Is an Online Community Right for Your Association?

Online communities can enable a lot within an organization. From greater reach of an untapped audience to better visibility of local chapters, an online community can help an association make significant strides in meeting its strategic goals and helping to meet the needs of its members. But is an online community the right move for your association?If your answer is “yes, because ENGAGEMENT!” Stop. Do not pass go. Do not collect $200.Before we go any further, we need to be clear about what engagement means. Engagement is not a magic word you can throw at something and expect phenomenal results. Engagement around what? What type of engagement? Who’s engaging? How do you want people to engage? Where will they be engaging? All those questions require an action. Why? Because engagement is a behavior. And you need to be clear about what sort of behaviors you want your members to exhibit before you can determine whether or not an online community is the magic bean to help get your association there. So, if this is the answer you get when considering “why online community?”, my suggestion is that you have an honest conversation around what that means and if it makes sense.Now that that’s out of the way, let’s look at when it does – and doesn’t – make sense to move forward with an online community within your association.DO explore online community if:

• Your association wants to reach a broader audience. Say your association caters to the healthcare industry, specifically research that speaks to radiology. You have no problem getting input from doctors and nurses in North America, but that only gives you a one-sided view of whether there are new advancements in this area or where there are areas of opportunity. You have historically struggled to reach an international audience (say, doctors in Africa, India, or Australia) that may hold some much needed insight that will help you understand where there may be gaps. An online community can help you reach those voices and advance your association research where you haven’t had the opportunity to before. More importantly, you’re bringing together a collective voice around a topic that will encourage more robust conversation and knowledge-sharing.
• Your association wants to increase in-person participation. We’ve all seen it. Our annual conference comes around every year and we see the same faces every year. And, don’t get me wrong, there’s nothing wrong with getting repeat attendees to your annual conference! These are the people who believe wholeheartedly in the work your association does and the value that comes from it. But I can bet you money that there are people in the industry you serve who don’t know that you exist. Or, if they do, have no idea that you hold a live conference every year that can help them gain additional knowledge and expand their networks. Online communities are amazing catalysts for calling attention to value that your association holds and then connecting the community back to it. This not only goes for live events, but for chapters and anything else of value that your association brings. And once that content has served its purpose in a live event, repurpose it in your online community to continue the story and facilitate deeper discussion with those who may not have had the opportunity to attend live, but that still want to contribute to the conversation.
• Your association sees community as a holistic member experience. That’s right. Your association realizes that people don’t just come together face-to-face. If your senior leaders and your board are really in tune to your membership, they know that those who choose to get involved with your association don’t all interact the same way. Some may choose to meet at an event or a chapter meeting or even volunteer. Others may choose to spend their time interacting with you and your association online. If the only thing you’re offering them is your website with some downloadable content, you’ve lost an opportunity to bring those people in an make them feel like they are a part of something amazing. You know, like chapter members and volunteers feel. Online communities help all members feel like their community lives with your association and that they have a place there, as well. Don’t send them elsewhere to feel that sense of community.

Do NOT explore online community if:

• ENGAGEMENT! I wrote a whole section on that. See above.
• Everyone else seems to be doing it, so it must be a good idea. Yeah, well, if all of your friends were eating shards of glass, would you do that too? Right, didn’t think so. Not to be the community mom, but if the only reason your association is exploring online community is because other associations are doing it and you think it will give you a competitive edge, you’ll end up with an expensive platform, a community manager who isn’t sure what exactly they’re supposed to be helping drive, and a very quiet community. Make sure the strategy behind the online community is well understood. If it isn’t, take some time to figure it out. If it can’t be figured out, maybe now is not the time.
• It’s trendy! Right, so the thing about online communities is that they aren’t trendy. They’re strategic, especially when it comes to how they are utilized in associations. There’s a whole thought process (hopefully) that went into whether it was a fit, what it would enable, how it would be executed and resourced, and the plan for growth. And when it’s done right, it’s quite appealing; dare I say, sexy. Successful online community execution is exciting and the work that goes into keeping it successful is even more exciting. But trendy? Not so sure that’s the right word.

Online communities are an open door to infinite possibilities. They introduce opportunities and resources that your members may not have known existed, as well as bringing in those that didn’t know they needed you until now. When instituted properly, online communities enable opportunities that associations never thought possible and foster growth where it may not have been realized before. But when evaluating whether or not it’s a fit for your association, you absolutely must keep those that you serve in mind – and don’t just limit it to the people that pay their yearly membership dues. Take a wide view to help figure out whether an online community will help you serve these people any better than you are now when it comes to YOUR association. If not, don’t add overhead and added expense where it’s not necessary. However, if you find that online community is a must for your association, dig in your heels and start building.What are your tips for evaluating whether an online community is right for an association? Leave your comments below!