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

Feb 20, 2025

Reader Disclosure

    It's a topic we discuss a lot here on the blog...because it's the most important thing! Engaged members renew their subscriptions as well as participate in forums and bring in referrals. But when engagement drops then churn begins to take hold.

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Some time ago, I talked about membership churn and the cost it is to replace those who are gone than keeping the ones you've got.

So, what do you think? Make sure that members are active, engaged with the organization to stay on the list to participate in more activities, pay more and get new subscribers.

At , our customers have collectively collected nearly $2 billion of revenue.

We'll look at the strategies that actually perform!

What Is Membership Engagement and Why Does It Matter?

First off, what exactly is member engagement? It's the frequency and amount of time meaningfully your members engage with your website or community as well as the offerings.

A extremely engaged participant regularly:

  • Logs in and navigates through multiple pages
  • Leaves comments, joins discussions and participates in events
  • Completes courses and actively participates

Members see the value of their membership which makes them more likely to renew, refer others to join, and make use of cross-sells and upsells.

  • You're having trouble navigating your site
  • Doesn't realize everything you offer, or worse,
  • (Brace yourself) have completely forgotten about you

There are members who may have a subscription, but they don't engage - inactive membership can be an early signal to be aware.

There are many who do not engage in exactly the same way. Some prefer to read content in a quiet manner while others thrive in community discussions or live gatherings. The tracking of various types of participation can help you comprehend and help your users.

This is exactly what we'll discuss in our 12 strategies.

How to measure the level of engagement in a membership

As we've already touched on, high membership engagement is different based on the type of service you provide. Also, it depends on the type of audience you're targeting.

If your website is geared towards learners who are self-paced the members may consume content, taking courses on their own, and not engage in debates.

As engagement isn't a one-size-fits-all thing It is the best way to measure it is against your own past performance. Ask yourself:

  • Do members engage with their customers more or less as before?
  • Is engagement increasing in tandem with membership growth Or are you seeing a slowdown?

Key Engagement KPIs to Follow

Select the best metrics to define what's most important for your website's members:

  • The frequency of logins - How often are members signing in?
  • Forum activity & post engagement Do discussions remain being conducted?
  • Module/course completions Do students make advancement in their education?
  • Open and click-through rates Are they being engaged with your emails?
  • Attendance at events - Are members showing at live events?

Keeping track of the correct KPIs will allow you to spot trends, find disengaged participants and improve your engagement strategy.

Key Strategies to Boost Membership Engagement

There is no need to wait for engagement to become an issue before you can begin taking steps to improve it.

Here are some of the techniques our customers use to keep members engaged. We've included tips, best practices as well as tools to assist you in creating a more interactive membership site with WordPress.

1. Create an Online Community

Did you notice how often Reddit shows up at the top of Google results for search? Google hasn't explained the reason However, it's possible to make an educated guess that users value genuine conversations and shared experiences.

An first-time mother wondering what she actually needs for her newborn can rely on advice from other mothers over a general listing of products.

An freelancer seeking to find higher paying customers will turn to a community of fellow freelancers for tips and tactics.

Your site's membership service is geared towards an small group of people with similar passions, and connecting those people adds enormous value.

If they're looking for networking opportunities, guidance, or sharing their experiences, a private community can become an important aspects of your participation.

create premium community forums in .

And with social media often appearing to be a chaotic, hostile environment, a members-only community offers a protected, high-quality environment that allows people to connect with each other in meaningful ways. No ads, trolls, or other noise that is not relevant.

 How Do I Configure It

WordPress has several great plugins that can assist you to build a community right on your website. customers have found satisfaction with

  • bbPress Simple yet powerful forum solution.
  • - A more feature-rich option for social networking and group discussions.

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

  • It's great for chats that are real-time particularly if your target customers are technologically adept.
  • - Convenient if your members are already engaged on Facebook.

2. Add Gamification

I'm a huge fan of games that are gamified. In fact I owe my capacity to speak Spanish due to a specific green owl, an assortment of badges, and a very intense contest to be at the top of the leaderboard together with a friend.

Although leaderboards and points won't be much use to your organization, I can guarantee you'll have a small portion of your members who are thriving on them.

For a few (myself myself included), earning rewards can be so rewarding that they'll purposefully seek out your site for their next high!

 How To Configure It

GamiPress is a great tool for enhancing your membership experience. GamiPress, you can include badges, points and achievements to all sorts of actions on your site. This includes:

  •   Signing up or logging into  
  •   Learning lessons or courses  
  •   Participating in community discussions  
  •   Comments or replies to posts  
  •   Referring new members  
  •   and many more!  

Whatever plugins you're using for your site's membership page, GamiPress likely has integrated with it, which includes a few we've mentioned in this article:

  • (for subscriptions, online courses and other activity)
  • BuddyBoss & BbPress (for community forums)
  • (for interactivity quizzes and surveys)
  • Easy Affiliate (for rewarding referrals)

And to add to the excitement, it's totally free!

If games can get people engaged, should we not make the most of it?

3. Start a loyalty program

Do you want to increase the level of gamification to keep members engaged even longer? A membership loyalty program may be the best tool.

Point systems as well as VIP perks and special rewards encourage people to remain loyal and buy more. The popularity of earning airline miles as well as coffee shop rewards speak for them. And guess what? is similarly for the membership websites.

Research shows that over 90% of consumersare more likely to stay when they are a member of a brand with a loyalty program. Even better? The fact that over 90 percent of companies claim that loyalty members spend up to four times more than those who are not members.

 How to Reward your most engaged members

By joining an loyalty scheme that you join, you are able to turn the points you earn and achievements into tangible perks. Here are some ideas:

  • Give members the opportunity to earn a reward after one year of membership and maybe the exclusive Q&A feature or discounts for VIP members.
  • Offer the possibility of a reward for completing a course or coaching program,like an exclusive certificate or a freebie.
  • Make use of reward points to encourage engagement. For example additional content, or even the opportunity to be featured in your group.

An Business Coaching membership, for example, might provide "Platinum member" status following a year which entitles you to exclusive coaching calls and networking benefits.

 How Do I Install It

This makes it simple. The system allows you to provide an access level that is tied and set up an automatic email that includes an upgrade link each time a user reaches a milestone - whether it's time-based (X years of membership) or action-based (completing the course or program).

For a more advanced approach, use your gamification plugin to track participation and then manually reward those who are most active with:

  •   Discounts on renewals  
  •   Exclusive Content or VIP benefits  
  •   Physical swag like the t-shirts and tickets for events  

We've already mentioned is another plugin that can be used to assign points and badges according to activity then transform engagement into actual reward.

4. Utilize Email Campaigns

Are you thinking email is an old fashion thing? Think again. email is one of the strongest tools for keeping your members active. It's direct intimate, private, and unlike algorithms for social media it ensures your message is seen by those who read it.

Relevance and consistency are important. Your emails should remind members why they joined in the first place and make them feel excited over what's to come.

 Types of E-mails that Increase Engagement

Remain committed to keeping your members returning by providing:

  • Exclusive Content Updates - Discuss new content as well as behind-the-scenes information, or early access to upcoming content.
  • Invitations to Events and Reminders - Promote live Q&As, workshops, or networking activities (and remind them to ensure that they don't forget! ).
  • Personalized Recommendations to suggest courses, articles, or even discussions that are based on your behavior.
  • Are you a stranger who hasn't been seen in long? Send a friendly nudge with a highlight reel of what they've been missing.

 How Do I Install It

With and the help of an email-marketing platform like  the one above, you are able to:

  • Automate email sequences for the onboarding process, progress in courses and milestones for membership.
  • segment your target audience according to their behavior such that users only receive emails that matter to them.
  • Make use of dynamic material to personalize subjects and provide suggestions.

The right email sent at the right time can revive interest, stimulate engagement, and keep the members interested for the duration of time.

5. Giveaways and Exclusive Perks

Everyone loves free and perks - prizes and perks that are exclusive create buzz, boost the participation of members, and help them feel appreciated.

Make your friends feel special by offering them amusing perks or unexpected benefits that will make them keep checking in more often and engage in more depth, and remain for longer.

 Ideas for giveaways and Perks

  • Only Member-Only Events - Run giveaways where active members can win exclusive benefits. (Example: "Comment on this blog post to be in the running to win a one-on-one coaching session!")
  • Special Bonuses - Send random discounts or exclusive content to active users to keep them engaged.
  • Referral Reward - Offer perks like the chance to get free membership months or exclusive content to members who bring in new customers.
  • Milestone Gifts Reward anniversaries of course completions, milestones in your education, or community contributions with a personalized reward.
  • Partnership Agreements - Buddy up with brands your audience loves and offer exclusive cross-promotions to the members of your audience.

 How To Set It Up

There is no need for a complex set-up. make it easy to offer time-limited discounts to reward the participants.

However, if you are looking to make a splash, we

We love this plugin (and employ it on our own!) to host giveaways. The participants could earn extra entries by engaging with your content, referring to a friend, or simply following your social media pages among your many options.

It also helps you choose a winner at random.

An successful giveaway or a unique perk keeps your community excited, engaged, and talking about the benefits of joining.

6. Surveys and Quizzes

Are you noticing a trend 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 the course of their lives.

 How do I add interactivity by incorporating Surveys and Quizzes

  • Use surveys to collect useful information from members, and find out what they like and would like to see more of.
  • Add quizzes in online classes so that students can assess themselves and track their performance.
  • Allow for deeper involvement with assignments - they are based on 1:1 feedback. This gives participants a better experience.

 How Do I Set It Up

  • This is one of the top choices among our users. It is already-designed templates for surveys that make it easy to create interactive feedback forms. Additionally, it offers AI-generated forms or a drag-and drop constructor that lets you fully customize.

 The more interactive your membership experience, the more invested your members will be.

7. Live Chat

If members are faced with a problem, they don't want to have to wait for hours for an answer via email and they're looking for answers now. Live support helps your site's members appear more accessible, responsive and a community-driven.

Live chat helps keep members in touch with real-time access to support. Fast responses help members remain engaged, avoid disappointment, and make the most out of the benefits of their membership.

 How Do I Set It Up

  • Instant support is available for the most common issues Helping members stay on course instead of becoming stuck.
  • Use chat for community-building Live chat functions allow for real-time interaction between members.
  • Automate the response of AI chatbots Give quick responses to questions while having your team on hand for more complex issues.

 Best tools for Live Chat on Member Sites

  • - Ideal to combine live chat with a full support ticketing system.
  • - Great for small teams that require an easy, reliable live chat or chatbot.

 Adding live chat keeps people engaged, cuts down on stress, and helps make your website feel more like a community more than just a hub for content.

8. live events, webinars and Office Hours

We love helping customers create automations and passive revenue streams to make their membership websites viable and profitable.

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

If it's an event, instances give participants the motivation to login to a certain time.

Why is this so crucial? Since when something is accessible anytime, users often put off taking part - or even completely forget about it.

Live events also create a distinctive relationship between both you and your participants. This is a chance for you to offer the members an exclusive treatment and direct presence, while building more lasting relationships and trust.

 Why Group Sessions Work So Well

Group Q&As, AMAs, as well as webinars, are an opportunity for participants to learn from each other. When members hear questions, insights, and real-world examples from their peers, they're more likely to:

  • Feel part of a larger, active group of people.
  • Learn new perspectives, or get ideas they may not have thought of.
  • Get inspired to share their own stories, resulting in more interest.

These events can provide a feedback loop in which the participants are able to grow closer and feel more invested within the local community.

 How to Install It

Here are some tools to make hosting live events easy:

  • - A great all-around platform to host webinars, calls with groups, and 1:1 office hours.
  • Ideal for professional webinars with advanced attendance tracking.
  • Google Meet - A basic, cost-free alternative for sessions with fewer participants.
  • Great for live webinars that can be easily engaged with.

Live events give participants a reason to attend, make connections, and stay in the loop. Whether you host a small Q&A or a huge webinar, it's well worth it to bring your membership community together in real time.

9. Member Challenges and Milestones

I'm an avid participant in 30-day challenges. It's a great idea to make a positive change within a predetermined, manageable duration is so appealing.

And content creators have known this forever - who doesn't know someone who's joined the Yoga with Adriene challenge?

They're also an effective way to show your members how you can offer significant worth in a limited duration. They're motivating, take action and a proof of how your membership can make an impact on the lives of their members.

That's why challenges are a great engaging mine of gold. They keep members focused, driven, and coming back to track their progress.

And don't forget milestones. The breaking down of longer-term challenges into smaller, celebratory moments helps motivate participants and helps keep momentum up.

 Ideas 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 and writers who want to start their next venture or to establish a regular writing routine.
  • 21-Day Kickstart to Fitness The program is that is designed to improve strength, flexibility, or endurance in small, achievable stages.
  • 30 Days to Learn the skill - Teach a key ability such as photo editing, programming, or public speaking through brief, concise lessons.
  • Personal Finance Challenge Help participants put their finances in order with practical steps, such as keeping track of the amount they spend and budgeting, or saving a specific amount at the conclusion of the challenge.

 How to Install It

The process of creating and managing problems is easy:

  • Build plans based on goals which guide participants step-by-step.
  • Use routine tracking to motivate daily, weekly, or biweekly participation.
  • Reward members automatically when they achieve milestones. You can reward them with personal messages or access to exclusive material.

This is just scratching the surface of what you can accomplish using CoachKit(tm). Watch the following video for more details:

How to set up an ONLINE Coaching Program On WordPress With CoachKit (tm) (Full Tutorial)

10. Members Spotlights & Success Stories

It makes the featured members feel special and motivates others in your community all while showing off the value of your membership to the world.

It's also a great method to build connections. If your participants see individuals who are achieving milestones, facing difficulties, and excelling this creates an energizing effect and enthusiasm.

 Tips for Spotlights on Members & Success Stories

  • Blog featuresCreate a blog article about an individual who has crushed their goals including their personal tale, their insights and suggestions for others.
  • Social Media Shoutouts Highlight users on Instagram or Facebook with photos, quotes or even a short video.
  • Videos Interviews- Hop on Zoom with one of our top performers and allow them to share their experiences with their own speech.
  • Members AwardsCreate a "Member of the Month" tradition to celebrate their accomplishments with a dedicated feature.
  • Milestone Spotlights Updates are shared as members achieve milestones like completing the course or taking part in the 30 day challenge.

 How to Configure It

  • Contact your members by email or via surveys and inquire about their successes.
     Make use of a program such as Formidable Forms to let members submit their stories easily.
  • Let them share their experiences with your friends, on your blog, or as part of your next email campaign.

As well as being positively uplifting, celebrating the success of your members is an effective means to boost participation, create community and let your members know that they are the heartbeat of your site.

11. Drip Content

We are all aware that keeping the flow of unique content is the backbone of any great membership experience. But ensuring that you have content available each week on regularly scheduled time intervals is not an easy task!

Drip-based content is a tried-and-tested solution as well as a popular approach to keep people engaged over long periods of time. This also increases anticipation and makes sure they aren't overloaded by too many things at once.

 How Do I Configure It

It's easy to establish drip content rules to release every page, blog post or course lessons.

  • There is no limit to choose:
  • Which are the items you would like to drip release
  • Frequency (daily, weekly, etc)
  • Time of release exact
  • If you wish the content to end within a specific period.

12. Mastermind Groups & Accountability Groups

Did you know? 70 percent of those who make objectives never reach the goals they set. Think of those resolutions for the new year made in January, but then completely aborted by which month does it happen to be? Yes, it's February.

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 transforms good intentions into real improvement - which includes engagement on your website.

When members connect in small groups, members remain motivated, help fellow members, and achieve tangible progress - whether they're striving to meet a specific business objective and stepping up their skill, or completing a course.

 How to Set It Up

  • Create co-coaching groups using CoachKit(tm)
  • Set up private forums using BbPress or BuddyBoss
  • Host biweekly or weekly check-ins in which participants report their progress, set goals, and receive feedback.
  • Mastermind live calls via the platforms of Crowdcast or Zoom where participants are able to collaborate, problem-solve, and stay accountable

Accountability groups work well for retention and engagement since members build connections with each other within the community. And if they feel connected, they're more likely to sign to.

If you don't have an accountability system in place yet, this may be the missing component that will take your commitment to the higher step.

The Final Words: Maintain Members Involved and Engaged

We've covered quite a bit of ground. Don't you think? We hope that this will open your eyes to the ways you can improve the number of members on your website.

We've examined 12 ways for your members to join, be active, and realize the value of their ongoing subscription.

And that's the key word: ongoing. Keeping engagement current, interesting and valuable throughout the course of time is what makes membership valuable.

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The majority of your success will come from observing what your members respond to and then adjusting accordingly.

It's not necessary to apply each of the twelve strategies at once. Start with small steps. Pick one or two that are appropriate for your membership and test these out. Intentional, small steps could lead to huge successes.

 What strategies do you plan to try first? Let us know in the comments section below!

If you've found this piece informative, make sure to connect with us via Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, and LinkedIn!

author avatar

Victoria Lloyd       Victoria has a knack for making small-scale beginnings into huge achievements, and has taken her jewelry brand out of the buzz of London's markets, to prestigious spots like The Royal Academy of Arts and Topshop's Oxford Circus flagship store. Her expertise doesn't stop at physical items. Victoria has a proven success track record in boosting web-based engagement for a wide range of companies. From energetic startups to household names like Nokia as well as Jack Daniels, Victoria has employed her unique combination of wordsmithing along with strategic thinking and digital expertise to boost higher engagement with brands and increase SEO. At , Victoria leverages her diverse experiences to help simplify and decode the world of online membership and growth for businesses. Victoria is here to help readers through her insightful knowledge, assisting them in successfully and effectively build their communities online and membership websites.