A healthy association will have a steady growing membership as more people find the organization and are interested in its mission.
How will members interact with the association after they have joined?
This question can be answered by online communities. Social networks are about connecting people and helping them keep in touch.
The Benefits of Online Communities
You can enjoy the following benefits from having an online community to your membership:
- Making the association more visible online
- Keeping current members informed and interested in what’s happening in the organization
- Feedback, comments, and suggestions are welcome
Let’s take a closer look at each one.
Making the Association more discoverable on the Internet
Your association will be more easily found online if it has a website, Twitter feed or forum. A Facebook page, Twitter account or forum makes it much more likely for your association to appear in search engines. This is a popular way for people to find information.
Online communities allow people to pick up on the interests of their friends, which can lead to referrals to your organization.
The majority of people who use social media are younger, and this can be a great advantage for associations seeking to attract new members.
Keep Current Members Up-to-Date and Interested
Members can participate online in their association from the comfort of home.
They may feel more connected and committed to the association if they have regular contact with other members and leaders than if they could only attend meetings.
Allowing Feedback
Online discussions are a great way to communicate with your members and answer any questions.
It can help an association feel more alive and active, as well as generate new ideas and actions.
A great complement to your association newsletter and survey tools offered by your membership management system software is an online community.
Online Community for Enhancement
A Facebook page, forum, or Twitter feed doesn’t make actual meetings irrelevant.
Online communities can make real-life meeting more enjoyable, despite the fact that they are often quite contrary to what you might think.
Social media is a great place to announce upcoming events. Many people already check their social media accounts regularly.
Online participation will make members feel more connected and more likely to attend in-person events.
Online communities can increase awareness of your organization and help you grow your membership.