Communication

The NBSLSC  uses a diverse range of digital platforms in order to communicate and provide an abundance of information to both its internal and external community. NBSLSC utilises “social media as a medium of promotion” (Baruah 2012) centering on platforms such as Facebook, Instagram and a dedicated website. All each exhibit a high level of daily interactive engagement and activity.  By employing multiple platforms and the support of both mobile and desktop devices, the access reaches a greater distance. Hence increasing its audience.

With 5,147 likers and 5,311 followers, the NBSLSC Facebook page is a particularly active digital community. The pages primary purpose is to provide consistent updates about the club, informing its members as well as those who display interest in the greater community. This is done through posts and status updates that involve affordances such as photos, videos, links to fundraisers, or events to join, delivering the opportunity for viewers to like, react or share the post. Furthermore, the Facebook page is highly interactive and aims to consistently engage with its audience as seen through an Instant pop-up of a chatroom on their homepage. Facebook, unlike other social media platforms, has “overcome the emotional stuntedness of the Like button” (Panger 2016), allowing the club to be aware of the audiences exact response. The page provides a more immersive experience for members as they can proceed to share their thoughts with a review and suggestion box to ensure that all needs are being met. Subsequently allowing other members to also post to the page.

Instagram, being predominantly utilised for uploading photos and videos, is used extensively by this community. It withholds a smaller following of 4,014, where media of their members, club events, as well as promotional material is shared and uploaded. Their captions are predominantly an accumulation of  various distinct hashtags as a ‘cross-platform design concept’ (McVeigh-Schultz & Baym 2015, p. 2) in order for the community’s page to reach the interests of an exponentially larger audience as well as the attention of similar communities. The account distributes 2 contact links in its bio, one directs viewers to call the club and the other to email. As well as this Instagram provides a feature that groups all tagged photos in one place, exhibiting a great sense of online community.

The NBSLCS’s website is a key feature of this community. It serves as a hub of communication and notification for the community as a whole. The page provides articles with the latest news, posting every few weeks with various topics. Sponsors have a section on their page where those who do sponsor are displayed and those who wish to sponsor are able to as well. The website includes an immense amount of information regarding how to join the community and become a member.

The sites multiple subheadings give greater detail to categorised features of the community. One summarises the history of the club in detail. Whilst another elaborate tab discusses the availability of their venue for functions and events, as their building in North Bondi is available for hire, hosting events like corporate functions, weddings, and parties to name a few.  Attached to the information is an interactive FAQ section. Here there is also a ‘Get in touch’ area, including other fundamental information such as contacts and opening hours. For the members of this community, the website has a separate page specifically designed for them which includes a North Bondi ‘Surfcam’, competition results, documents, records, calendars and ‘Swapsea’.

As the clubs primary digital hub of communication, the website also provides additional external links to visit all their social media pages previously mentioned, resulting in a connected network and most noticeably an active community.

The NBSLSC takes advantage of its digital community in order to strengthen and expand its active attending community. Private communication has become extremely normalised through the clubs  multiple digital platforms. These include emails, snapchat messages (either direct or group streams), Instagram direct messaging, text messages, messenger and closed groups from Facebook. They are aware how private communication can directly impact a community, and utilise this to their advantage leaving their digital platforms easily accessible and public, a platform to share positive experiences and media, hence attracting an audience.

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