Your members are just like us. When they want to know something, they grab their phones. The members you most want to engage are the most phone-dependent of all.  

• 80% of Gen Z rely on their phones most often to search
• 62% of Millennials do the same
• 66% of Gen X 
• 35% of Boomers  

But when they search, are they finding your association? Relying on search engine optimization (SEO) to bring members to your website is a risky tactic. AI-powered search engines and Google’s constantly changing search algorithms make SEO more challenging than ever. If your website doesn’t show up in the top three search results, members will go elsewhere. But if your association has a mobile engagement strategy, your website is more likely to become a member’s first stop.  

How Your Association Benefits from a Mobile Engagement Strategy  

Members increasingly rely on their phones to search for information, message, send emails, and browse social media. A membership app meets them where they’re at—and is a less risky and more effective approach than SEO for capturing their attention. 

However, a mobile app isn’t a build-it-and-they-will-come situation. You need a mobile engagement strategy to encourage app downloads, demonstrate your app’s value, and make it indispensable to members. An engagement strategy also helps you achieve your association’s membership and marketing goals. 

Increase member retention 

The top reasons members don’t renew, per iMIS’s annual Membership Performance Benchmark Report, are: 

• Lack of engagement with the association
• Lack of membership value
• Forgetting to renew  

A membership app helps you resolve retention issues by engaging members with your association, delivering the membership value they expect, and reminding them to renew.  

Deliver membership value and engagement opportunities 

A mobile engagement strategy’s goal is to make your app THE place members turn to for answers, resources, and connections. An app delivers valuable members-only benefits they can take advantage of at any time and in any place—as long as their phone is with them.  

But to earn a coveted spot on your member’s home screen, your engagement strategy must help members change their habits. Instead of going to a search engine or talking to Siri, you want them to open your app. 

Start that switch by first identifying what kind of help and resources members need on the job. Finding out doesn’t have to be complicated. Send a few simple polls via email or the app:  

• What resource do you frequently have to check at work?
• What are you constantly looking up? 
• What do you want to learn about X topic?  

A mobile engagement strategy lays out a plan for getting members familiar with your app’s members-only benefits and increasing adoption and time spent on the app. For example, show members how the app assists them on the job with: 

• Resources: browse news, regulations, specifications, standards, codes, samples, and business templates.  
• Education: register and pay for education programs, take on-demand classes and courses, watch recordings, and listen to podcasts. 
• Connections: find peers and suppliers via the directory, buyers’ guide, online community, individual messaging, and group chat. 

Develop a plan for converting conference attendees to year-round app users. They’ve already downloaded and used the app during your conference. When they return home, send them notifications and emails about the benefits of using your app year-round. 

Support your association’s member engagement strategy  

The easiest way to develop a mobile strategy is by getting your hands on your association’s membership strategy. How can the app support these engagement goals and strategies? 

For example, the Association of Corporate Counsel uses the polling feature of their Clowder membership app as a member research channel. Another idea is enhancing onboarding campaigns by sending targeted notifications about app features to new members.  

Build trust with members 

Members judge the value of an app by the relevance of the information and functionality it provides. Members expect some promotional messages, but a mobile engagement strategy ensures you don’t overdo it and lose your members’ trust.  

A strategy sets guardrails around your app. It governs what shows up on the app for different member segments and prevents staff from blowing up your members’ phones with notifications. A strategy lays out when it’s appropriate (and when it isn’t) for staff to communicate with members via the app and who makes those decisions. 

Improve data integrity 

Incomplete or outdated member profiles are the bane of associations. Better data allows you to personalize communications. You only tell members about the programs and content they care about.  

An app makes it more convenient for members to keep their data up to date. With push notifications, you can ask members to confirm or add an email address, position, or other profile information. Use a poll to inventory and add their interests to their record.  

Increase opportunities for non-dues revenue 

 An app gives you more marketing possibilities for corporate revenue partners. You could take the traditional approach and help them spread brand awareness through banner ads and splash screen sponsorships. 

Even better, take the modern approach by asking revenue partners to share their expertise through sponsored content, such as:  

• Articles and blog posts
• Survey reports 
• Tips and checklists 
• Webinars and videos 
• Hot topic discussions 

Sponsored content delivers more value to members and helps sponsors with lead generation and reputation building.  

Gain leadership buy-in 

 A mobile engagement strategy lets your association’s leaders see how you plan to use a mobile app to improve member engagement and retention, and help the association achieve its membership and strategic goals. A documented strategy is proof that your ideas about an app aren’t just wishful thinking. You’ve outlined how you intend to persuade members to download and use the app, and how you intend to deliver and demonstrate the value of membership. 

Learn more about improving the member experience with an app and selecting the right app for your association in The Ultimate Guide to Mobile Engagement.