Leveraging Your Content Platform to Increase Membership

Content platforms are powerful tools for associations and membership organizations. While many organizations already provide complimentary access to certain titles and excerpts as member benefits, there's potential to do even more. From a member's perspective, all content should be a benefit - though the reality is that many organizations need to balance member access with other revenue streams like individual and institutional sales, content licensing, and advertising.

This post explores strategies to enhance the value of your content platform beyond basic access. We'll look at ways to:

• Create member benefits that go beyond comps and discounts
• Use data and analytics to track engagement
• Gather member input to shape future content
• Provide opportunities for members to contribute and shine
• Develop new revenue streams while maintaining member value

Whether you're using Tizra or still exploring solutions for content amplification and organization, these ideas can help you transform your content platform into a more effective tool for member engagement and organizational growth.  Read on to learn from guest writer Mark Ruthman, a digital publishing and product development expert offering practical strategies to maximize your content platform's potential for member engagement.

Member Benefits Beyond Comps & Discounts

There are many ways to show members value beyond complimentary and discounted access. You could also explore sponsorships to provide “free” content to members in exchange for some access or acknowledgment that makes sense to a sponsor. Some sites also use advertising to accomplish this where appropriate. There is a tricky balance to finding a collaborator of interest without conflicts of interest, but it can be done! At the American Academy of Pediatrics, Mead Johnson Nutrition sponsored free access for residents and free trials for pediatricians to the newly launched Pediatric Care Online, and it was a win-win for all involved because AAP could get potential customers onto the system and residency programs using it for training. At the same time, MJN was able to give its sales reps some new value to bring to their customers.

Data & Analytics to Track Engagement

Segment your analytics to see how member traffic differs from general traffic, and look for gaps and opportunities. Here are some questions I always ask when reviewing member traffic:

• What terms are they searching for? 
• What content are they accessing? 
• What links are they clicking? 
• Where are they spending time? 
• Are there opportunities to push content to the publishers’ other sites and emails to promote content? 
• Do you email members and post on your social media channels when new content is available? 
• Do you provide summaries of changes when new editions launch? 
• Do you showcase it prominently on the homepage and other key landing pages and optimize and promote it for search? 

While working on the Pediatrics journal, I worked with the editorial board to add Video Abstracts, which authors submitted as companion pieces to articles. They went through an editorial board review similar to the articles but were outside the paywall. We made 1-minute edits to post on Facebook and Instagram to drive traffic to the articles and make the research (and publication brand!) accessible to a wider audience.

Surveys & Focus Panels to Develop What’s Next

Create a user group of key individual and/or institutional members to react to concepts for content, functionality, etc. This makes them more invested in the platform to have their voice heard and provides you with valuable feedback to help target your investments and enhancement efforts. At each milestone stage, check in with members of your target audience to validate concepts, review mockups, understand the value, and pivot quickly. They will be proud of their contribution and champion the product to their colleagues.

Give Members the Spotlight

Allow members the opportunity to build their notoriety and brand (and your content base) by enlisting members to produce content such as blog posts, commentaries, and discussion guides to deepen the use of the text & platform. This can help surface content ideas and potential authors, as well as allow you to gauge interest levels and details. Case studies exploring how members use content or publications in their work or teaching can be testimonials to get others to follow their lead. They can also champion institutional adoption at their places of work.

But What About the Revenue?

Associations have very valuable content, but there are many markets beyond members, as well as ways to add value that members would be willing to pay to access as a purchase, subscription, or more premium membership. For example, niche titles could be included in membership for certain subcommittees or other groups with that interest at a rate less than if everyone bought the book but more than how many currently do. Also, remember that subscriptions are annual, while your book model may be a one-time purchase for perpetual or life-of-edition access.

Audit your content for components to titles or derived from titles into education modules for certifications, licensing, or badges that members would want, and/or interactive tools or videos to help absorb the content better. Institutions, industries, and other related areas may want to subscribe for non-member access – possibly for roles that are not eligible to be members but still need access, such as students or affiliated roles.

Conclusion

Your content holds tremendous value for your members. Finding the right balance between member access and revenue generation remains essential for organizational success. The strategies outlined here offer practical ways to enhance your content platform's capabilities.

The key to creating and maintaining the value of your archive is to shift the conversation from simply "What content is free" to "How can we create more value?" Through data-driven member analysis, collaborative content development, and smart partnership programs, you can create a platform that better both your members and your organization's goals—ultimately becoming the foundation for stronger member relationships, career advancement opportunities, and sustainable organizational success.Have questions, or ready to amplify content delivery and impact? Let’s chat!

About Mark

Mark Ruthman's experience spans over 20 years at organizations including the American Medical Association, the American Academy of Pediatrics, and most recently, Merck. In that time, he has developed a unique insight into the analysis, tools, and data-driven development methods that drive successful digital products.