Are you just launching an online community? Do you need new ideas to get your members to use the community more? Do you want to know more about what your members need? Maintaining your members engaged can be tricky. Making them feel important to the community is key to maintaining a relationship with your members. This, in turn, will keep them renewing their membership year after year. 

If you need some direction in what you should post to the open forum or discussion groups, here are some tips to get your members involved:

 

  • Add a CTA (call to action) that speaks directly to them. What is the point of your post?  What are you trying to accomplish? Who are you asking? When do you need an answer? 
 
  • Summaries of meetings can provide you with feedback from members who otherwise might not have said anything in person. Knowing they have a voice and can be heard, gives your members the confidence to offer their opinion.
 
  • Fear of missing out (FOMO).  Talk about how great something is and how valuable and essential it is.  Talk about who else is going to be at a meeting or event and how enjoyable it will be.  Talk about meeting goals or the convenience of the information.
 
  • Ask for their opinion as a basis for improvement. What would you like to see being offered? Are the processes easy to follow? What do you like about the current system?
 
  • Ask for volunteers. Or mentors. More experienced members can pass on the knowledge and provide advice to students or newer members. 
  • Keep it light by posting jokes, amusing or emotional stories, announcements, and greetings during special events or holidays.  
 
  •  Contests and giveaways that reward interaction and engagement.
 
  • Thank them. It’s a simple gesture that can go a long way. Thanking new members for joining your organization makes them feel appreciated right away; you can even list new members in your email newsletter. Remember to thank your members for their contributions and thank the association for providing the Online Community.  You may be amazed to find others chime into these threads with ample gratitude and perhaps talk about the value of membership and others supporting them in the community.

 

Posting often, offering incentives, and knowing who to target, helps you reach your goals with member engagement. Remember to review your association’s etiquette policy and assure members that the community is a safe area for open discussion.