I propose the strategic adoption of social media platforms as a cornerstone of our communication and outreach efforts. In today’s interconnected world, these channels are not merely supplementary tools but essential vehicles for the widespread dissemination of Tryton, which we all deeply value. Moreover, they present an unparalleled opportunity to empower our dedicated activists and distributors, significantly streamlining their efforts to promote our ERP solution.
My personal project, Tryton Peru, exemplifies this potential. Through Instagram and TikTok, I am actively engaged in an evangelization process, inviting individuals in Peru to become integral parts of our community, whether as activists or ERP software entrepreneurs. The remarkable reach and engagement observed on these platforms underscore their efficacy in fostering a vibrant, active user base.
While considering a similar approach for LinkedIn, I believe its professional nature designates it as an ideal platform for an official, high-hierarchy communication channel for Tryton globally. Conversely, platforms like Instagram and TikTok, with their dynamic and community-driven environments, are perfectly suited for our community to share their passion and engage with what we love most: Tryton.
Embracing social media will not only amplify Tryton’s global presence but also cultivate a more engaged and empowered network of proponents, crucial for our continued growth and success.
First and foremost, we need approval from the board coders. After that, regarding the content level, I believe interaction would be highly beneficial. I really like the idea of using LinkedIn and TikTok, though the latter isn’t as rigorous. In the case of LinkedIn, interaction will be crucial for establishing our presence.
I’m not referring to individual interaction on social media, but rather establishing an official Tryton brand presence on these platforms, something like @tryton on LinkedIn and Instagram. I’m personally impressed with what Metabase is doing on LinkedIn; that kind of interaction builds trust and presence. That’s why I believe having a strong brand presence on social media would be beneficial not only for the Tryton brand itself, but also for our activists and distributors, as it’s the primary channel for communication today.
You can not compare a private company and a community driven project.
We are only based on volunteer and we already have not enough to barely write the minimal documentation.
Who and how will be decided what is published in the name of the project?
And who will pay for creating the content? What will be the required budget?
They could already start doing that by themselves, no?
It is the project that decides what is its primary channel of communication (not the opposite).
Metabase is a commercial company.
Tryton is a community project.
As a company they have received funding from VCs amounting to (from their linkedin page) 30M$, it is easy spreading bullshit doing marketing when you have received a ton of money. While we’re barely covering the annual budget.
Understood. So, the content would be Tryton-centric, following a brand positioning strategy decided by the boards.
Regarding the frequency and focus:
Would the board prefer a weekly or monthly content proposal, perhaps with a strong emphasis on LinkedIn? This could allow us to consistently showcase Tryton’s capabilities and build a solid brand presence.
You’ve hit on a crucial point. You’re absolutely right that Metabase and Odoo are commercial brands, and they operate with that in mind. Tryton, as a project with a strong community, certainly has a unique advantage.
The idea of moving in a similar direction, leveraging the power of community on platforms like LinkedIn, is very strategic for diffusion. Imagine it as a cluster where professionals using Tryton can connect, share insights, and collaborate, much like what happens within other software communities. This kind of active presence would not only amplify Tryton’s visibility but also foster a more robust and interconnected ecosystem for businesses and individuals alike.
As I already said for me the main source should be the website and the news section.
We have tools to propagate information on the Tryton’s account at Tryton / Communication / tweet · GitLab
So we do not need any scheduling or whatever but we need more content published on the website as success stories (and also landing page per “feature”) and more “tips”.
Anyone can propose some by creating a MR to the corresponding repository.
You’ve hit on a key distinction there. You’re right, a LinkedIn group, while valuable for internal discussions, primarily reaches those already within our Tryton circle. It’s like an echo chamber, mostly bouncing ideas among people who are already familiar with and using Tryton.
Having a dedicated page, however, completely changes the game. It doesn’t just give us broader reach beyond our current members; it transforms us into a true cluster for diffusing Tryton. This means we can actively engage with a wider professional audience, attracting new users, developers, and businesses who might not even know about Tryton yet. Think of it as a central hub where the Tryton brand lives, allowing us to proactively share content, interact with the broader ERP community, and truly expand our footprint.
The community is where the people are. Nobody really decide where it is.
You want it to be on linkedin. Well we have a group there, fill free to post there and make this group alive.
But in general people of community projects do not like those private platforms.
I totally agree with you that the website and news section should be the main source, and that we should replicate that information across social media.
You’re right that we have a Twitter account for propagation. However, LinkedIn is undeniably the premier social network for businesses today. Since Tryton is an ERP for businesses, having a strong and active presence there is crucial for reaching our target audience effectively. We can leverage the great content from the website to fuel our LinkedIn presence, ensuring maximum visibility and engagement.
@nicoe
You’ve raised a very fair point regarding the comparison with Metabase and their significant funding. It’s true, we’re operating on a vastly different scale when it comes to financial resources, and that certainly impacts marketing capabilities.
However, my suggestion isn’t about investing in paid advertising or trying to compete dollar-for-dollar with commercial entities. Instead, I’m advocating for us to function more like a “cluster,” as @ced himself mentioned. This means leveraging the power of our community.
We can achieve a strong social media presence by:
Amplifying success stories: Just as you said, increasing the number of success stories published on the website and actively sharing them.
Consistent, organic engagement: This could involve regular posts—perhaps one per week—highlighting features, tips, and, crucially, interacting with users who are already using the tryton hashtag.
Harnessing community involvement: As a community, we have a unique advantage. Many of us are passionate and willing to contribute. We could empower individuals within the community to take on aspects of this social media effort, under the guidance and approval of the boards.
This approach focuses on organic growth, community engagement, and consistent sharing of valuable content, none of which require a massive marketing budget. It’s about maximizing our existing strengths to broaden Tryton’s reach and impact.
I understand your point, and it’s clear that the community naturally gravitates to certain platforms. However, we also need broader diffusion, and social media platforms are incredibly effective for that. While the group is good for existing members, a dedicated brand presence could significantly expand our reach.
Personally I found Tryton through the (now removed) OpenBSD package. The reason why I tested tryton is because I like the sort of software OpenBSD people use: less eye-candy, less bloat, more substance.
People using social media such as LinkedIn might be expecting a more commercial product, a click and install type of product with nicer graphics and graphs and all the buzzwords which are popular these days. For this reason I think social media presence is not the most important for Tryton. Besides I tested a web search: Tryton is in all the first pages for Open source ERP, I asked an LLM: Tryton was the third option, etc. So I think if someone is looking for Tryton they can find it.
We can not force people to do that. We ask for more success stories since years but it requires some effort to write one.
This is already done. But having more tips will be even better.
Anybody is free to interact on social media.
It does not have to be the “official” account necessary, especially if it is about answering, giving opinions etc.
You or anybody do not need the board approval to post and engage on social media.
This has a very high cost. For your example, I will not be astonished if those companies have at least one full-time job dedicated to the task.
I do agree that any one of us could be posting on social media and interacting about Tryton, but I think the point @csotelo is trying to make is that Tryton should have a stronger public presence. A coordinated effort through the official channels would reinfoirce the project’s identity and shape an unified message. Instead of putting effort into one’s own media, we could channel that energy into the official accounts, making them more active and representative of the whole community.
I understand there is, obviously, no budget to hire someone full time as private companies do, but maybe we could find a way to share efforts into this. It is time consuming, but also more accessible to less experienced users that might feel overwhelmed contributing with coding.
