Member engagement is a vital aspect of every association’s engagement strategy. All association professionals seek to increase user engagement. According to the latest Community Brands research, 90% of association professionals are developing or improving member engagement opportunities.
But how can your organization boost member engagement? It’s time to begin leveraging gamification to increase engagement.
Read our blog to discover how gamification increases user engagement and for helpful best practice engagement strategies.
What is gamification and how does it increase engagement?
Gamification is the application of game mechanics – such as challenges, points, and rewards – to non-game situations, like member interactions or networking. Gamification can be a powerful tool to boost member involvement and customer loyalty. For example, your local coffee shop, restaurant, hotel, or other business might use reward programs to drive customer loyalty— that is gamification.
Today, most leading brands use gamification as part of their customer loyalty strategies—70% of the global 2000 companies use gamification. The reason? Gamification increases user engagement and retention.
How does gamification help increase member engagement?
Gamification increases engagement by making your association membership more exciting and entertaining. Your association can leverage association management software (AMS) to gamify membership, rewarding members for participating in your virtual events, online member community, career advancement opportunities, and more.
Gamification is a powerful tool. Community Brands research reports that association members who view their organization as an early adopter of technology (using features like gamification) are more satisfied, more connected, more likely to renew, and more likely to promote their organization.
How your association can use gamification to increase member engagement
Gamification is a great way to keep your members invested in your association. Rewarding and encouraging members to participate in your organization’s activities can boost member engagement and retention.
So, how can your organization begin investing in gamification? Follow these tips to get started:
1. Online member community. Gamify your online member community by rewarding members for their participation in your virtual community. Try creating badges for member time logged, questions asked, or relevant questions answered. Through these badges, members can see their activity and participation in your online community, fostering a playful spirit of friendly competition.
To deepen member engagement, consider promoting prizes. Encourage members to earn prizes, like gift cards or branded merchandise, as a reward for various participation levels in your online community. This approach offers a tangible gift for members to work toward.
2. Gamify learning. Did you know that 67% of learners preferred gamified courses or learning experiences? Inspire members to choose your learning program to meet their professional development needs with gamification.
Based on your member engagement strategy, include an engagement score or rating in your AMS member portal. This personalized feature can exemplify how involved each member is in your association. Your member portal can also streamline credit and certification tracking, keeping members on track to enroll in their next continuing education course.
Event engagement. Gamify your member’s event engagement by leveraging your AMS. In your member portal, encourage your members to earn engagement points by attending an event or conference.
Reward even more points for members who contribute to your events by speaking, volunteering, sponsoring, advertising, or purchasing event exhibitions.
4. Boost overall member involvement. Encourage your members to stay at your association and deepen their connections by gamifying membership. Consider rewarding points for members who volunteer on committees, attend town halls, work as an ambassador, or help as a mentor.
To boost member retention, try setting up automated rewards for membership anniversaries. This approach adds value to membership longevity and shows members how much you care.
5. Career advancement. Encourage your members to turn to your association for all their career resource needs. Create a personalized engagement score for members who leverage your job board or attend networking events.
Reward extra points to members who participate or volunteer in your mentorship program, post jobs or internships on your job board, or contribute helpful industry insights for career advancement.
