Associations have taken the concept of community to new levels, building online environments that allow for inspiration, shared experiences, and a sense of belonging. The member communities they’ve built bring professionals together for new, further-reaching, and more frequent engagement.
Forj gathered leaders from more than a dozen associations for a series of roundtable events dedicated to exploring their professional communities. In a four-part series, we’re sharing key insights from our focus groups on community and the member experience.Each organization defines a successful professional community differently, but it typically begins with the community's purpose. What sparked your community’s creation? What do you hope members gain from their participation?
The number of new members joining the community is, of course, an important metric to track. But beyond number of users, association leaders are tracking activity that offers insights into how well their communities are serving their purpose.
Your online professional community can—and should—evolve over time. Measuring its current state is just one step towards maximizing its value. To truly get the most of your member community, you also need to put your insights to work. These ideas can help you move from assessment to action.
Create a rewards system. Encourage community engagement—and repeat visits—by rewarding members for their participation. Badges, redeemable tokens, and access to exclusive content can be incentives.
Develop a referral program. The people who are most active in your community probably want to help it grow. Mobilize a movement by encouraging and incenting ambassadorship.
Build special interest groups. Professionals cite a sense of belonging as one of the main reasons they join communities. Create even closer connections with groups custom-designed for members who share specific experience or interests.
Leverage your ecosystem. Deliver added value by allowing your sponsors and partners to participate in your community. Invite them to moderate discussions, host webinars, and share special offers.