Former Vermont Governor Howard Dean is doing some pretty interesting Internet-based organizing — he’s using Meetup.com, a newish online service that faciliates real-world gatherings.
Dean’s people are smart. They’ve recognized that his populist message is a good fit for the psychology and demographics of Internet organizing. They’ve realized that online organizing is by far the most efficient, cost-effective, viral way to organize a movement that has true populist appeal. And, most importantly, they’ve realized that online organizing isn’t enough — real organizing takes real-world contact.
And that is what makes Meetup.com so interesting: it’s an online tool designed specifically to use online communication to generate real-world meetings at which real organizing can happen.
Who knows if this will work — but it’s worth keeping an eye on.
Business model note: Meetup.com gets paid by the venues to drive business through the door. Meetups don’t just happen anywhere — prospective venues sign up with Meetup, which then presents 3 to each potential group of Meetup attendees.
I didn’t know that Meetup.com was paid by the venues. I wondered how Meetup.com was paying for their bandwidth – that’s an interesting business model. The Seattle web logger meetup generally draws ten to fifteen people. At $3 a latte, I wonder if Meetup takes a percentage of sales or a fixed rate based on attendance.
On a technical note, prospective attendees can suggest a venue. I keep on suggesting eastside venues, and the meetup keeps happening on the west side.
Kayne, you need to recruit more eastside weblog folk!
I think meetup.com hopes to get paid by the venues, but I don’t think they’ve achieved that with the weblog one yet.
I believe that Meetup pays the venue based on the number of people who RSVP — rather than on the volume of sales. I believe there’s more info on the Meetup site in the “info for venues” section.
On the night of the Iowa caucus coverage Nightline included a segment on the use of the Internet in this election, with particular emphasis on the successful match between Meetup.com and Howard Dean. I realize you posted this in March, but do you know of any other such reports published online?
Sure, there has been a ton of stuff on how the Dean campaign has used the Internet and what the significance might be. One of my favorites is a multi-part series by Katrin Verclas over at http://summitcollaborative.typepad.com.
Thanks for the response and name! FYI: her blog has moved to http://techstrategy.typepad.com/