Retention Creating a welcoming environment

[Cedric]

It's always a great feeling when you see a new registered member. So bringing new members into your community is exciting, but making sure they feel at home is key to building long-term engagement. Here are some simple, human-friendly ways to ensure your newcomers feel welcomed and encouraged to participate from the start:

1. Warm welcome messages
A personal touch goes a long way! Send a friendly welcome message or greeting when someone new joins. Let them know you’re glad they’re here and offer help if they need it. It’s the first step in making them feel valued. You can use their profile posts to say hi.

2. Introduce them to the community
Give newcomers a chance to introduce themselves. Create a dedicated introduction thread or forum where they can share a bit about who they are. It will also encourage interaction with existing members.

3. Highlight key areas of interest
New members can sometimes feel lost in a new environment. Guide them toward popular topics or threads they might enjoy based on their interests. Help them find their way into the conversations that matter most to them. Maybe even offer an on boarding guide.

4. Recognize their contributions
A little recognition goes a long way. Give shout-outs or badges to new members who participate, even if it’s just a small contribution. It helps them feel seen and appreciated, motivating them to stay engaged.

5. Always be ready for your members
Finally, remind your team and veteran members to be approachable and friendly. Sometimes a simple “Hey, welcome to the community!” can make all the difference.

Do you have any tips? Feel free to post them below and I'll add them to the list!

 

[InMyOpinion]

I agree with all the tips above. Members want to feel welcomed and like they are a part of the community from the start so having a nice welcome message whether it be a private message or a thread (or both) I think it's important to welcome the new members.

You also want to celebrate achievements and contributions because if new members see that there is recognition in good threads, posts and members they will want to follow that path so that they can also be celebrated and thanked.

Making the navigation easy is also a great way to make the environment of a forum welcoming.

Building trust with members is a great way to get new members to see that if they stay active and keep posting quality threads and posts they will also build a bond with the owner/founder/administration.

There are plenty of ways to create a very warm and welcoming environment on forums and when done correctly it has an amazing impact on the community but also the activity of the forum.

 

[Nomad]

I think recognizing members for what they do in your community is very important. A welcome message? I am not sure if anyone actually reads it. Having introduction section and also ask me anything section can be good to know your members.