The key to the success of any membership site is engagement. But what exactly does the word “engagement” mean in this context?
Engagement is an industry buzzword that’s very hot right now. However, it can mean different things to different people.
For example, in social media, it means clicks, likes, shares, and comments. But what we’re talking about in the context of a membership site is something more personal and organic.
For a membership site, engagement means your members are involved and committed. It means your site is part of their life.
They’re not just scrolling through content and passively taking it in. They’re using the content on your site, taking action, and interacting with others.
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Why Engagement Is Important
There are a number of reasons engagement is so important. First of all, an engaged membership is involved and committed. This means they’re receptive and they listen to what you say.
Picture someone who isn’t engaged. For that person who only occasionally checks the site to see what’s new and skim through content, they aren’t taking what you say seriously.
On the other hand, if your users are checking in each day to see what new content or replies they have, you’re a part of their everyday life. You’re like a trusted friend to them.
Engagement is how you build relationships, and this is the whole point of membership sites. If you have a solid relationship with each individual member of your site, you’ll have more influence over them.
This is really the biggest benefit of running a membership site. It gives you a deeply personal connection to members of your market.
Finally, engaged members get much more out of your site. When someone is engaged and taking action, working toward a goal, and getting the full value out of what you offer, they’ll see results.
When a user sees results, they’ll realize the unique value you offer, keep using the site, and tell others about it.
How to Create Engagement
There are many techniques you can employ to create engagement. You can welcome each new member with a personalized message and a “start here” suggestion for them.
If your customer service and content are spot-on, this will help. Giving plenty of opportunities to engage, such as an interactive forum or free webinars, will create engaged members.
If there’s one simple, key ingredient to engagement, it is to listen to your users and deliver what they want from you.
Your members signed up for your site because they were expecting the unique value you promised on your marketing materials. If you’re providing this and meeting their expectations, they will use the site and stick around.
Your membership site will give you a lot of opportunities to learn about your market. If your members are engaged, it creates a kind of feedback loop.
Your members use the site, you interact with them, you learn more about them and make improvements, and then they use the site more.
This is the goal, and it will keep your membership site successful for a long time.
If you want more ideas on creating a membership site, then take a look at our course, How to Create a Membership Site, where we’ll guide you step by step through creating and running a subscription-based site for recurring income.
