As an association, you want members to become involved in your organization. Post engagement or post-click analytics can give you visibility into member behavior and allow you to see what types of topics drive member engagement. I’d like to share a few ideas for improving your social media interactions with members based on my experiences leading the communications team for a national association. These tactics have improved engagement rates and member retention, and have been implemented on various platforms including Twitter, Facebook, Instagram, Pinterest, and LinkedIn.
Identify your member engagement goals
Before you dive into your member engagement plan, do some research. What type of content does your audience respond to? Which social media platforms are best for reaching members? How can you measure success? Once you have determined the metrics that are important to your organization, create a plan that will help get you there.
Listen, observe, and learn
Keeping an ear to the ground will help you understand your tribe’s likes, dislikes, interests, hobbies, etc… Use different social media platforms to keep tabs on members. For instance, use Twitter for quick questions or comments; Facebook for open conversation; LinkedIn groups to connect with industry experts, etc… Also, make sure to pay attention to your analytics. You can see which posts performed well and determine whether or not the content resonated with your audience.
Be ready to respond
Not every interaction on social media is going to go as planned. However, you can certainly be prepared by using reply templates for common questions or comments. This will not only improve member engagement but also help capture metrics that highlight how well your replies are resonating with members.
Have dedicated engagement time
To truly understand the behaviors of your association’s audience on social media platforms, you need to spend time looking at your numbers. Look for trends in spikes in interactions to determine the best time to post. Also, try using Sprout Social’s Engagement tool to get insight into your audience’s response and behavior. This will help you identify specific times of day when it’s best to engage with your members on social media.
Final Thoughts
By following these tips, you can improve member engagement and ensure consistent messaging across all social media platforms. By creating a member engagement plan and following the steps above, you can create a successful social media presence for your association. Stay true to your organization’s brand voice and stay consistent with your member messaging.
