Back to basics: Removing barriers to get the most out of your alumni network platform

As you jump back in to reinvigorate your alumni network platform, you’re going to hit roadblocks. We’re here to help. In this third and final blog of our Back to Basics series, we’re helping you remove barriers to engagement in your alumni platform. We’ve pulled together the most common obstacles that customers face as they are trying to energize their alumni community and share ideas of how to overcome them.

The three most common roadblocks of alumni engagement & how to overcome them

1. Alumni don’t know about the platform

Creating awareness for an alumni engagement platform in today’s digital age can be challenging. With individuals leading busy, highly digital lives, there’s constant competition for attention. Over a quarter of alumni surveyed in Gravyty’s 2024 Alumni Trends Report said there is room for improvement within their alma mater’s alumni program, and 11% said they aren’t aware of any alumni or career services offered. 

Cut through the noise

To effectively cut through the noise and generate excitement, it’s crucial to employ a strategic approach that meets alumni where they are, leveraging a variety of channels and tactics. Make sure you are effectively communicating with all your audiences in the places they are active and through the channels they use to communicate. What might work for one audience, may not work for others. Need ideas on how best to do this? Take advantage of Gravyty’s resources to learn more ways to effectively communicate with diverse audiences.

Cross-promote

Another way to create awareness for the platform is to build strong partnerships across campus to ensure the platform is consistently mentioned to students. Work with the student life team to incorporate the platform into orientation activities, introducing it to future alumni. Collaborate with departments across campus to build affinity groups and generate interest for alumni from different academic programs or athletic teams. 

Additionally, aligning the platform’s launch or relaunch with other campus initiatives can help attract attention. The more people you have across campus sharing your platform, the easier it will be to gain attention.

Finally, use events where alumni will be in attendance to garner attention for the platform. Consider using QR codes strategically placed throughout the venue to direct alumni into the platform. This could be especially useful on graduation or homecoming weekend!

By combining these approaches, you can effectively break through the clutter and drive meaningful engagement with your alumni community.

2. People are registering but not coming back to the platform

You have alumni registered on the platform but you can’t get them to re-engage after their initial visit. Sound familiar? 

Re-engaging alumni who have registered but haven’t returned to your platform can be a challenge, but it’s not impossible. 

Offer exclusive content & benefits

To entice alumni back to the platform, offer exclusive content and benefits that are only available within the platform. This could include early registration for high-demand events (or any event), behind-the-scenes glimpses of new campus construction projects, or discount codes for alumni-owned businesses. Everyone loves to be part of something exclusive! 

Drive friendly competition with badges

Users can earn different badges by completing different activities on the platform. The badges will show up next to the user’s name once they have been earned. 

Target specific alumni segments

Leverage the platform’s tools to target specific alumni groups you’d like to reach. Use tagging to identify alumni who might be interested in particular content or activities, and reach out to those who haven’t logged in for a certain amount of time. 

Send an activity digest

Create an activity digest to remind them of the benefits of staying connected, such as networking opportunities, exclusive content, and staying updated on the latest news from your institution.

While this requires some effort, it’s essential to keep the platform fresh and engaging. Regularly update content and pictures, add new features, and highlight alumni achievements. With consistently updated content, alumni are more likely to return again and again.

3. We don’t know how to measure if our engagement efforts are successful

Alumni engagement has generally been measured by how many people attended events and the number of donations made. Today, new standards are being set. Because alumni can be engaged and involved in so many different ways, it’s crucial to be able to put quantitative values on those activities in order to get an accurate picture of the overall impact of your team. 

Many schools use the CASE framework, which measures alumni engagement in four specific areas: Philanthropy, Volunteerism, Experiential and Communication. Your alumni engagement platform can be set up to automatically track activities in these four areas, making it simple to evaluate alumni engagement programs and look for opportunities for improvement. 

Keep in mind, every team is different. It’s important to set clear goals for what your team wants to achieve. If you set clear goals at the beginning about what you consider success to be, you will know what to track and measure. Here are a few suggestions to get you started:

• Goal: An increase in engagement by a certain percentage over a specific time period
• Goal: A specific percentage of total alumni that have created a profile
• Goal: A specific percentage of returning users

Anything you can measure, you can improve. All the data is collected and stored, where you can analyze it, create reports, or use it to set goals,  taking the worry and stress out of measuring your programs’ success.

Overcome alumni engagement barriers

As you continue to revitalize your alumni engagement platform, keep in mind that overcoming challenges is a natural part of the process. By addressing the common roadblocks we’ve discussed – lack of awareness, low return rates, and difficulty measuring success – you can create a more vibrant and engaging community.

Remember, success is not just about the numbers; it’s about fostering meaningful connections, building a sense of community, and creating a platform that truly benefits your alumni. By taking these challenges head on, you can break down barriers, increase engagement, and achieve your alumni engagement goals.

Excited to jump in but not sure where to start? We’re ready to help! Reach out to your customer success manager and dive in together! New to Gravyty and interested in learning more about our alumni engagement platform? Get a demo today.