Association management software has evolved in the past few years, and today, trade and professional organizations need dedicated community management platforms in order to adequately engage their members. But what exactly is a community management platform, and does your association need one?
To help trade and professional associations understand this technology, the role it plays in member engagement, and what to look for in prospective platforms, we’ve put together this complete buyer’s guide. In it, we’ll cover:
Every association’s community is unique, which means the right tool for one association may not be quite right for another. To address as many common concerns as possible, we’ll break down core platform elements and why they matter. But first, let’s explain exactly what a community management platform is.
A community management platform is software for associations that lets them create online spaces for their members to interact. These platforms create social media-like interfaces where members can post content, message one another, attend virtual events, and more depending on the specific platform’s features.
Associations can use social media sites like Facebook and LinkedIn to host their communities. However, doing so is inadvisable for several reasons, including:
Social media is best used for marketing your member community and driving interest toward your community management platform. For example, you might post a blog article for free on Facebook and explain that it is part one of a series of posts exploring the topic. To get more valuable content, prospective members would need to sign up and log into your membership portal.
Community management platforms are created for a range of audiences, and as such, there are also a range of features to be aware of. For trade and professional associations, we recommend looking for platforms with the following tools:
The actual community engagement space itself is usually called the “community platform.” This tool acts as a social media-like interface where your members can post content and interact with one another.
When assessing this feature, look for:
While every association might have different priorities for their community management software, the community platform component is the defining feature of these tools. As such, finding one that fits your needs should be one of your top considerations.
Virtual events are for your association’s community, so it makes sense to host these online events in the same place where your community already gathers online.
Some community management software vendors have a major focus on virtual event software, while others provide video conferencing as a bonus feature. When assessing platforms, consider:
Additionally, consider how the video component of your community management software works in conjunction with the rest of your platform. Is it easy for members to access your virtual events from your community platform? Can you easily promote virtual events on the community platform? Are these desirable features for your association, or is video conferencing not even a concern?
Community management platforms provide your association and fellow members access to your member directory. This allows members to search for and reach out to one another, while your association’s team can use this information to manage your members.
When it comes to member directory features, be on the lookout for:
Remember that a member directory differs from a member database. Your directory is a front-facing tool your members can use to aid their networking, whereas a member database is a backend tool with extensive data only for your association’s team.
Just because a member has joined your association does not mean they want to share every little detail about themselves with the rest of your community. Protect members’ privacy by allowing them to control who can view specific information on their profiles.
For example, here’s what a member would see when editing their profile within Tradewing:
As you can see, members can decide who can view specific profile attributes, whether that’s the general public, logged-in users, all members, or just the user themselves. For example, a member might make their name and place of employment visible to everyone, their email address visible to members, and their home address only visible to themselves.
This protects your members from unwanted communication, including harassment and spam. Ensure your community management software offers similar privacy features and also maintains strong security standards to protect against cyberattacks.
Your community platform is an extension of your website and should include your association’s branding. As such, all community management platforms your association considers should have at least some customization features.
However, be aware that “customization” means different things to different community platform vendors. Some software might offer out-of-the-box tools that allow you to customize your branding, messaging templates, and website setup. In contrast, others might require working with a developer to finetune the platform to your specifications.
The former may be preferable for large associations with multiple chapters. These organizations require custom workflows and high levels of customization, even if that requires increased cost and administrative time.
In contrast, small and medium-sized associations may value some customization, such as customized messaging templates and branding. However, excessive customization abilities can lead to unnecessary stress.
When assessing community management platforms, be aware what size associations the software is geared toward and what is meant by “customizable.”
Keep members in the loop and encourage them to come back to your community platform with messaging alerts. These can take the form of emails, text messages, or push notifications depending on your preferences and software’s capabilities.
Look for community management software with automation features to power this strategy. These can be used to remind members about upcoming events, alert them to community announcement posts, share when someone has messaged them, or check in if it’s been a while since they last logged onto your platform.
Ensure your community management platform integrates with association management software (AMS) and any other tools in your tech stack. Doing so ensures data collected by your community management platform, like member engagement rates, is smoothly transferred to your member database and other relevant software.
If you choose solutions without ready-built integrations, you may need to work with a technology consultant to create a custom middleware solution. These can be costly and take time to develop. As such, prioritize vendors that offer a pre-existing integration with your current software when possible.
When reviewing community management software, create a short list of top candidates by assessing each provider based on:
Associations vary widely in size, budget, and purpose. Additionally, community management software appeals to a range of organizations outside of associations, including businesses and casual social groups.
As such, finding the right software for your association requires assessing your association’s:
While associations should aim to grow and evolve, it’s almost never worth it to invest in an expensive tool that does more than your association needs. Rather, assess your association to understand where your needs currently are and gear your technology to your association as it currently is, not where you hope it will be in 10 years.
Remember, if you need to upgrade to a new system in a few years, you always can and you’ll likely have a higher budget when you do!
Association technology is extensive and varied, and your community management platform should fit into your existing technology stack. Outside of community management software, associations might also invest in a combination of these tools:
Depending on your specific vendors, some of these tools may contain overlapping features. For example, many AMSs include CRM functionality. Additionally, many AMSs provide some community management software features, though often in a limited capacity.
Assess whether your current technology supports your needs and what a new tool can provide. Then, research integrations to ensure your new software can be easily added to the rest of your software ecosystem.
Last, consider your team’s own technical prowess. If your association lacks an IT team, understand that means you will need to rely on your vendors for training and technical support. Additionally, if you purchase software that requires customization, a middleware application, or further development, you will likely need to work with a technology consultant, which takes time and adds an extra expense to your technology budget.
Third-party review websites are useful resources that allow your association to accomplish two essential things:
Additionally, on vendors’ sites, look for case studies or customer testimonials. While these sources are biased, they provide a window into what each vendor feels they specialize in. For instance, if a vendor’s case studies primarily focus on their virtual event capabilities, you can assume that is one of their strengths.
The top community management software for trade and professional associations is our very own platform, Tradewing. Tradewing is a convenient, out-of-the-box platform for growing associations looking to manage their communities online. With Tradewing, your association can:
Even with all of these features, Tradewing’s biggest strength is its convenience. Compared to platforms that require extensive customization and developer assistance, Tradewing can beset up fast and operate with minimal administrative burden on your team.
Want to see Tradewing in action? Check out this case study from one of our many satisfied clients:
Community management software arms associations with the tools they need to communicate with, engage, and retain their members. When assessing top vendors, look for platforms that prioritize the member experience, like Tradewing, and make community management easy with ready-to-go features, an intuitive interface, and easy automation features.