\/h3>\r\n<p>[reveal-answer q=\"661916\"]Click to Show Sample Answer[\/reveal-answer]<br \/>\r\n[hidden-answer a=\"661916\"]There are several risks associated with user-generated content (UGC) that businesses must manage carefully.<\/p>\r\n<ul>\r\n\t<li><strong>Quality control<\/strong>: UGC can vary greatly in quality, and some content may not meet the brand\u2019s standards. Poor-quality content can negatively impact the brand\u2019s image if not curated carefully. Businesses need to establish clear guidelines and moderation processes to ensure consistent quality.<br \/>\r\n<br \/>\r\n<\/li>\r\n\t<li><strong>Brand misalignment<\/strong>: Some UGC may not align with the brand\u2019s values or messaging. It\u2019s crucial to have moderation in place to filter out content that could harm the brand\u2019s image or convey the wrong message.<br \/>\r\n<br \/>\r\n<\/li>\r\n\t<li><strong>Negative content<\/strong>: Customers may share complaints or negative experiences publicly. While this feedback can be valuable for improvement, it requires careful handling to avoid damaging the brand\u2019s reputation. Addressing negative content constructively and transparently can mitigate this risk.<br \/>\r\n<br \/>\r\n<\/li>\r\n\t<li><strong>Intellectual property issues<\/strong>: Using content created by users can raise legal concerns regarding ownership and permission. Businesses must ensure they have the right to use user-generated content, typically by obtaining explicit permission from the content creators or establishing clear terms of use.<br \/>\r\n<br \/>\r\n<\/li>\r\n\t<li><strong>Over-dependence<\/strong>: Relying too heavily on UGC can lead to a lack of original branded content, potentially diluting the brand\u2019s unique voice and messaging. A balanced approach, combining UGC with professionally produced content, is often the most effective strategy.<\/li>\r\n<\/ul>\r\n<p>[\/hidden-answer]<\/p>\r\n<\/section>\r\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>","rendered":"<section class=\"textbox learningGoals\">\n<ul>\n<li>Discover how social media can help build community and foster connection<\/li>\n<li>Understand ethical considerations in managing online communities<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/section>\n<h2>LEGO&#8217;s Community Building Success Story<a class=\"footnote\" title=\"Wesson, Hannah. \u201cBuilding thriving social media communities: Inspiring examples to learn from.\u201d Community-Led Alliance, November 8, 2023. https:\/\/www.communityledgrowth.com\/building-thriving-social-media-communities-inspiring-examples-to-learn-from\/\" id=\"return-footnote-1384-1\" href=\"#footnote-1384-1\" aria-label=\"Footnote 1\"><sup class=\"footnote\">[1]<\/sup><\/a><\/h2>\n<p>LEGO\u2019s diverse audience includes both children and adults. To address their different needs, LEGO\u2019s website features a \u2018kids zone\u2019 with games and quizzes and a section for adults with discussion forums and marketplaces. This segmentation ensures both groups feel valued and engaged.<\/p>\n<p>User-generated content is a key part of LEGO\u2019s strategy. LEGO Ideas, an online platform where fans submit and vote on original LEGO set ideas, empowers fans to contribute to the creation process. Winning ideas are reviewed for production, fostering a sense of ownership and collaboration within the community. Regular creative challenges further engage specific audience segments, allowing fans to showcase their creations.<\/p>\n<p>LEGO maintains a strong presence on various social media platforms, tailoring content to each platform\u2019s audience. For example, on Instagram, LEGO\u2019s 10.6 million followers enjoy updates, behind-the-scenes content, and fan creations. LEGO\u2019s active engagement with fans is key to its community-building success. By responding to comments, sharing user-generated content, and hosting challenges, LEGO fosters a sense of belonging and loyalty. This inclusive approach strengthens the emotional connection between LEGO and its community.<\/p>\n<figure id=\"attachment_4659\" aria-describedby=\"caption-attachment-4659\" style=\"width: 435px\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"wp-image-4659\" src=\"https:\/\/content-cdn.one.lumenlearning.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/35\/2024\/02\/25185450\/pride-564x1024.jpg\" alt=\"An Instagram post from LEGO's official account features a scene with LEGO minifigures participating in a Pride parade. The background shows a circular white structure with the text &quot;mini STORIES PRIDE PARADE&quot; prominently displayed. Three colorful minifigures are standing on a LEGO-built rainbow pathway that includes brown, black, red, orange, yellow, green, blue, and purple stripes. The caption reads, &quot;These dazzling minifigures are ready for Pride with their very own spectacular Pride celebration! \ud83c\udff3\ufe0f\u200d\ud83c\udf08\ud83c\udff3\ufe0f\u200d\u26a7\ufe0f\ud83c\udf89\u2728\u2b50\ufe0f #LEGO #Pride #Celebration #LGBTQIA.&quot; The post has 24,196 likes and 2,536 comments.\" width=\"435\" height=\"790\" srcset=\"https:\/\/content-cdn.one.lumenlearning.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/35\/2024\/02\/25185450\/pride-564x1024.jpg 564w, https:\/\/content-cdn.one.lumenlearning.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/35\/2024\/02\/25185450\/pride-165x300.jpg 165w, https:\/\/content-cdn.one.lumenlearning.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/35\/2024\/02\/25185450\/pride-65x118.jpg 65w, https:\/\/content-cdn.one.lumenlearning.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/35\/2024\/02\/25185450\/pride-225x408.jpg 225w, https:\/\/content-cdn.one.lumenlearning.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/35\/2024\/02\/25185450\/pride-350x635.jpg 350w, https:\/\/content-cdn.one.lumenlearning.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/35\/2024\/02\/25185450\/pride.jpg 630w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 435px) 100vw, 435px\" \/><figcaption id=\"caption-attachment-4659\" class=\"wp-caption-text\">LEGO&#8217;s active social media engagement builds community among fans.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<p>You can view the <a href=\"https:\/\/www.instagram.com\/reel\/C8cKrBdIc05\/\">LEGO video on Instagram<\/a> and the <a href=\"https:\/\/course-building.s3.us-west-2.amazonaws.com\/BCommMgrs\/Transcripts\/ThesedazzlingminifiguresarereadyforPridewiththeirveryownspectacularPridecelebration!%23LEGO%23Pride%23Celebration%23LGBTQIA_transcript.txt\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">transcript for &#8220;These dazzling minifigures are ready for Pride with their very own spectacular Pride celebration! \ud83c\udff3\ufe0f\u200d\ud83c\udf08\ud83c\udff3\ufe0f\u200d\u26a7\ufe0f\u2728\u2728 #LEGO #Pride #Celebration #LGBTQIA&#8221; here (opens in new window).<\/a><\/p>\n<section class=\"textbox connectIt\">\n<h3>What are the potential risks of relying on user-generated content to build and sustain a social media community?<\/h3>\n<p><div class=\"qa-wrapper\" style=\"display: block\"><button class=\"show-answer show-answer-button collapsed\" data-target=\"q661916\">Click to Show Sample Answer<\/button><\/p>\n<div id=\"q661916\" class=\"hidden-answer\" style=\"display: none\">There are several risks associated with user-generated content (UGC) that businesses must manage carefully.<\/p>\n<ul>\n<li><strong>Quality control<\/strong>: UGC can vary greatly in quality, and some content may not meet the brand\u2019s standards. Poor-quality content can negatively impact the brand\u2019s image if not curated carefully. Businesses need to establish clear guidelines and moderation processes to ensure consistent quality.\n<\/li>\n<li><strong>Brand misalignment<\/strong>: Some UGC may not align with the brand\u2019s values or messaging. It\u2019s crucial to have moderation in place to filter out content that could harm the brand\u2019s image or convey the wrong message.\n<\/li>\n<li><strong>Negative content<\/strong>: Customers may share complaints or negative experiences publicly. While this feedback can be valuable for improvement, it requires careful handling to avoid damaging the brand\u2019s reputation. Addressing negative content constructively and transparently can mitigate this risk.\n<\/li>\n<li><strong>Intellectual property issues<\/strong>: Using content created by users can raise legal concerns regarding ownership and permission. Businesses must ensure they have the right to use user-generated content, typically by obtaining explicit permission from the content creators or establishing clear terms of use.\n<\/li>\n<li><strong>Over-dependence<\/strong>: Relying too heavily on UGC can lead to a lack of original branded content, potentially diluting the brand\u2019s unique voice and messaging. A balanced approach, combining UGC with professionally produced content, is often the most effective strategy.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/section>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<hr class=\"before-footnotes clear\" \/><div class=\"footnotes\"><ol><li id=\"footnote-1384-1\">Wesson, Hannah. \u201cBuilding thriving social media communities: Inspiring examples to learn from.\u201d <em>Community-Led Alliance<\/em>, November 8, 2023. https:\/\/www.communityledgrowth.com\/building-thriving-social-media-communities-inspiring-examples-to-learn-from\/ <a href=\"#return-footnote-1384-1\" class=\"return-footnote\" aria-label=\"Return to footnote 1\">&crarr;<\/a><\/li><\/ol><\/div>","protected":false},"author":23,"menu_order":18,"template":"","meta":{"_candela_citation":"[{\"type\":\"pd\",\"description\":\"Adapted from material created using ChatGPT\",\"author\":\"Lumen Learning\",\"organization\":\"OpenAI\",\"url\":\"\",\"project\":\"\",\"license\":\"pd\",\"license_terms\":\"\"},{\"type\":\"copyrighted_video\",\"description\":\"LEGO\",\"author\":\"\",\"organization\":\"LEGO\",\"url\":\"https:\/\/www.instagram.com\/reel\/C8cKrBdIc05\/\",\"project\":\"\",\"license\":\"arr\",\"license_terms\":\"\"}]","pb_show_title":"on","pb_short_title":"","pb_subtitle":"","pb_authors":[],"pb_section_license":""},"chapter-type":[],"contributor":[],"license":[],"part":491,"module-header":"apply_it","content_attributions":[{"type":"pd","description":"Adapted from material created using ChatGPT","author":"Lumen Learning","organization":"OpenAI","url":"","project":"","license":"pd","license_terms":""},{"type":"copyrighted_video","description":"LEGO","author":"","organization":"LEGO","url":"https:\/\/www.instagram.com\/reel\/C8cKrBdIc05\/","project":"","license":"arr","license_terms":""}],"internal_book_links":[],"video_content":null,"cc_video_embed_content":{"cc_scripts":"","media_targets":[]},"try_it_collection":null,"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/content.one.lumenlearning.com\/businesscommunication\/wp-json\/pressbooks\/v2\/chapters\/1384"}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/content.one.lumenlearning.com\/businesscommunication\/wp-json\/pressbooks\/v2\/chapters"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/content.one.lumenlearning.com\/businesscommunication\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/chapter"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/content.one.lumenlearning.com\/businesscommunication\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/23"}],"version-history":[{"count":12,"href":"https:\/\/content.one.lumenlearning.com\/businesscommunication\/wp-json\/pressbooks\/v2\/chapters\/1384\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":5126,"href":"https:\/\/content.one.lumenlearning.com\/businesscommunication\/wp-json\/pressbooks\/v2\/chapters\/1384\/revisions\/5126"}],"part":[{"href":"https:\/\/content.one.lumenlearning.com\/businesscommunication\/wp-json\/pressbooks\/v2\/parts\/491"}],"metadata":[{"href":"https:\/\/content.one.lumenlearning.com\/businesscommunication\/wp-json\/pressbooks\/v2\/chapters\/1384\/metadata\/"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/content.one.lumenlearning.com\/businesscommunication\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=1384"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"chapter-type","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/content.one.lumenlearning.com\/businesscommunication\/wp-json\/pressbooks\/v2\/chapter-type?post=1384"},{"taxonomy":"contributor","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/content.one.lumenlearning.com\/businesscommunication\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/contributor?post=1384"},{"taxonomy":"license","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/content.one.lumenlearning.com\/businesscommunication\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/license?post=1384"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}