Essential Strategies for Transitioning Your Community Platform
A vibrant online community can transform how people connect, learn, and engage. But creating a space where ideas flourish and collaboration thrives isn't just about gathering people—it's about implementing the right technology.
If you're considering whether to renew with your current platform provider or explore new options, you're not alone. Many association leaders face this decision, and they're often weighed down by the complexities of vetting providers and implementing a new solution.
When you're thinking about replacing a legacy system, it helps to have expert guidance. That's why we've gathered insights from leaders who have successfully navigated this transition. Here, we're exploring how to select a platform that truly meets your needs and how to ensure a smooth transition.
Choosing the Right Platform
Selecting the right community platform is more than just tallying up features; it involves strategically evaluating your needs. While cutting-edge technology and enticing features like customization, user-friendliness, and client support are important, the true essence of a good choice lies in its scalability and alignment with the needs of your community members and your organization.
Here, we've captured insights from Elizabeth Perrin, Director of Community Engagement for ClassLink, and Jessie Wurzer, Associate Director of Partner Experience for EAB. Their insights can help you understand the strategic considerations and practical steps to transition to a new community platform effectively.
ClassLink designs classroom solutions that create more time for learning and improve access to digital resources. ClassLink has established an Engagement Team led by Elizabeth to elevate support for their partners. Shortly after assuming her role, she was asked to oversee the organization's transition from using listservs to a dedicated community platform.
EAB (formerly the Education Advisory Board) supports K-12 and higher education institutions through consulting, research, and technology. Jessie, who sits on the technology side of the house, is responsible for building and maintaining the tools that foster networking and collaboration to help members maximize the use of their solutions.
Community-driven transition. Your platform should serve the evolving needs of your members, offering the tools that enhance their learning and engagement. Elizabeth Perrin's approach at ClassLink exemplifies this: the decision to transition from a traditional listserv to a more dynamic platform like Forj was directly influenced by the community's need for a more structured and interactive experience.
"The purpose of the community is for professionals to come together and ask questions," said Elizabeth. "We get our best ideas from our users and also give them the opportunity to lead [in the community]." This highlights the importance of listening to and considering how to empower members when considering new technology.
Organization-driven transition. On the other side of the spectrum, your platform should also support your organization's strategic goals. Jessie Wurzer's experience showcases an organization-driven transition. The move to Forj wasn't just about adding new features but about choosing a platform that could support more meaningful and measurable engagement.
"We had a desire to build a user community, but beyond [assessing] features and integrations, there was a lot of strategy in our selection. We wanted to make it feel important in the broader context of support we give our partners." The capabilities Forj provides were crucial for creating a more collaborative environment that aligned with EAB's organizational objectives.
Once you've settled on the need for change and identified the most desirable platform, it's critical to champion this transition internally and externally. Advocate for the community's needs to internal stakeholders like executive leadership and the board of directors while also rallying community members around the new platform. This dual approach ensures you secure the necessary buy-in, ensuring a successful transition.
Planning the Transition
A successful transition to a new community platform doesn't happen by chance; it requires careful planning. This sets the stage for a smooth transition and ensures the new platform addresses current challenges and positions the community for future growth. Setting clear goals, managing change effectively, and communicating with stakeholders are essential steps in a well-planned transition.
Effective change management. Change management was a key focus for EAB, and Jessie emphasized the need to clearly articulate the value and reasons for a platform change. "Setting up the tech itself was very easy because the interface is user-friendly," she said. "But we recognized that the community was only going to be as good as the communications strategy around it."
Continuous stakeholder support and training. When introducing a new platform, continuous support and training for community managers and community members are essential. This ensures everyone feels prepared to use the new system and increases the chances of early adoption. "We recognized [that this was] going to be a new experience and that ongoing support would help people engage people more fully," Elizabeth said.
Post-Transition Strategies
To truly reap the benefits of a new platform, it's important to implement strategies that maintain and enhance engagement over time. Consider these four quick post-transition tips to ensure your community not only adapts to the new platform but becomes more vibrant than ever before:
- Establish a content strategy. Seeding your new community with content and encouraging community members to post are critical for ongoing success. Encouraging these behaviors early on helps build momentum around organic engagement and makes the community self-sufficient. Jessie saw almost immediate success with this strategy. "Members created over 400 posts in the first year [on our new platform] compared to 140 posts on the previous platform," she said.
- Identify community champions. "With any community, you have to model and find your champions," Elizabeth stressed. Identifying and involving early adopters and engaged members can facilitate smoother transitions and encourage broader community participation. And there are many ways to choose your champions: look at who was active on the previous platform, who frequently attends events, and who is quick to post on the new platform.
- Embrace continuous improvement and reinvention. Elizabeth emphasized the need for ongoing improvement, even when a community seems to be functioning well. Recently, ClassLink undertook a reorganization of its community structure, going from 60+ disparate groups to five regional groups. "The goal with the new regions is to try to share with each other and look at more diverse perspectives," Elizabeth said. "We expect it to create more sharing of experiences and insights, increased networking opportunities, and a broader knowledge base and resource sharing."
- Create a community management and distributed leadership structure. A dedicated community management team is crucial, as demonstrated by Elizabeth's role at ClassLink. A team of staff and members who continuously support the platform and the community will help maintain active engagement and quickly address questions and issues when they arise. "Distributed leadership helps lift the burden. It's super important for the success and longevity of the community," Jessie said.
Harness the Power of Community through a Strategic Platform Transition
Successfully transitioning to a new community platform can significantly enhance how your members connect, share, and learn. The insights shared here offer practical strategies for managing community transitions and harnessing your community's full potential. These strategies can ensure a smooth platform transition and sustained community growth.
If you're ready to explore how a new platform can transform your community, reach out to the Forj team. Request a demo and learn how we can support your journey towards a more connected and vibrant community.
