What motivates people to join social networks

What Motivates People to Join?
Next we turn to understanding why people join social networks. As you consider how social networking will play a role in your organization, consider what motivates your constituents to join your community. We’ve developed a list of eight reasons people participate in social networks.

1. Social Needs: Participation in the social network ills a basic human need to create relationships and connect with others.
Example: A traveling nurse maintains connections with friends back home via Facebook.


2. Emotional Support: The social network provides the space for emotional reinforcement from peers in the network.
Example: A mother of an autistic child shares daily parenting challenges with other parents via online discussion groups.

3. Resources: The social network offers access to educational materials, expert advice, photos, videos. The resources are submitted by peer members or by the hub manager.
Example: Alumni retrieve job leads from the university’s online community, or cancer patients get access to new treatment studies.


4. Services: Similar to Resources, here members get services from other members or the hub owner. Types of services include medical, travel, leisure or financial advice; collaboration and fundraising tools; customer service, etc.
Example: More experienced volunteer members of an open source software community take turns answering technical questions from other members.

5. Credibility: A member benefits from their association with a prestigious or notable social network.
Example: An executive director benefits from participation as a speaker in the TED Conference social network.

6. Recognition: A member’s contribution or expertise is acknowledged publicly within the social network.
Example: A leading rheumatologist authors an expert blog on an arthritis-focused nonprofit site, thereby exposing the rheumatology doctor to thousands of arthritis community members.

7. Self Promotion: A member receives value after marketing themselves or their product or service within the social network.
Example: A university alumni community site supports profiles that feature the alum’s current profession.

8. Self Definition: Membership in the social network becomes part of the member’s fundamental identity.
Example: A ministry’s Facebook group attracts thousands of dedicated fans. Each community will have its own distinct set of one or more reasons that drive constituents to join and participate. Your marketing and communications surrounding the promotion of the community site should to target these underlying motivations. To build the best possible marketing program, focus your messaging on the specific motivations of your future community members.