So-called “community applications” range from message boards to chat rooms, online clubs and events. But market analysts caution that companies are still in the early, or experimental, stages of community deployment.

“Community has always kind of carried this teenage-drivel-on-a-chat-site” reputation, said Yankee Group analyst Emily Meehan. “All of a sudden, community has turned out to be kind of a customer tool, not just a fun, interactive tool.”

Stan Hjartberg, vice president and executive producer at Lycos Quote.com, said he has begun looking at community applications as more than a way to generate page views and ad revenue. Rather, community tools are saving the site money on customer support, since customers in a community can help solve one another’s problems. And the community tools create a forum that can help draw in new subscribers.

Hjartberg said site managers and visitors began seeing the value of community about a year ago, after the site had trouble posting timely stock information. Site officials posted explanations to message boards and watched the word ripple outward.