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A Playbook for Membership Engagement (12 Strategies That Really Work)

Feb 20, 2025

Reader Disclosure

    The topic of membership engagement is discussed frequently on the blog...because it's everything! Active members renew their subscriptions as well as participate in forums and also bring referrals. However, when engagement decreases, churn sets in.

WHAT'S IN THE INSIDE          Toggle

Some time ago, I talked about the churn of memberships and the cost it is to replace lost members than to keep your current ones.

So, what do you think? Make sure that members are active, engaged and enthusiastic so that they'll remain subscribed and more active, contribute, spend more and get new subscribers.

Our customers have collectively raked in over $2 billion in revenue.

Let's get into the strategies that actually are effective!

What exactly is membership engagement and What is the significance of it?

The first question is what is member engagement? It's how often and how meaningfully your members interact with your website or community as well as the offerings.

A highly engaged member frequently:

  • Logs in, and then browses several pages
  • Commentaries are posted, discussions are joined, and attends events
  • Participates in classes and takes part actively

Members recognize the value from their membership, leading them to renew their membership, recommend to others and benefit of upsells and cross-sells.

  • It is difficult to navigate around your website
  • Doesn't realize everything you offer is worth it? Or, even more important,
  • (Brace yourself) is completely devoid of you

A few members may still have a subscription, but they don't interact with them. Having a inactive membership could be a signal to be aware.

Different people do not interact in with the same manner. Some people enjoy taking their time reading, while others thrive on conversations with others or live events. Tracking different types of engagement can help you know and assist your members.

We'll go over exactly that in our twelve strategies.

Ways to Measure Membership Engagement

We've touched on, high membership engagement is different based on the type of service you're offering. It also depends on who your audience is.

However, if the site is geared towards self-paced learning, members might primarily be engaged by reading content and taking courses on their own, instead of participating in discussion.

Since engagement doesn't come in a single size The ideal way to evaluate it is against your own past performances. Ask yourself:

  • Do members engage more or more or less in the past than they did before?
  • Are you growing at the same rate as the growth in membership or is it falling behind?

Key Engagement KPIs to Follow

Pick the metrics that best define what's most important for your website's members:

  • The frequency of logins - How often are members signing in?
  • Forum activity & posts engagement Do discussions remain active?
  • Course/module completions - Are members making advancement in their education?
  • Email open & click-through rates Are they being engaged with your emails?
  • Attendance at events Does the group show in for live events?

Monitoring the appropriate KPIs can help you identify trends, find disengaged participants as well as refine your strategy to engage them.

Key Strategies to Boost Membership Engagement

It's not necessary to wait until engagement is an issue before you can begin improving your business.

Below are a few techniques our customers use to keep their members interested. We've included suggestions, the best practices as well as tools to assist you in creating a more interactive membership site on WordPress.

1. Start building an Online Community

Have you noticed how often Reddit shows up in the top position of Google search results? Google hasn't explained the reason, but we can take an educated guess: People value conversations with real people as well as shared experiences.

A first-time mom thinking about what she needs for her newborn is likely to seek advice from fellow mothers over a general product list.

A freelancer trying to land higher-paying clients may turn to the community of fellow freelancers who can offer advice and strategies.

Your site's membership service is geared towards an small group of people with similar passions, and connecting those members is a huge benefit.

Whether they're networking, seeking advice or sharing stories, the private community can become an important parts of your membership.

create premium community forums in .

And with social media often feeling like a chaotic, hostile space and a members-only community provides an environment that is secure and high-quality that allows people to connect in a meaningful way. It is free of ads, trolls or irrelevant noise.

 How to Install It

WordPress has several great plugins that can assist you to build a community right on your web site. customers have found great success using:

  • bbPress A basic yet effective forum application.
  • - A more feature-rich option for group and social network discussions.

If you're willing to host your online community on other websites take a look at:

  • - Great for real-time chats Particularly if your viewers are tech-savvy.
  • This is a great option if you have members who are already actively using Facebook.

2. Incorporate Gamification

I'm a sucker for gamification. Indeed I owe my ability to learn Spanish to a particular green owl, an assortment of badges, and a highly competitive battle to get on the highest position on the leaderboard along with a colleague.

Even if points and leaderboards aren't doing much for you, I can guarantee you'll have a small portion of your members who thrive on them.

Some (myself myself included), earning rewards are so satisfying that they'll actively search your site to get their next high!

 How To Install It

With GamiPress You can also add badges, points as well as achievements to various actions on your website, such as:

  •   Logging in or signing up in  
  •   Completed lessons or course  
  •   Participating in discussions with the community  
  •   Leaving comments or replying to comments  
  •   Refining new members  
  •   and much more!  

No matter what plugins you're running on your site's membership page, GamiPress likely has an integration to it which includes a few we've mentioned in this article:

  • (for subscriptions and online course activity)
  • BuddyBoss & BbPress (for communities forums)
  • (for online quizzes, surveys and other interactive activities)
  • Easy Affiliate (for rewarding referrals)

To make it even better It's completely cost-free!

If games can get people motivated to participate then why not take advantage of it?

3. Start a loyalty program

Do you want to level up gamification and retain members for more? A member loyalty program could be the perfect weapon.

Point system as well as VIP perks and special rewards encourage people to stick around and spend more. The results of earning airline miles as well as reward points at coffee shops speak about their own merits. What's more? is similarly for websites for membership.

Studies show that nearly 80percent of consumersare more likely to remain when they are a member of a brand that offers a loyalty program. Even better? More than 90% of businesses claim that loyalty members spend up to 4 times more than non-members.

 How to Reward Your Most Engaged Users

With a loyalty program, you can turn points and milestones into real-world perks. Here are some suggestions:

  • Provide members with a reward after one calendar year and maybe an exclusive Q&A or discounts for VIP members.
  • Offer a reward for completing the course or program of coaching,like a special certificate or a freebie.
  • Make use of points-based perks for engagement, say, extra content or a shoutout in your community.

For instance, a business coaching membership, for example, might provide "Platinum Membership" status at the end of a year, unlocking exclusive coaching calls and networking perks.

 How To Set It Up

This makes it simple. You can offer an access level that is tied and set up an automatized email with a link to upgrade each time a user reaches the milestone of their choice, be it time-based (X years as a member) or an action-based (completing an activity or course).

For a more advanced approach, use your game-based plugin to monitor participation and manually reward those who are most active with:

  •   Discounts on renewals  
  •   Exclusive Content or VIP benefits  
  •   Physical items like T-shirts, event tickets or even event tickets  

As we've mentioned, there's a second software that you could use to assign points and badges according to activity and then turn engagement into real reward.

4. Utilize Email Campaigns

You think email is outdated? Think again. Email is still one of the strongest ways to keep your clients engaged. It's direct intimate, private, and - unlike social media algorithms it ensures your message gets seen.

Relevance and consistency are essential. Your emails should make members remember why they started the club in the first instance and make them feel excited about what's next.

 Types of emails that Drive Engagement

Keep your members coming back by providing:

  • exclusive content updates Update your library with new information, behind-the-scenes insights, or earlier access to content that is coming soon.
  • Invitations to Events and Reminders Promote live Q&As, workshops, or networking events (and send a reminder so they don't miss it! ).
  • Personalized Recommendations to suggest topics, courses, or even discussions that are based on your activity.
  • Have you not seen them for long? Give them a friendly push with a highlight reel of what they've been missing.

 How to Set It Up

By using an online marketing tool such as , you can:

  • Automated email sequences to help the onboarding process, progress in courses, or membership milestones.
  • segment your target audience based on behavior - to ensure that members receive only emails that matter to them.
  • Use dynamic material to tailor subjects and provide recommendations.

An effective email message is able to bring back interest, encourage engagement, and keep the members active for long periods of time.

5. Special Perks and Giveaways

Everyone loves free giveaways - prizes and perks that are exclusive bring excitement, encourage engagement, and let members feel appreciated.

Surprise your members with exciting perks and surprising benefits that will make them visit more often, engage more deeply, and stay for longer.

 Ideas for giveaways and Perks

  • Members-Only Competitions - Run giveaways where active members can win exclusive benefits. (Example: "Comment on this blog post to be in the running to win a free 1-on-1 coach!")
  • Special Bonuses Offers random discounts or exclusive content to engaged users to keep them engaged.
  • Reward for Referral In exchange, you can offer benefits such as free months of membership or exclusive content to members who sign up new members.
  • Milestone Gifts - Celebrate anniversaries, course completions, or other community involvement by giving a special reward.
  • Partnership Deals Join forces with popular brands and give exclusive cross-promotions to your customers.

 How to Install It

There is no need for a complex setup. It is easy to give limited discounts for the participants.

But if you really would like to generate buzz then we

We are awestruck by this plugin (and we use it too!) to run giveaways. Participants can gain additional entries by engaging on your blog, sharing it with a friend, or following your social media accounts - just a few of the many available actions.

Plus it helps you select a winner at random.

An properly-run contest or an exclusive perk keeps your community excited, engaged, and discussing your membership.

6. Answers to questions and surveys

Have you noticed a pattern already? Interactivity keeps the members involved. The best membership experiences don't just provide information - they provide members with ways to take part and influence their experience.

 How do I add interactivity by incorporating Surveys and Quizzes

  • Utilize surveys to gather valuable member insights and find out what they are interested in and what they would like more of.
  • Include quizzes to online courses so that students can self-assess and keep track of their performance.
  • Offer deeper engagement with assignments - they are based on 1:1 feedback. This gives users a more personal experience.

 How To Set It Up

  • This is one of the top choices among our customers. It is already-designed survey templates that allow you to build online feedback forms. The software also provides AI-generated forms or a simple drag-and-drop creator that allows for complete customization.

 The more engaging your members' experience is will be, the more engaged your members will be.

7. Live Chat

If members have a query, they don't want to have to wait for hours for an answer via email They want their answers right now. Live support helps your site's membership appear more responsive, accessible, and a community-driven.

Live chat keeps members connected through immediate access to assistance. Rapid responses allow them to keep their attention, prevent irritation, and ensure they are making the most of their membership.

 How Do I Set It Up

  • Provide instant assistance to common queries help people stay on the right track and avoid getting lost.
  • Chat can be used to build community Live chat functions enable real-time conversations between users.
  • Automate responses with AI chatbots Give quick responses to questions while having your staff available to handle larger problems.

 The Best Live Chat Tools for Member Sites

  • - Ideal for combining live chat and a complete support ticketing system.
  • Perfect for small groups that require an easy, reliable chatbot and live chat solution.

 Live chat can keep users engaged, decreases friction, and makes your website feel more like a social network more than just a hub for content.

8. Online Events and Webinars, Live Event and Office hours

We enjoy helping customers develop automatizations and passive income streams that will keep their membership websites sustainable and profitable.

 Live events, however, have unique engagement capabilities that make the extra effort worth it.

It doesn't matter what , these events give members an incentive to sign in for a particular date and time.

Why is that so important? Because when something is readily available 24/7, members often delay participation - and sometimes do not even think about it at all.

Live events also create the special two-way connection between both you and your participants. It's a chance to give your members the treatment they deserve by paying them your full attention, building stronger relationships and the trust of your members.

 Why Group Sessions Work So Well

Questions and answers from groups, AMAs and webinars are also a way for members to gain knowledge from each other. When members hear inquiries, tips as well as real-world examples of their fellow members and are more inclined to:

  • Feel part of a larger, active community.
  • Get new perspectives and learn suggestions they've never thought of.
  • Be inspired to share their own experiences, building even greater engagement.

These events can result in a feedback loop that lets participants grow together and are more involved in their community.

 How To Set It Up

Here are some tools that will help make hosting live events a breeze:

  • - An excellent all-around tool for group calls, webinars, and 1:1 office hours.
  • - Ideal for professional webinars with advanced attendees trackers.
  • Google Meet - An easy, no-cost choice for small-sized sessions.
  • Ideal for webinars that are interactive using easy-to-use features for engagement.

Live events provide your members a reason to show up, connect with each other, and keep them active. Whether you host an informal Q&A session or a large-scale webcast, it's worthwhile to bring your members to one place in real-time.

9. Member Challenges & Milestones

I'm an avid participant in 30-day challenges. The idea of making a positive change within a predetermined, manageable period of time is enticing.

And content creators have known this for years - and who doesn't know someone who's joined a Yoga with Adriene exercise?

Challenges are also a powerful way to show your participants how you provide the most value in a short time frame. They're actionable, motivating and a proof of how your membership can make significant changes in the lives of your members.

That's why challenges are an Engagement mine of gold. They keep members engaged, motivated as well as re-evaluating their performance.

Don't forget the milestones. By breaking longer tasks into smaller, celebratory moments gives members extra motivation and helps keep the momentum moving.

 Concepts for Member Challenges

  • 30-Day Productivity Challenge - Help users improve their concentration by giving them daily productivity tips or tools.
  • Seven-day Writing Sprint - Perfect for bloggers or writers looking to start their next venture or establish a habit of writing.
  • 21-Day Fitness Kickstart - A program designed to build the strength, flexibility or endurance through small, manageable actions.
  • 30 days to master an Ability - Teach a key skill like photo editing, code or public speaking using short, actionable lessons.
  • Personal Finance Challenge - Help members get their finances in order by taking actions-oriented steps such as tracking their expenses making a budget or saving a certain amount at the conclusion of the challenge.

 How To Install It

The process of creating and managing the challenges are easy.

  • Create goal-based programs that guide members step-by-step.
  • Make use of the habit tracker to motivate either weekly or daily biweekly participation.
  • Automatically reward members whenever they achieve milestones. You can reward them with personalized messages or exclusive special content.

This is just scratching the surface of all you can do using CoachKit(tm). Check out the following video for more details:

How to Set up an Online Coaching Program on WordPress With CoachKit (tm) (Full Instructions)

10. Member Spotlights and Success Stories

This makes members who are featured feel special and motivates others to join your group, while showing off the value of your membership to the world.

It's also a fantastic way to foster connection. When members can see people hitting milestones, tackling obstacles, and succeeding, it creates the ripple effect of motivation and enthusiasm.

 ideas for member spotlights & Success Stories

  • Blog FeaturesCreate a blog article about an individual who has crushed their goals, complete with their tale, their insights and suggestions for others.
  • Social Media Shoutouts - Highlight members on Instagram or Facebook with quotes, photos or videos.
  • Video InterviewsJoin Zoom with one of our top performers and allow them to share their experiences in their own speech.
  • Member Awards- Start a "Member of the Month" tradition and celebrate their achievements with a dedicated feature.
  • Milestone Spotlights Updates are shared when members hit major milestones, such as finishing the course or taking part in the 30 day challenge.

 How To Set It Up

  • Contact your customers through surveys or emails and ask about their wins.
     Make use of a program like Formidable Forms to let members complete their story effortlessly.
  • Tell their tales with your friends and on your website, or even in your next email campaign.

In addition to being a feel-good-moment, celebrating the success of your members is an effective method to increase participation, create community and let your members know that they're at the center of your business.

11. Drip Content

It is well-known that maintaining an ongoing flow of exclusive content is the backbone of any great member experience. However, providing that content every week, at frequent time intervals is no small feat!

Drip media is tried and tested, and a popular method to keep users interested for long periods of long periods of time. This also increases anticipation and makes sure they aren't inundated by too much information at once.

 How to Configure It

With it's super easy to set up drip content rules that allow you to publish every page, blog post or course lessons.

  • You have complete flexibility in deciding:
  • Which items you want to release via drip?
  • Frequency (daily, weekly, etc)
  • The exact date of release
  • If you wish your content to be expired after a certain length of time.

12. Mastermind Groups & Accountability Groups

Did you know? 70 percent of those who make objectives never reach their goals. Think of your New Year's resolutions set in January and then put aside by what month is it again? It's February, yes.

But here's another interesting stat: A study by the American Society of Training and Development (ASTD) found that people are 65% more likely to achieve a goal if they tell someone else about it - and that number jumps to 95 percent with an accountability meeting that is specifically scheduled.

 Accountability turns positive intentions into actual improvement - which includes engagement on your website.

When members connect in smaller groups and form small groups, members remain motivated, help each other, and make significant progress - whether they're striving to meet a specific business objective or advancing their skills or finishing a training course.

 How Do I Set It Up

  • Create co-coaching groups by using CoachKit(tm)
  • Private forums can be set up with and bbPress, or BuddyBoss
  • Hosting weekly or biweekly check-ins where members report how they are doing, make goals and receive feedback.
  • Live mastermind calls can be conducted using the platforms of Crowdcast or Zoom where members can collaborate with each other, solve issues, and remain accountable

Accountability groups work well to increase retention and engagement as members develop connections with each other within your group. And if members feel connected, they're more likely to sign up.

If you do not have a accountability process in place yet it could be the missing piece that takes your engagement to the higher level.

The Final Words: Maintain Members Involved and Engaged

We've covered quite a bit of ground, haven't we? We hope that this will open your eyes to ways to increase membership engagement on your site.

We've reviewed 12 ways for your members to be involved, connect and realize the value of their subscription.

That's what's important: ongoing. Maintaining engagement active, engaging and valuable over duration is what makes membership worthwhile.

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Take Action today!

Begin to earn money for the content you produce.

The majority of your success comes down to seeing what people respond to, and adapting as you go.

There is no need to adopt the 12 strategies immediately. Start small. Select a couple of options that are appropriate for your group and test the options. Intentional, small actions can result in big victories.

 Which strategies will you try to begin with? Let us know by commenting below!

If you've found this post helpful, connect with our page through Facebook, Twitter, Instagram as well as LinkedIn!

author avatar

Victoria Lloyd       Victoria is adept at turning small beginnings into big success, elevating her jewelry business from the bustle of the London's market streets to high-end locations like The Royal Academy of Arts and Topshop's Oxford Circus flagship store. The expertise she has isn't limited to physical items. Victoria has a proven experience of increasing online engagement for a variety of companies. From innovative startup companies to well-known brands like Nokia and Jack Daniels, Victoria has employed her unique blend of wordsmith magic as well as strategic insights and digital expertise to boost up brand engagement and SEO. In her blog , Victoria leverages her diverse experiences to help simplify and decode the intricate world of online membership and business growth. Victoria is here to help readers through her insightful knowledge, assisting them in confidently and creatively build their online communities and membership websites.