What better time to talk about membership than a late-summer Monday? In today’s Social Media Roundup, some valuable tips for those looking to improve their membership outreach and retention:

Membership in the Collaborative Era

Good piece by @mkramer on redefining public media "membership" by inviting different kinds of contributions. https://t.co/J7LZcCeGvD

— Katherine Fink (@KatherineFink) August 18, 2014

NPR digital strategist and editor Melody Kramer delivered a speech at the Weapons of Mass Creation conference on August 16, and luckily for those of us not in attendance, her remarks have been posted to Medium.

Though the topics range from learning coding with Python to the state of public media, Kramer’s speech is a must-read for anyone looking for insight into the state of modern membership.

Recounting her experiences working in an HIV clinic and creating forms for patients unable to read traditional medical documentation, Kramer says: “It’s always important to think about who your audience is—and what the design of your story, series, logo, form, or campaign is—so that your design doesn’t distract from the overall goal.”

And your campaigns don’t have to be limited to seeking funding for your association. Though public media outlets like NPR have well-known fundraising drives, the possibilities for nonmonetary member contributions are endless.

“What if you could become a member of your local station by donating code or designing a poster?” Kramer asks. “What if you could tag or digitize an archive and become a member? And what if all of these activities took place at the local station, where you could meet other people like yourself?” (ht @KatherineFink)

A New Source of Membership Wisdom

Currently reading: @maddiegrant's latest from the SocialFish Social Media series…http://t.co/tO2qgI0ZHh #assnchat

— Association Chat (@assnchat) August 18, 2014

We’ve previously covered SocialFish writer Maddie Grant’s series on association social media leaders, and today’s Q&A with Claire Berlin, membership and communications coordinator at the National Society of Accountants, is another entry worth reading.

Berlin has some tips on membership that she’s gleaned from her time in the social media universe. For example:

“If you ever want to get a grasp of what’s going on with your membership, figure out what members are finding or not finding on your website, or track seasonal trends, talk to your call center staff,” Berlin recommends. “They know more about your members than anyone else on your staff and are a tremendously underused resource for troubleshooting and brainstorming.” (ht @assnchat)

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