To look at the dictionary definition of community you will find several things, mostly you will find it defined as a group of people sharing a common interest or denominator. Whether it is a neighborhood, a viewpoint or a goal, the common factor between the group strengthens the sense of belonging to it. We all need to belong; this need originates inside of us. Fulfillment of this need comes by association with like-minded people. Knowing this, technology can play a huge part of cultivating a sense of community within a website where like-minded people come to congregate. Websites should be more than online brochures in cyberspace. They should be built with community in mind. Flexible to change and grow as the members dictate. Fortunately for us, technology is in place to do this. That is why I am reviewing a plugin called Community Builder, whose sole purpose is to enhance the online experience with a website.

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Another benefit of Community Builder is utilizing other tools on your website to enhance the online community experience. Forums, blogs, comments and shopping carts are a good example of this. Since you have already starting collecting information about your users when they registered, why not use that information to populate other areas of the site when they interact with those areas. They control their information, but you control how it is used. When you bring another powerful plugin into the mix the integration is seamless and the sense of community is enhanced. For example, instead of having to upload an avatar to post a comment on a blog or question on a forum, that image has already been defined by the user the first time they interact with the site. The picture will automatically appear on all areas of the site when they engage and leave their footprint on it (figure 5). Another example is a shopping cart. Why should the user have to fill out their shipping and billing information each time they order? That information can be stored and recalled each time the user logs on to purchase from you. Make it easy for them to buy from you and they will. In every sense of the word, you are enhancing their online experience by making it easy and usable and fun. By cementing all of these applications together you are guiding how your site should be used and you are building community and a sense of belonging.

At AMT2, we utilize the Community Builder plugin with every site we build. We believe in constructing a site that will grow with technology and create a seamless experience for your users. Even with our start-up packages you will benefit from this extension and be fully equipped for future growth. The future is here... embrace it today by building community with Community Builder!

Note: If you would like more information about our CMS System and Community Builder, please contact us, we are happy to help!