Movin’ on up!.. the community participation ladder
What’s the participation ladder? The participation ladder is an effective way to evaluate your community member’s engagement.
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Main Article
Every community leader dreams of a bustling online community.
A community where members regularly engage, new members are welcomed with open arms, and active discussions take place between like-minded people.
But what happens when the only noise coming from your community is silence?
Enter: The participation ladder.
What’s the participation ladder?
The participation ladder is an effective way to evaluate your community member’s engagement.
Members are divided into eight different ‘rungs' based on their activity level.
Let’s first understand each rung of the ladder, ranging from lowest to highest engagement:
1. Observers
Observers are typically members who watch from the sidelines.
These members have relatively low involvement in your community and are passively consuming content.
2. Networkers
Networkers engage with content at surface-level but don’t create the content (think of someone who comments or reacts to a piece of content).
3. Creators
Creators are the ones bringing ideas to the table.
For example, they might be writing content or regularly posting in the community WhatsApp group.
4. Leaders
Your leaders are organising and shaping what the community looks like.
From hosting events to encouraging members to gather around shared interests, leaders enjoy responsibility and understand the community dynamics.
5. Buddies
When a new person joins, the buddies help newcomers find their footing.
These members are especially important as they set the scene for what the community represents and help facilitate smoother onboarding.
6. Mentors
Now, we move to your elite members.
Your mentors have a strong community presence, providing guidance and support to the mid-level members.
7. Influencers
Your influencers have significant credibility in the community. This means they’re instrumental in promoting positive and consistent interactions among members.
Their feedback on the day-to-day activity in the community is also crucial to improve the member experience.
8. Ambassadors
At the top of the ladder are your community ambassadors.
Ambassadors have the most influence on the community and its members. They work to make improvements that attract new members and benefit the community.
Ambassadors also represent the community to the outside world. They are the most involved they can possibly be without owning the community.
You can download the report for free at https://digitalcommunityleaders.com/
How to increase community engagement
Membership participation is essential for any digital community to work.
Here are some engagement tips to help move members from passive onlookers to active ambassadors:
Low-level participation
Help observers and networkers get comfortable with the help of a buddy, and provide them with content that’s easy to engage with.
The goal is to gently increase their activity without overwhelming them.
Acknowledge their activity when they engage! They’ll naturally become more involved if they feel their contributions are valuable.
Mid-level participation
Mid-level members need to be encouraged to engage more frequently.
You might invite them to participate in forums, submit higher-level content, or volunteer for events.
Recognise their contributions to motivate continued participation and growth.
High-level participation
Highly-involved members should feel they are critical to the community’s success.
Offer these members roles that have a real impact, such as community governance or mentorship opportunities.
Their opinion means a lot to your community members, so ask and act on their feedback!
Help your members climb the ladder
If you take anything from this blog, I’d say:
Every rung of the ladder matters.
Because if one rung of the ladder is broken, it’s impossible to get to the top!
Every member has their place in the community so make sure to celebrate all levels of engagement to help them feel confident in continued participation.
Keep the steps clear and provide support as each member climbs.