28 Dec What is a Lurker?

Lurkers are people who read but don’t contribute or add comments to Social Networks, including blogs, Twitter, Facebook, and community forums. Studies suggest about one percent of people contribute new content to Social Media, another nine percent comment, and the rest lurk.

What are some reasons lurkers don’t participate?

Often they don’t think they know enough about the topic under discussion and don’t want to look foolish. They may also feel like an outsider if many of the other members know each other from a familiar place or common interest.

They may also enjoy reading your content but not feel inspired to take part in the conversation because it doesn’t really speak to them.

How do you bring lurkers out of their shell?

You can offer low-risk ways for them to participate – they won’t feel they need expertise to comment when you present polls, run contests and ask people to share their own experiences.

By tracking links and content most frequently opened you can gauge what lurkers are interested in and what is of value to them. You can even try using different styles and tones to find out what resonates with group members and inspires them to take part in conversations. Include video and photos to appeal to them visually (as long as you’re still being authentic and true to your unique voice).

How have you gotten lurkers to engage with you online? We’d love for you to share your ideas with us by commenting below or doing more than lurking on our Facebook page 🙂