Back to basics: Master the fundamentals of your alumni engagement platform
Top tips & templates to get you started
In our first blog, we provided you with foundational tactics for reinvigorating your alumni platform and community. In this blog, explore top tips and useful templates to master areas of the platform you will use over and over again.
Engaging Feed Posts
A great way to drive engagement to your alumni platform is by posting and encouraging regular activity on the feed. It can be hard to come up with ideas on a regular basis, but if you develop a content strategy and build a plan of ongoing engagement, it can be as easy as executing on that plan and a little copy and paste!
You can start small, and build out a weekly or monthly plan. Then look ahead at your year-round engagement and start to build it out further. It’s important to keep in mind any team goals or campus priorities and if you can support these initiatives through messages on your feed.
The good news is that some seasons will allow you to reuse content from year to year. For example, you can edit and reuse homecoming posts, graduation content, or even a new student welcome in the fall. You can also create an engaging experience by hosting contests in your feed to encourage users to update their profiles, or sign up for events. (Don’t forget to announce your winner!)
The hardest part is getting started and creating that year round content calendar the first time. We love a good copy/paste situation so here are some ideas to get you started! Remember, keep your posts short and to the point!
Thanksgiving
We’re thankful that you are a part of the [school name] family. Share in the comments one thing you are thankful for.
In this season of gratitude we’d like to take a moment to express our gratitude for you, the incredible alumni and friends who make our community what it is. Your kindness, support, and dedication to [insert alumni community name] is amazing. Let’s share our gratitude! Post one thing you are grateful for in the comments.
February/Valentine’s Day
Love is in the air! We’re searching for alumni who met their spouse/partner on campus. We are going to randomly surprise one couple with some exclusive swag and a special surprise. To be eligible, post some photos of the two of you together on the main feed. Bonus points if you include how you met on campus. 😉
Anytime
Who’s ready for a contest?
Has it been awhile since you updated your profile? Maybe you’ve moved or changed jobs? Or maybe you didn’t have time to complete your profile when you signed up. Whatever the reason, a complete profile is key to maximizing your experience in [insert platform name]. Update your profile information now for a chance to win [insert prize]! We’ll announce the winner right here in the feed on [insert date]. Stay tuned!
Personalized Activity Digests
The activity digest is a powerful tool for boosting user engagement and keeping your platform top of mind. This automated email, sent on your desired schedule, delivers a personalized selection of the latest content from your site. As an admin, you have full control over the content included, allowing you to customize the digest to your specific goals. By automating this process, you can effortlessly communicate with your users and drive interest in the platform.
Outside of the top story, the content of the digest is compiled automatically and contains a selection of the latest feed posts, photos, businesses, events and jobs from the site, customized to the user, including content from the main tabs and user’s groups. Because the digest is customized for each user, different users may receive different content within the same Digest.
Pre-populated users will receive content that is visible to all users and will also see a “Register Now” button. Don’t discount the use of the activity digest as a tool for engagement with this group. They may not be users of your platform yet, but impactful and interesting content will show them the power of your network and could inspire them to join.
As mentioned, you have the flexibility to add a top story that appears above the automated content. With each activity digest you should feature a top story to share a quick snapshot of the platform experience.
Here are the top activity digest stories we’d recommend:
- Mentoring: Highlight successful mentoring relationship stories and express the importance of connecting with peers on the platform.
- Spotlight users: Create an alumni spotlight that showcases accomplishments since graduation and maybe provides advice to younger alums.
- Competition: Healthy competition inspires action! Challenge and excite your community with fun competitions and prizes. Examples of competitions:
- If you are looking for a boost in registration, use your top story to announce a competition for the class with the most registered users
- To remind get the most up to date information from user profiles you could have a competition for users to update or complete their profiles
- How to navigate the platform (especially helpful for new users!): Provide a step-by-step guide on how to use the platform and show your community how they can partake in this unique network. Direct users to the platform by using screenshots and links.
- Nostalgia: Bring back fond memories of days gone by. Use the top story to send out a personal message from a past staff member or share past and/or current campus photos. You can use the top story to include a video of the band playing the fight song.
You can find templates for each of these top digest stories, and so much more in the Gravyty Leaders Community Resources tab!
Authentic Alumni Mentorship
Another effective way to drive engagement and provide value to your alumni is through mentorship. A well-structured mentorship program can be a game-changer for fostering a strong sense of community and providing invaluable support to your alumni. Match mentors and mentees based on interests and career goals, ensuring a tailored and impactful experience.
Regular updates, success stories and recognition of mentors’ contributions can further incentivize participation and maintain long-term engagement. With the right tools and approach, establishing a mentorship program is easier than you might think. Let’s explore some key steps to get you going.
Set goals and assign a program lead. Before starting a program it is important to determine the goals for your mentorship program. What does success look like for your team? Here are some common measures of success for mentorship programs:
- Number of mentor/mentee relationships formed
- Messaging between mentor and mentee
- Participant retention—how many mentors and mentees return to participate again?
- Internship of job achievements. Were there tangible outcomes to the mentor/mentee relationship?
Facilitate contact between mentors and mentees, but don’t get caught in the middle. Mentorship opens the door for authentic relationships that benefit both the mentor and mentee. Use your platform to facilitate the connection, set milestones and suggest conversation prompts but don’t become a third wheel in the relationship, sit back and watch the magic happen.
Make it fun! Making the experience fun elicits a reaction, engagement. It makes participants want to return to the platform again and again. Milestones are a great way to encourage engagement through celebration, creating a sense of pride when they are achieved.
Share real success stories. Sharing success stories is a lot like looking at a review. It can be difficult for someone to imagine the outcomes a mentorship relationship can bring. Sharing real-life examples of those who have done it to showcase tangible results will go a long way in bringing in new mentors and mentees. Consider highlighting a relationship that resulted in a promotion or internship or sharing how a mentor coached their mentee on interview skills to land their dream job.
Collaboration is key. A successful mentorship program can’t run without cross functional support. Make sure to lean on your team, both internal and your dedicated Gravyty team. This could mean a strong partnership with career services to help with things like career advice, industry trends and insights, or even matching mentees with mentors that have relevant experience in a certain field. This could also mean having a partner on your team that shares the load and works with you on goals, implementation and analysis of the program.
Excited to set up your mentoring program? Visit the Gravyty help center for our Step by Step Guide to Setting Up Your Mentoring Program.
Let’s get started!
Driving engagement on your alumni platform requires a multifaceted approach that leverages various tools and strategies. By consistently posting engaging content on your feed, utilizing the power of activity digests, and fostering meaningful mentorship relationships, you can create a vibrant and dynamic community that keeps your alumni connected and invested. Remember to personalize your outreach, track your progress, and continuously refine your approach to maximize engagement and achieve your goals.
Have questions? Reach out to your Gravyty customer success manager. We’re happy to help.
Interested in learning more about Gravyty’s alumni engagement platform? Get a demo today.
