Professional membership associations face a common challenge – how to engage with and retain members. With countless membership associations across the UK, it’s important for them to do more than just affiliate themselves with a profession, they must stand out. One easy way to do this is by creating exciting and engaging content in the form of blogs and newsletters.
Professional membership associations act as knowledge hubs, a source of information and a network for members within a specific industry. To keep members engaged and satisfied, associations must continually deliver valuable, relevant, and up-to-date information.
Creating member focussed content such as articles, blogs and newsletters all contribute to the following:
- Demonstrating Expertise
- Well-researched and informative content allows associations to establish themselves as authorities in their field. If this is properly conveyed online, it serves as an attractive advertisement for potential future members.
- Member Education
- Many professionals join associations to expand their knowledge and skillset. Blog posts and newsletters can be an effective tool for providing education about industry trends, best practices, and the latest developments.
- Networking & Collaboration
- Posting content to social media or a website can encourage interaction among members, fostering a sense of community and in turn facilitating networking opportunities.
- Member Retention
- By providing a steady stream of valuable content, an association can keep their members engaged and make them feel that their membership is worthwhile.
Blogs
Blogging is a brilliant way for professional membership associations to advertise to the public. As well as to deliver vital information to members and wider audiences, it can also help to improve the association’s online visibility. By using SEO, blog posts will expand the association’s reach and influence in a particular area.
Blogs can be used to highlight an array of different topics, including current policy issues, recent industry changes and expert opinions. For a blog feed to be successful it must be consistently uploaded to, and actively promoted to members.
Newsletters
While blogs provide a continuous stream of content to the public, newsletters serve as an exclusive way to keep members engaged and provide information.
- Curation
- Newsletters can curate the best content from the association’s blog, summarising key points and providing useful links. This can be especially beneficial for busy professionals who may not necessarily have the time to browse multiple blog posts.
- Personalisation
- Newsletters are usually tailored to cater to a specific member interest or demographic. By tailoring newsletters to address current topics, associations can ensure that members receive content that matters most to them.
- Events
- Networking should be at the forefront of any membership association, and this is best done through hosting member exclusive events. Newsletters are a fantastic way to promote events, webinars or conferences set up by associations.
- Feedback & Surveys
- Every association should look to continuously grow and develop in order to benefit their members. Surveys are a fantastic way of asking for feedback, which is useful for identifying areas of interest to focus on.
Associations should use a combination of ways to create and post engaging content online to keep their members engaged, expand their reach, and grow their brand. Share your association’s blog in the comments below!
