Building a sense of community within an association is key to increasing engagement, collaboration and for long-term success of the association. Social media is an excellent tool for fostering communities but it requires strategic planning, consistent engagement, and a focus on establishing genuine connections among members.  

Below is an outline of how to use social media to build stronger communities within an association.  

  1. Set Clear Goals: Determine if the goal is to increase member engagement, promote events, share industry news and knowledge, or foster peer-to-peer connections. Or all of the above! Be sure these goals also align with the association’s core values and objectives. Check out one of my previous Strauss articles on how associations can improve their social media game. 
  2. Understand Your Members: Identify the social media  platforms like Facebook, Instagram, LinkedIn, X (formerly Twitter), Snapchat or Tik Tok that members frequent and engage with the most. Be sure to cater to specific groups within the association (i.e., new members, industry veterans, etc.) and tailor content accordingly. 
  3. If You Create It They Will Come! Be sure to post content that is not only engaging but of value to members including industry trends, news, resources, and other key information. Use interactive content to further engage members and get a read on preferences through polls, or Q&A questions. Offer insights or behind-the-scenes access available only to members so they feel they are part of something exclusive through their membership. My colleague, Katia Ramirez shares her thoughts in a recent Strauss article on the power of interactive social media posts and reels.  
  1. Foster Engagement: Start social media posts with industry specific topics, discussions, or thought-provoking questions. Be sure to monitor social media to be timely in any responses, likes or shares. Nothing worse that replying to social media posts two-days later or more. 
  2. Build Community-Centric Features: For regional chapters within an association, set-up member-only groups on LinkedIn and Facebook for focused information, to promote events, and for sharing. Use hashtags to promote the association’s aggregate content. Encourage members to connect and network by facilitating introductions and collaborations on specific regional events. 
  3. Promote Events and Activities: To create some pre-event buzz and participation, provide some save the dates, sneak peeks, countdowns to event day and other highlights. For example, set-up an event in LinkedIn with the registration link and event details to invite members and have them share with their contacts too. Within 24-hours post-event share recaps including photos, videos, and testimonials to maintain momentum. 
  4. Monitor and Measure Performance: Track engagement metrics like shares, likes, comments and reach. Use analytical tools to identify what content is resonating with

The following tactics are sure-fire ways to help build stronger communities within an association when using social media. Happy Posting!