2015 community benchmark report

2015 Community Benchmarking Report

WELCOME!

Andy StegglesPresident & Chief Customer OfficerHigher Logic

www.higherlogic.com/andysteggles

2

ABOUT HIGHER LOGIC

• 7 Years Old

• Private

• 300,000+ Communities

• 30m+ Members

• 500+ Clients

• Inc 500|5000 - 3 Years in a Row

• Top 50 Places to Work” (Washingtonian Magazine)

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Goals are to Identify:

• Best Practices for Engaging Members

• Quantify Benchmarking Metrics for Different Sized Organizations

• Identify Trending Over Time

• Connect Engagement with Retention

• Make Recommendations based on Findings

• Demonstrate a Strong Correlation Between Engagement and Satisfaction

Methodology

• Perform Correlation Analysis

• Compare with 2014 MGI MM Benchmark and last

years Engagement Benchmarking Report

• 70+ Engagement Variables (plus Ratios

Between Variables)

• Create a Composite Engagement Score (CES)

Success is Subjective

• Most Common Discussion Success Metrics

• Number of Discussion Messages (Activity)• Percentage of Members Subscribed (Reach)• Number of Responses per Thread (Value)• Number of Authors (Distribution)

• What is Important to Your Organization?

Composite Engagement Score (CES)

• Subscribers to Members

•Messages to Members

•Responses per Thread

Summary Stats

• 16m Users (+4m from 2014)• 5m Members (+ 1m from 2014)• 2.3m Subscribers (+0.5 from 2014)• 318 Orgs (+65 from 2014)•Median CES: 25x

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Timeframe and Assumptions

• Point in Time Data for Some Elements

• Focus is on Subscribers vs. Members

• Date range is 2014 (where applicable)

• Size Categories by Number of Members

Inclusion Criteria

• Org must have ALL of the below to qualify. Greater than:• 50 members• 50 subscribers• 50 messages• 0.005 Message per Member Ratio

• Must have been launched for the majority of 2014.

Email Metrics and Frictionless Content

• Full Email Support/Least Friction

• Partial Email Support/Less Friction

• Least Email Support/Most Friction

YoY Difference with Email

• Least Friction: • 37% Increase in Messages• 16% Increase in CES

• Less Friction:• 25% Increase in Messages• 16% Increase in CES

• Most Friction:• 1% Increase in Messages• 6% Increase in CES

YoY Email Threads and Replies

• 150% Increase in Replies via Email (8% to 20% of all replies are via email)• How are Members Using Email?• 4.7 Email Replies per Email Thread vs• 1.09 Web Replies per Web Thread

• Breakdown based on Friction• Least Friction: 1 Thread to 1.6 Replies• Less Friction: 1 Thread to 1.15 Replies• Limited Friction: 1 Thread to 0.9 Replies

Conclusion

• Remove Friction and Increase your Thread to Reply Ratio

•Members are significantly more likely to reply to a thread via email vs. start a new thread via email.

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Online Engagement Works best for Photo credit: jepoirrier

http://www.flickr.com/photos/jepoirrier/5878692222/

Australia Canada UK United States0

10

20

30

40

50

60

2014 CES by Country

Average CES

CES

Scor

e

Advocacy Networking Training0

10

20

30

40

50

60

70

80

90

100

2014 Primary Community Objective of Organization by CES

Average CES

CES

Scor

e

1. X-Large (100k+)

2. Large (50k to 99k)

3. Medium/

Large (20k to 49k)

4. Medium (5k to 19k)

5. Small/Medium

(1.5k to 4.9k)

6. Small (>1.4k)

0

20

40

60

80

100

120

140

2014 Size of Org by CES

Average CES

CES

Scor

e

Constructi

on/Engineering/M

echanica

l

Education

Finance/In

surance

Healthca

re/Medica

l

Hospita

lity/Enterta

inment/Leisu

reLe

gal

Management/Consu

ltingOther

Scientific

Technology

0102030405060708090

100

01020304050607080

2014 Industry by CES

Average CES Number of Orgs

CES

Scor

e

Num

ber o

f Org

s

Accountan

ts

Attorneys

& Lega

l Pro

s

Business

Dev/Sale

s

Creative

/Arti

stic

Engineers

& Scientists

Medica

l Docto

rs

Non-Profit P

rofessi

onals

Nurses &

Oth

er Medica

l Pro

s

Operational/

Man

agement

Other P

rofessi

onal Se

rvice

s

Technologis

ts0

20

40

60

80

100

120

0510152025303540

2014 Type of Member by CES

Average CES Number of Orgs

CES

Scor

e

Num

ber o

f Org

s

0

0.1

-0.5

0.6

-1

1-2 2+0

1020304050607080

FTE / CES Comparison

AVG CES

Number of Online Community Managers - FTEs

CES S

core

Source: www.communityroundtable.com

Correlation of Renewal & Engagement

Associations by 2014 MGI MMBR & Associations with an Engaged Online Community who Agreed to Participate in a Blind-

Comparison

IMO TRADE

2014 MGI Membership & Marketing Benchmark Report

76% 85%

Associations with Engaged Online Community

79% (+3%) 92% (+7%)

% of Improved Retention Correlated with Online Engagement 5%

Case Study: ASAE

Personalized Benchmark Report

User Metrics and KPIs

2013 2014

YOY % Change

Description ASAEAvg. Org

ASAEAvg. Org

ASAEAvg. Org

Total Number of (Active) Members22,244

16,226

21,95015,48

0-1.3% -4.6%

Total Number of ~Subscribers 13,165 7,41813,125

7,441-0.3% 0.3%

Subscriber to Member Ratio59% 46% 60% 48%

1.0% 5.1%

Percentage of Subscribers with a Photo15% 4% 15% 4%

1.1% -3.8%

Percentage of Subscribers with a Bio31.3% 8% 33% 8%

5.9% 3.3%

Percentage of Subscribers with a Photo OR Bio 33.9% 9% 36% 9%

5.2% 3.3%

Percentage of Subscribers with a Photo AND Bio 12.6% 3% 12.8% 3%

2.0% -5.9%

2013 20140%

10%

20%

30%

40%

50%

60%

70%

Subscriber to Member Ratio 2013-2014

ASAE Linear (ASAE)Average Org Linear (Average Org)

% M

em

bers

Subscr

ibed

2013 20140.0%

10.0%

20.0%

30.0%

40.0%

Percentage of Subscribers with Photo or Bio

ASAELinear (ASAE)Average OrgLinear (Average Org)

% w

ith P

hoto

or

Bio

Message Related KPIs

2013 2014 YOY % Change


ASAEAvg. Org

ASAEAvg. Org

Total Number of Group Messages14,647 2,308 16,892 2,269 15% -2%

Total Number of Messages19,002 2,779 21,669 2,683 14% -3%

Total Number of Authors 925 204 881 225 -5% 11%

% of Subscribers who are Authors 7.0% 2.7% 6.7% 3.0% -4% 10%

Avg Messages per Author 6 6 6 5 4% -12%

% of Authors who posted more than one thread 119% 62% 136% 54% 14% -13%

Subscriber to Message Ratio 1 3 1 3 -13% 4%

2013 20140

10,000

20,000

Total Messages 2013-2014


Mess

ages

2013 20140.0%

4.0%

8.0%

Percent of Subscribers who are Authors

Your OrgLinear (Your Org)Average OrgLinear (Average Org)

% A

uth

ors

Thread Related KPIs



ASAEAvg. Org

ASAEAvg. Org

Total Number Of Threads 6,141 969 6,882 933

12.1% -3.7%

Authors of Threads 1,879 252 1,975 256

5.1% 1.7%

Avg Threads per Author 3.27 3.85 3.48 3.65

6.6% -5.3%

2013 20140

2,000

4,000

6,000

8,000

Total Number of Threads 2013-2014


To

tal T

hre

ad

s

2013 20142.80

3.00

3.20

3.40

3.60

3.80

4.00

Average Threads per Author 2013-2014

ASAELinear (ASAE)Average OrgLinear (Av-erage Org)

Ave

rag

e T

hre

ad

s

Replies Related KPIs



ASAEAvg. Org

ASAEAvg. Org

Total Number of Reply(s) to Group 8,506 1,339 10,010 1,336 18% 0%

Authors of Replies 2,379 343 2,705 385 14% 12%

Avg Replies per Author 3.58 3.90 3.70 3.47 3% -11%

2013 20140

5,00010,00015,000

Total Number of Replies to Group 2013-2014


Tota

l R

eplie

s

2013 20143.20

3.40

3.60

3.80

4.00

Average Replies per Author 2013-2014


Re

plie

s p

er

Au

tho

r

ASAE MEMBERS WHO ARE ENGAGED IN THEIR ONLINE

COMMUNITY ARE:

•30% more likely to renew

•23% more likely to recommend ASAE to their peers

Discussion Activity by Quartile

Of those who Replied to Group, percentage who:

Average Composite Engagement Score (CES) by Quartile

0 20 40 60 80 100 120 140 160

Quartile 1/Top 25%

Quartile 2/ 50% to 25%

Quartile 3/ 75% to 50%

Quartile 4/Bottom 25%

146.0

16.8

31.3

7.8

Example: American Society of Association Executives (ASAE)

• Use Net Promoter Methodology

• 21,533 members

• 13,272 subscribed to Collaborate

• 3016 Completed Survey

• 81.6% (2462) of the Respondents were Collaborate

Users

The Hall of Fame

OrganizationTNOM TNOS TNOT TNORTG TGM CES

Size Category

Alliance of Comprehensive Planners 242 236 1,808 4,056 5,864 2195.70 Small

National Employment Lawyer's Association 2,146 1,998 4,874 6,230 11,104 476.74 Small/Medium

American Society of Ophthalmic Administrators 2,640 2,562 3,181 7,731 10,912 386.85 Small/Medium

Piano Technicians Guild 3,579 3,377 2,970 11,543 14,513 379.67 Small/Medium

Veterinary Hospital Managers Association 2,170 2,036 1,240 3,796 5,036 223.57 Small/Medium

International Association of Rehabilitation Professionals 2,661 2,570 2,000 3,949 5,949 215.90 Small/Medium

National Society of Accountants 9,438 9,525 3,027 14,997 18,024 186.88 Medium

Avectra Users Group 1,095 547 788 1,136 1,924 167.83 Small

Higher Logic Users Group 2,837 1,235 1,272 2,849 4,121 142.86 Small/Medium

University Risk Management and Insurance Association, Inc., 2,178 2,546 1,156 1,920 3,076 140.41 Small/Medium

The ALS Association 392 381 205 269 474 120.25 Small

The American Association of Nurse Assessment Coordinators 13,553 13,567 6,735 9,065 15,800 116.65 Medium

VOLUNTEERISM.

Act of Engagement | Social Learning| Community

TASK-BASED VOLUNTEERISM

•Focus on Expertise vs. Availability

•Time Commitment: Hours to Days

Volunteer Metrics Comparison

Traditional Association | Result: 100 Member Volunteers

• 10 Committees | 10 Members on Each

Emerging Association | Result: 1610 Member Volunteers

• 5 Committees for 1 year term, 10 members on each (50)

• 10 Task Based Opportunities per month (120 per year), average 3

members per opportunity (360)

• 200 Micro-Opportunities per month, 0.5 member per opportunity

(1200)

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3 KEYS TO VOLUNTEER SUCCESS

Frictionless | Increased Opportunities | Enjoyable

Volunteerism Engagement Community

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How to Improve Your

CES?

AUTOMATION

MEMBER JOURNEY MAPPING

Where to Start?

Help Members up to Engagement Ladder

Community can Positively Impact Every Department

It’s not just one department

• Conferences and Events (Grow Meeting Attendance)• Training and Education (Social and

Blended Learning)• Advocacy (Transparency)• Marketing and Communications (Media

Enquiries)• Human Resources (Intranets)

Popular Engagement Strategies & Opportunities

• Frictionless Content (make it easy)

• Gamification (recognition & accountability)

• Shamification (profile completeness)

• LinkedIn Integration

• Chapters/Components

• Mentoring

• Volunteer Management

• Knowledge Bank (wiki)

• Abstract Management

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Common Traits of an Expert Bureau

Personalized URLs, Private Library, Restricted Demographics, Languages, Locations, Endorsements

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Measuring&Recognizing

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Recognition…

THANK YOU

Andy StegglesPresident & Chief Customer [email protected]

Signup for the report:higherlogic.com/2015cbr

2015 community benchmark report

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