Lori, John, David, Yuko (with Raja) and Paul
During our travels in the San Francisco area, we were fortunate to get to visit the headquarters of Dogster Inc., the highly successful global online community for dogs and their people, or is it people and their dogs?… the identities do blur. Dogster is mirrored by its other half, Catster Inc. Together they represent over 700,000 online members world-wide, although by the time you read this post, it may well be over a million.
We were hosted by Lori Malm, Dogster’s Community Manager in charge of groups, special projects and law and order. Raja got to meet and photo op with many of the Dogster staff. I am saying “many” because three were on vacation. Dogster central is operated by about 9 human beings. Our interview is with Anders Porter, Editorial and Content Manager at Dogster.
H&R: How would you characterize Dogster: social networking for people, a showcase for members’ dogs, or social networking for dogs?
Anders: When Ted Rheingold started Dogster five years ago, he wanted to create an online portal where dog owners could post images of their dogs, and easily share them with others. As people joined and started showing interest, they suggested and asked for other features, which (over a period of years) led to the current state of the site: it is a fun combination of four things - social networking for people, social networking for dogs, a showcase for member dogs and a portal for pet-related entertainment and information. The past year has really seen a growth in the information that we provide - we'd like to be the destination for dog owners when they have a health, training, behavior or breed-based issue with their dog.
H&R: How would you say the development of Dogster has changed from concept to present? Did the focus stay the same?
Anders: As mentioned, we did not know that people were going to want to use it to communicate with other dog owners, only that they would be interested in showcasing their dogs. That proved not to be the case - as social networking sites like Facebook and MySpace grew, people were on the prowl for other networking sites that provided a much more "niched" user experience. Thus, people who join ALREADY have something in common - FB and MS can not provide this with their "broad strokes" coverage.
H&R: What are some important things you all have learned along the way?
Anders: When it comes to the development of a successful online social networking community, it has to be ALL about the members. Listening to the community is one of the most important things that a "niched" social network can do. People are here because of their love for pets, and because they adore their furry friends and want to show them off to the rest of the world. So taking into consideration the features that they like (and they don't like) is crucial.
H&R: Why dogs and cats now. For centuries dogs and cats lived short lives adjacent to human beings. Rather suddenly, they have attained great status in many nations worldwide. What do you think is the cause of this transformation?
Anders: I think that dogs and cats have always played important roles in the lives of people, it's just that these roles have changed a bit. Dogs have progressed beyond the role of protector and/or herder and cats have progressed beyond the role of mouse-chaser. They play much more social roles in our lives now, that is for sure - though it is hard to really establish why that is. But the fact of the matter is that pets are family members now, they are important part of the social circle nowadays, which is something that I find very refreshing, and something that makes sites like Dogster and Catster possible.
Raja and I want to thank Dogster, Inc. for hosting us and making such a fuss about Raja. Dogster does much more than only provide a forum; Dogster (and Catster) members have bonded and participated in global rescue, assisted in homing thousands of pets and exchanged information about medical and health issues. Besides the tremendous opportunity for play, Dogster (and Catster) validate the importance of animal companionship in our lives. Haven’t been to Dogster yet? Well GO now: www.dogster.com
We were hosted by Lori Malm, Dogster’s Community Manager in charge of groups, special projects and law and order. Raja got to meet and photo op with many of the Dogster staff. I am saying “many” because three were on vacation. Dogster central is operated by about 9 human beings. Our interview is with Anders Porter, Editorial and Content Manager at Dogster.
H&R: How would you characterize Dogster: social networking for people, a showcase for members’ dogs, or social networking for dogs?
Anders: When Ted Rheingold started Dogster five years ago, he wanted to create an online portal where dog owners could post images of their dogs, and easily share them with others. As people joined and started showing interest, they suggested and asked for other features, which (over a period of years) led to the current state of the site: it is a fun combination of four things - social networking for people, social networking for dogs, a showcase for member dogs and a portal for pet-related entertainment and information. The past year has really seen a growth in the information that we provide - we'd like to be the destination for dog owners when they have a health, training, behavior or breed-based issue with their dog.
H&R: How would you say the development of Dogster has changed from concept to present? Did the focus stay the same?
Anders: As mentioned, we did not know that people were going to want to use it to communicate with other dog owners, only that they would be interested in showcasing their dogs. That proved not to be the case - as social networking sites like Facebook and MySpace grew, people were on the prowl for other networking sites that provided a much more "niched" user experience. Thus, people who join ALREADY have something in common - FB and MS can not provide this with their "broad strokes" coverage.
H&R: What are some important things you all have learned along the way?
Anders: When it comes to the development of a successful online social networking community, it has to be ALL about the members. Listening to the community is one of the most important things that a "niched" social network can do. People are here because of their love for pets, and because they adore their furry friends and want to show them off to the rest of the world. So taking into consideration the features that they like (and they don't like) is crucial.
H&R: Why dogs and cats now. For centuries dogs and cats lived short lives adjacent to human beings. Rather suddenly, they have attained great status in many nations worldwide. What do you think is the cause of this transformation?
Anders: I think that dogs and cats have always played important roles in the lives of people, it's just that these roles have changed a bit. Dogs have progressed beyond the role of protector and/or herder and cats have progressed beyond the role of mouse-chaser. They play much more social roles in our lives now, that is for sure - though it is hard to really establish why that is. But the fact of the matter is that pets are family members now, they are important part of the social circle nowadays, which is something that I find very refreshing, and something that makes sites like Dogster and Catster possible.
Raja and I want to thank Dogster, Inc. for hosting us and making such a fuss about Raja. Dogster does much more than only provide a forum; Dogster (and Catster) members have bonded and participated in global rescue, assisted in homing thousands of pets and exchanged information about medical and health issues. Besides the tremendous opportunity for play, Dogster (and Catster) validate the importance of animal companionship in our lives. Haven’t been to Dogster yet? Well GO now: www.dogster.com
Anders and Skeezix (http://blogs.catster.com/the-cats-meow-a-cat-and-kitten-blog/)
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