Ask more questions

With all content, whether it’s from you or your members, ensure there are plenty of reasons to engage by posing questions within the content or commenting with questions about the content. Highlight key points, encourage further debate and ask members to share their own views.

Build an expertise database

Because you have onboarded new members personally (and because you are - we hope - using custom fields to capture members’ areas of expertise on registration) you should have a good understanding of the areas of expertise of your community members and the areas of expertise that are in highest demand. Use this information to build a simple skills database (just a spreadsheet is fine) and use it to 1) commission content for the community from experts with in-demand expertise and 2) introduce members working in similar fields or seeking each others’ expertise. You can do this away from the community via email or arrange an in-community video panel to make introductions.

Involve members in innovation 

A key benefit of your community to your business is that it gives you a group of highly engaged, available people to provide input into your product and service innovation activity. What’s more, community members will enjoy being part of an ‘inner team’ that is asked to share their ideas for how you could improve, to give feedback on new features. 

Being invited to step inside the brand and contribute in this way can be exciting. And if your brand is seen to be listening, you will win hearts and minds and create strong brand ambassadors for your community, who invite others to join.

Share what’s ‘behind the wall’

Make your best content premium (i.e. accessible by registered users only) but create posts that anyone can access that round up some of the fantastic content and conversations taking place in your community. These will create the sense that non-members are missing out and encourage them to register. It is also a good way to boost the best of your members’ contributions, thereby raising their profile.

Ask members!

Don’t forget, you should be routinely asking members what they want, via both 1-2-1 communication and conversations, and content on your community site. Embed polls in posts to seek feedback or start conversations in rooms to seek the community’s input.