Building member engagement is at the top of the to-do list for many associations, and it can often be a challenge, especially if you’re starting from nothing.

That said, there are plenty of tools in the toolkit for getting your audience engaged, and gamification might be a key place to start. Over at Social HubSite, Phase 2 Solutions’ Jason Verdelli breaks down the ways that associations can use gamification to create member value in an online community.

The goal, of course, is to understand why your users hop onto a community site and to then leverage how they react to what they find, in order to build an ongoing engagement process.

“When you do your homework first and understand what motivates your members, creating a reward system to keep members motivated can be simple,” Verdelli explains. “What’s important to understand here is, by keeping members motivated through a constant state of achievement (i.e. Gamification), you will be creating a dopamine (feel good chemical) delivery system. This keeps members motivated to participate.”

There’s a lot that goes into all of this, including the nature of the rewards. But ultimately, Verdelli says, your decision process should reflect—and leverage—the motivations of your users.

Embrace Those Pesky Millennials

Interesting article from @DonnaVieira "Why Gen X & Millennials are Better at Your Job than You" https://t.co/TScYNLNHc6 #assnchat #assnprof

— Crypto Bahay (@Cryptobahay) March 22, 2016

As we’ve previously pointed out, millennials are often viewed as some sort of weird creature. But Donna Vieira, vice president of marketing for interlinkONE, says there’s something about younger folks in the workplace that should be embraced: They want to work somewhere with a great culture and nice perks.

“One of the most common misconceptions is the idea that financial incentives result in an increase in motivation,” she writes in her blog post for Association Marketer. “Unlike the baby boomers before them, millennials are more than willing to accept a lower paying job if it means a more social workplace, regular feedback from their supervisors, and flexibility. Millennials also appreciate additional benefits, such as company-paid cell phones and laptops, when considering positions. Gen X, on the other hand, tends to be more structured, punctual, and linear than millennials.”

Check out Viera’s post to get a stronger grasp of the generational divide.

Other Links of Note

One highlight of Apple’s product-announcement event on Monday was the launch of iOS 9.3, complete with a new “Night Shift” mode, allowing displays to give off less blue light. How beneficial is this shift? Lifehacker explains.

Longtime Intel CEO and Chairman Andy Grove played a key role in bringing microprocessors to the mainstream world. Grove, who died Monday at age 79, had a life worth reflecting on. Intel shares some of the highlights.

Using WordPress? Make sure you’re not letting it fall by the wayside. The tech consulting firm FusionSpan has some tips for keeping your blogging platform well maintained.

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