After examining some of the most successful online communities, the common keys to their success clearly boil down to three simple items:

1.    Sense of Community

2.    Strong Recognition

3.    Simple Tools

When a site combines these three elements effectively, a strong community will follow. For you to build a community that supports your ideas or products, these three concepts must be carefully applied. You must build a community that enables your visitors to connect and befriend each other, that recognizes contributions and promotes active users, and that provides simple tools that do not make it difficult to contribute and connect.