Association Online Communities in 2019 (Yes, More Predictions)
There have been quite a few predictions for the future ofthe community management profession. Some have me yelling a resounding “hellyeah!” while others have me scratching my head just a bit. A couple ofpredictions from TheCommunity Roundtable and VanillaForums really hit the mark, especially when I think about the future ofassociations and what they will need to do in order to serve members as theirneeds evolve and a new generation of professionals enter the workforce. Whilethere isn’t much more to say, here are three more predictions specific toonline communities within the association world I would like to share.
Online communitieswill be the catalyst to deepen member experiences
Social media is a big space. It’s a great way to bringpeople together, but conversations can tend to get lost in the shuffle, especiallywhen you have thousands of people in one space all wanting to be heard and havetheir questions answered. And while social media is a great way to engagepeople around content or information, it can be too big to feel personal.Please don’t misunderstand, I’m not saying social media is not helpful. It hasit’s place in bringing people together and building a brand. However, peopleare beginning to gravitate to smaller spaces to have meaningful conversationswith networks of their peers. I felt that Liz Crampton’sprediction was spot on:
“Meaningful connection” is also ahot topic and I think there’s some value there for thinking about connectingpeople in more innovative ways rather than just replicating what the socialmedia giants have done.
Associations are going to have to think differently aboutconnecting people through means other than social media and my gut tells methat online communities will be top of mind when trying to figure out how to dothat, if it isn’t already. Skill up, community managers.
Communicating value willnot necessarily equal demonstrating ROI
Cost savings and revenue generation is a huge benefit to anyorganization. But let’s face it, unless an online community was specifically designedto generate revenue in some way, shape, or form, when it comes to associationsyour online community is likely a cost center. This means it costs your organizationmoney to run your program with the knowledge that there is no revenue attachedto that program. Ask yourself why your organization took the leap and investedin online community anyway. Instead of focusing on what that return oninvestment looks like in dollars, online community managers will shift theconversation to what the community enables within the organization. The mosttangible business value is cost-savings or revenue generation, but this isn’tthe only language your senior leaders speak. Community managers will be able todemonstrate how online communities enable additional capabilities within anassociation where other methods have been unsuccessful. Community managers willneed to understand the organization’s strategy and direction to be able toeffectively communicate value outside of revenue. If your online communitysaves the company money (or brings money in), GREAT! But don’t start there.
Association leadershipwill discover the value of community-building as part of organizational culture
Yes, a critical element of digital transformations istechnology. Something even more critical is the change in culture. Asassociations embark upon these transformations, leadership will start to seehow learning and knowledge-sharing must be approached differently. Associationswill develop internal communities of practice to share information and bestpractices as new capabilities are enabled across the organization and new/existingstaff start to work together differently to carry forward work in a new environment.RachelHappe said it best when she put forth the following prediction foronline communities:
As digital transformationapproaches come up short of expectations due to organizational inertia,community strategies that nudge people effectively toward learning and changewill increase in value.
The outlook is incredibly optimistic for online communitiesand those who manage them, but we must prepare ourselves for a future of highdemand. The skills we have developed will be increasingly sought after to, notonly, guide the future of work within associations, but to build online communitiesthat will create a vehicle for delivering holistic member experiences and thatwill be the connective thread for bringing together strategic visions. We shouldrejoice at how far we’ve come and dig in and prepare for where we’re headed. It’sgoing to be a great ride.
What are you seeing in your associations? What changes do you see onthe horizon for the profession in the work that you do?