Social Media Roundup: Emphasize Your Online Community’s Value

Nurture your association’s online community by reminding members just why they should log back on. Plus: A new TED initiative teaches youngsters how to harness creative-problem solving skills early on.

Facebook and Twitter might be the networks stealing your audience’s attention, but don’t back down on trying to get your members to rejoin your online community.

That and more in today’s Social Media Roundup:

Social Synergy

3 Ways to Increase Participation in Your Private Online Member Community This Week http://t.co/amPZNkK4EK  (opens in a new tab) #assnchat  (opens in a new tab)

— SOCIOUS (@SociousSuccess) January 13, 2014  (opens in a new tab)

We’ve got a hefty digital footprint in an interconnected world of social networks. When it comes to encouraging members to get active in your community (rather than someone else’s), the trick lies in emphasizing the benefits of engaging on your site, writes Socious’ Joshua Paul  (opens in a new tab). Try sending weekly targeted emails with pertinent information and a call to action to get members into the conversation. Or reach out to current and prospective members to personally invite them to get involved. “That simple act of affirmation can not only help increase their chances of participating, but also affect their attitude about doing so and their willingness to share your community with their networks,” Paul writes. (ht @ SociousSuccess  (opens in a new tab))

Start ‘Em Early

RT @TEDNews  (opens in a new tab) Introducing TED-Ed Clubs, for any student interested in learning to give a TED talk http://t.co/Xsgbi5mTyI  (opens in a new tab) #think  (opens in a new tab) #idea  (opens in a new tab) #asae  (opens in a new tab)

— Bryan Wempen (@bryanwempen) January 14, 2014  (opens in a new tab)

Getting students involved: The TED conference format has drawn much attention over the years for its big ideas and its big-name speakers. But it’s the organization’s newest initiative that’s got folks talking today. The TED-Ed program, which trains students ages 8 to 18 on how to give a TED talk, is now introducing a club to bring the format to classrooms worldwide. “TED-Ed Clubs are designed to create a generation of creative problem-solvers around the globe,” explains a TED blog post  (opens in a new tab). Encouraging creative, out-of-box thinking early on could well spur tomorrow’s innovators. (Curious as to how it’s going? Check out what this teacher has to say  (opens in a new tab) about his pilot program.) Could your keynote speaker come from a program like this someday? You never know—and maybe there’s room to start a program like this at your association. (ht @bryanwempen  (opens in a new tab))

How old were you when you gave your first speech? Let us know in the comments.

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