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Defining Success and Measuring Engagement

By Andy Steggles posted Dec 11, 2013 07:07 AM

  

Presented by Tom Jelen, Director of Online Communications, ASHA, and Andy Steggles, President and Chief Customer Officer, Higher Logic

Every Connected Community is different. But all depend on user engagement – posts, discussions and the like – to deliver value to members. But how much is enough? How can community administrators increase engagement? And how can they measure it?

At this year’s HUG Super Forum, Tom Jelen presented a number of engagement facts, and polled the audience for its opinions. Here are the key takeaways from the session:

Profiles Matter

Higher Logic data shows – and the Super Forum audience agreed – that members who build out their profiles are more likely participate in their communities. For instance, the Society of Human Resources Management – one of Higher Logic’s top performers, with the most total unique discussion authors – has an exceptionally high rate of community members with profiles: better than 50 percent.

Incentives & Rewards Help

To get more members engaging, many HUG users spotlight their most active members and offer incentives for others to fill out their profiles and engage more. This reward tactic gets members to think about what their profiles and activity should look like – or as one session attendee put it, “Never underestimate the power of humiliation.”

Here’s what else the audience had to say:

What are the traits of a successful community?

  • Responsiveness
  • Engagement
  • Interactivity

What does online engagement mean for an online community?

  • Knowledge sharing
  • Gathering valuable and accurate information
  • Easy access to information

How do you get a member to return after their initial engagement?

  • Thanking members for their contributions
  • Promoting their contributions
  • Ensuring they get responses to their questions
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