If you make it a point to create an online social community, you want to make sure you get the most out of it, right? Of course you do! And we totally understand why. So to help you out, we’ve put together a few tips for increasing engagement through social communities. Take a look!

Take advantage of status updates and wall posts

One way to spur conversation and really generate online member engagement is by taking advantage of status updates and wall posts. As an association leader, you should be posting status updates on a fairly regular basis. Two to three times a week is a pretty good number - it shows that you’re engaged with the community, without being a total pain. And if you see other members posting within your social community, be sure to comment back. This shows that you’re actively listening to what it is they’re saying and helps build that overall sense of community.

Embrace photo galleries

Photo galleries are a great way to showcase your organization’s personality. They show that you’re a real person, and not just a faceless organization. Plus, by making it a point to post pictures of your own, you’re setting an example for what you’d like your members to do. The more pictures you post, the more likely they are to contribute.

Experiment with short videos

Remember, not everyone likes to consume content in the same form. Rather than just posting status updates and wall posts, try throwing in a few short videos as well. This may encourage some of your more visual members to engage with you.

Not sure what to even film short videos about? Here are a few ideas:

• Interview the founder of your organization. People love to know how things all began.
  
• Talk about an upcoming event or conference. Provide your members with packing tips or advice for conference newbies.
  
• Repurpose an existing blog post. Take out the top three bullet points and convert them into video form.
  
• Put together a compelling holiday video. (Publix’s holiday commercials immediately come to mind.)
  

Offer topic-specific, opt-in e-lists

E-lists are great for members who don’t log in to their accounts very much. They allow for members to still receive updates without having to log in or take any action.

Now let’s rewind for a second. What are e-lists in terms of social communities? Well, just as a member can subscribe to your organization’s newsletter, they can also subscribe to the different components of your organization’s social community. So for example, if someone uploads a photo to one of their circles, all of the people who are in that circle and subscribed to that e-list will get an email notification - perfect for encouraging online member engagement.

This article was sourced directly through Member Clicks and can be viewed online here.