4 Ways To Use Online Community Data To Benefit Your Association

Online community data is an incredible tool for associations looking to improve their business.  Online communities offer insight into what people think about a company and how they view the brand online.  On membership websites, knowing that information allows leaders to make informed decisions with marketing and advertising campaigns.

 

More specifically, which campaigns might by most effective in driving revenue at different stages of a buying cycle?  The followings ways will explain how to use online community data to benefit your association.

 

The key to creating effective marketing campaigns is to make sure they produce measurable results.  Many traditional marketing tactics have fallen short over the years as companies have failed to use data from online communities to guide their efforts.

For example, ad campaigns that target a more select group of people may produce far different results than a campaign that targets everyone.  By doing this, leaders can determine where to focus their most effective efforts which leads to greater profits for the association.

 

In order to be successful long-term, associations usually need to develop popular services that lead to opportunities for other sources of income.  For instance, if an association finds that a need exists for members to have access to better health care benefits, they might develop a health insurance program.  When online community data is used in strategic decision-making processes, associations may capitalize on new ideas as they continue adapting to current trends.

 

Associations should conduct extensive surveys from time to time to better understand and engage with their online community.  Once they have the data, they can use it to create targeted marketing campaigns that capture the attention of a particular group of members.  Doing this shows confidence in the online community and helps different members feel like they are valued.

 

Associations often run into obstacles when budgeting for future projects.  Case in point, if an association doesn’t know what kind of return it will receive from a new service, it may choose not to invest in it.  By leveraging online community data, associations can put together more detailed budgets for each project.

They can also use data from membership websites to predict how many people will use the service and how much revenue it will generate over time.  To take full advantage of that, associations should focus on developing strategies that allow them to maximize impact based on feedback from their members.