- Hire a full-time community manager: with industry expertise, enthusiasm, and existing relationships.
- Focus on the welcome page: Build an area on the subject that will fit newcomers. Place the guides for beginners here and link them to the relevant discussion forums.
- Create a welcome guide: illustrating what members can do in the community and the culture.
- FAQ: Support the most common issues in a group platform FAQ.
- Start conversations focused on a problem: that most people are facing. Make sure that you post it as a direct question: “How are you coping with the issue?”
- Organize a live online event: with a specific discussion topic, a VIP, or a live tutorial for people who want to be better at the topic.
- Encourage and empower member columnists: Reach members who have made long posts, and ask if they want to write daily columns focused on that subject.
- Newsletter template: Create a standard template for the newsletter that outlines events in which people can get involved right now.
- Segment members: newcomers (0-3 months), regulars (>6 months), lurkers (<6 months) and inactive members (no visits in 6 months). Send messages that are unique to each party.
- Monthly theme: Celebrate a monthly theme and/or a quick poll.
- Link to social media: Post what happens in the community (popular debates, events/activities) to platforms of social media with links back to the community where members can get involved.
- Identify and target a sub-group: within your community’s topic to join the community. For this segment alone, create conversations, content, and activities.
- Involve executives and other departments to increase the value of the community: Organize a live chat with your boss, a couple of colleagues, and community members.
- Set up a member challenge: What would you suggest for ….?
- Keep member experience in mind: Arrange the navigation system by popularity.