Let’s say your association has been around for decades, and its legacy is well-established in your industry. But as technology advances, you can’t help but think about the ways that your organization might not be keeping up with the times. Other associations post regularly on social media and cultivate vibrant online communities while yours just sends monthly email newsletters and occasionally meets over Zoom.

However, it’s easier than you think to build a prospering online community of your own, and doing so will help you engage members, retain them in the long term, and attract new ones. No matter your association’s size or experience, a little careful planning and creativity will allow you to build a virtual space where members want to log on and chat with their peers.

In this guide, we’ll discuss three steps to creating an online community, starting with identifying the primary objectives and purpose of the community.

Step 1: Identify the goals and purpose of the community.

This step is foundational to the rest of your community-building efforts. Aligning your staff with a narrow set of goals for the community will guide many aspects of the process, from the way you promote it to the community activities you organize.

Some common goals that an online community can help you reach include:

• Developing members’ skills. Many members join associations to hone professional skills such as team management, public speaking, or accepting and delivering feedback. As a part of your online community, you can set up virtual discussion boards or roundtable sessions where members can discuss these skills and suggest tried-and-true tips. For a more in-depth experience, consider offering mentorship programs.
  
• Providing more networking opportunities. Building a network is critical to most professionals’ success. Not only does it make members feel more connected with your association, but it can also help them advance their careers. For example, what if someone they connect with through your association ends up interviewing them for a job at their dream company? Your association can even create a cycle of growth and career advancement by building a framework of valuable connections for new members.
  
• Boosting member engagement. Without a community to turn to, members may feel disengaged from your association. Give them a way to connect with your organization and its members 24/7 rather than only tuning in for occasional meetings. When members establish deep roots in your online community, they are more likely to actively participate during meetings, attend conferences, and more.

These goals can impact the way your association promotes the online community during recruitment. If your main goal is to increase engagement, for instance, you might provide some kind of incentive for those who participate (e.g., a discount code for anyone who attends a small group discussion).

Step 2: Develop and promote ways to participate.

Participating in community activities should be as convenient as possible, and there should be at least one option that every member will want to participate in. As you build a basic structure for your community, think through which activities the majority of your members will be interested in.

Here are a few ideas that require different investments of time and energy to appeal to a variety of member preferences:

• Discussion forums. Create forums dedicated to discussing specific industry-related topics. There are so many possible ways to structure these forums to garner engagement. Consider creating new forums each week with a question or prompt for members to respond to, asking for comments or questions about your regular meetings, or gathering feedback and opinions.
  
• Volunteer committees. To keep the association running, members often volunteer their time to help organize events, select topics for meetings, and more. Organize these efforts more clearly by carving out a space for volunteer committees in your online community. Depending on their focus, these committees might choose to create a private discussion forum or organize virtual happy hours to work on their projects.
  
• Book or article clubs. Similar to traditional book clubs, members will read an industry-specific book or article in advance and then meet to discuss it. Give your busy members enough notice to read and consider the book or study, and ask them to get involved by helping you choose reading materials. It’s key to prepare for the meeting as well, so create a list of questions and talking points to guide your discussion.
  
• Networking events. Organize regular, virtual meetings that are focused solely on networking. For example, you could have weekly, hour-long coffee chats where members drop in to connect, share experiences, and ask for advice. For your more introverted members, consider adding some structure to these events with icebreaker activities, timed small group discussions, and introductions of each member and their background.

Make participants aware of all of the ways they can get involved in the community. Post about your community offerings on social media, your website, and other public marketing channels, and don’t forget to send more personal messages as well. Specifically, eCardWidget recommends sending out online greeting cards as an easy-to-use, high-quality way to invite members to upcoming events and activities, recognize members, and encourage networking.

Step 3: Provide consistent value.

After creating a basic structure for your community, you’ll need to check in often to ensure it’s still adding value for members. These tips can help your association provide the most valuable community activities possible:

• Continuously spread awareness. Promoting ways to interact within your online community should become a key piece of your marketing strategy. Frequently send engaging email newsletters that highlight involvement opportunities and make sure to give new members an in-depth guide to participating.
• Track engagement in your CRM. As Protech’s guide to association CRMs explains, this software is used to track data, generate reports, and record information about members and their engagement histories. Use a CRM to make note of which members engage with your online community, how that impacts their other interactions with your association, and how you might improve your engagement results. 
• Gather feedback often. Even if you develop engagement opportunities based entirely on your members’ needs and preferences, it’s likely that those things will change over time. Keep your finger on the pulse of what members want and need from the community by frequently asking for suggestions and adjusting activities and events accordingly.
  
  

The best way to make sure your community remains a valuable membership benefit is to stay flexible and open to adapting your strategies and activities. Just as your members might change their preferences and interests over time, technology and industry updates can impact your community’s focus and priorities.

About the Authors

Erin Lemons and Jake Fabbri

Erin Lemons is the Senior Director of Marketing at Fonteva. Erin Lemons joins Togetherwork Association Solutions with over 15 years serving as a marketing director, event producer, and project manager creating robust marketing campaigns and initiatives that focus on the growing and ever-changing technology needs of the association industry. She leads the marketing teams and strategy at Fonteva and Protech. 

Jake Fabbri is the Chief Marketing Officer at Togetherwork. With over two decades of experience marketing association technology, Fonteva CMO Jake Fabbri has developed a deep understanding of the unique needs of associations and the challenges technology can solve. Jake’s marketing expertise has been honed by demonstrated excellence in the areas of lead generation, content marketing, marketing automation, and events.