The 1% rule says that 1% of site visitors will create content within a democratized forum, while 10% of all visitors synthesize that content and the remaining 90% lurk.

It is why forums for churches have a tough time.

But the many-to-many infrastructure of social networks are different.  Especially if the social network serves a local neighborhood.  I've always believed this qualitatively.  And now Jackie Huba points out some quantitative data.

"Roughly 86 percent of people who log in to private communities with an average size of 300-500 people contribute content to it. They post comments, initiate conversations, participate in chats, brainstorm ideas or share photos. Fourteen percent of members in smaller communities tend to lurk"

Its almost like the 1% rule is completely reversed.  Instead of 90% lurking and 10% contributing, its the other way around.

This can only happen in the dynamics of a social network where people are in close geographic proximity.  A church forum has the proximity, but lacks the many-to-many aspects of a social network.  A Christian Myspace has the participatory dynamics of a social network, but lacks the intimacy of being physically close.

The "reversed-1% rule" is based on a study on private social networks for companies.  A company is like a neighborhood, as Church of the Customer Blog points out.  Its tighter than a broader community.  People have regular face-to-face interaction.  And even if you don't know the person you're chatting with, you know you're only 1 or 2 degrees away from them.  You know you can see them in person if you needed to.  You know you share similar experiences.  You know you have friends in common.

This level of intimacy removes the cloak of anonymity.  People are comfortable enough to participate.  It is why I believe social networking fits so well with what the church is trying to accomplish in regards to community.  Social networking is not a trend nor a fad.  It lets church be church.  And we're not the only ones who think this way...