You need to involve members with your decisions

An online community is not just a static website, but a dynamic entity comprising of individual human beings with their own unique opinions and tastes. Therefore, making unilateral decisions that the majority of your members do not agree with could be catastrophic.

The best way to avoid this outcome is to involve your members in decision making. Remember, you do not run your online community, your members do. Your job is to keep them happy, engaged and involved.

It is important not to forget that your members are the lifeblood of your community. Without them, your community will cease to exist. So, when it comes to large-scale changes to your website's design or functionality, do not make the decision in isolation. Always involve your members in your decision making. If they don't like it, don't be stubborn but reverse the changes.

What may seem like a great idea to you may not be the same for the majority of your members. Every decision you make needs to be geared towards satisfying them, not yourself. If you develop a community solely based on your own preferences, you will alienate your members and push them to leave.

Involve your members in decision making by asking them directly what they want. It is surprisingly easy to do and yet it is still not happening as frequently as it should. Instead of second-guessing your members' needs and preferences, just ask them. Seeking feedback and involving your members in decision making shows strength in leadership and a willingness to listen and understand your members.

Before redesigning, adding features, removing stuff, etc. on your website, invite comments and feedback on the drafts from your members. Before changing any of the software or rules within your site, set up a test area and invite comments from your members. You can ask your Premium Members before doing anything live. By inviting feedback and involving your members in decision making, you can ensure that you cater to the majority, even if everyone does not agree with your plans or proposals. Ultimately, keeping the majority of your members happy is crucial to the success of your community.

Some questions to keep in mind, feel free to answer them to your best abillity.

• Have you ever been a part of an online community where you felt like your opinions or feedback were not valued? How did that make you feel, and what could the community have done differently to involve you more?
• What are some ways that online communities can actively involve their members in decision making? Have you seen any communities that do this particularly well?
• How do you balance making changes to an online community based on member feedback, versus making changes that you think are necessary for the community's growth or sustainability?
• What are some potential drawbacks to involving community members too much in decision making? For example, could this lead to too many conflicting opinions or an inability to make decisions quickly?
• In your opinion, what are some key factors that make an online community successful? How important is member involvement in this equation?

 

[Ravenfreak]

Thankfully I have yet to come across a community where the admin ignores their members. It's 100% crucial to your site that you listen to your members wants and needs in order to make a community that your members will love and continue to come back to. Feedback is good, it helps you improve as an admin and listening to your members makes you a good admin IMO.

 

[Reverie]

I tried very hard to involve members in decisions of the forum. I think voting on things as a community is a healthy way of growing the community. I think feedback is well and if others respond finding it important it will definitely be considered. Now not everything can be implemented - at least not right when it is recommended, but I enjoyed adding these ideas and what not to a topic in the admin or staff room to discuss about the planning or implementation of these ideas. I think sometimes the community might think "Oh they aren't doing it" because we didn't do it right then and there, and possibly being more open and clear about the idea of maybe doing it in xyz time would be a good idea. I think the reason I didn't was because at that time I didn't want other forums copying our future changes because I knew a few people were watching. At this time though, the community is the most important thing and communication just could have been different. You live and learn!

Member involvement definitely will see happier members and I would think more of a family vibe!