Online Community Migration: 4 Key Tips to Consider When Switching to a New Platform

What do migrating to a new community platform and migrating to a new city have in common? They both need a well-thought-about strategy to make the move swift.

If you move to a new city without a road map, it’s possible for you to witness some unplanned adventures. But, you’d also waste a lot of time navigating.

The same rule applies to online communities. Sometimes, an unplanned action might prove to be fruitful. But when it comes to crucial decisions like switching to a new platform, diligent planning and strategizing is crucial for a smooth switch.

Let’s embark on this trip to migrate to a new community platform by understanding everything about it. Shall we, folks?

Why Migrate to a New Community Platform?

The savvy customers of today make informed decisions, and brands today are well aware of this fact. To fulfill the demands and desires of informed customers, they need a community platform that’s advanced, cutting-edge, and robust.

If you’re not new to the concept of communities and have a branded online community, you’d be well aware of the fact that communities have evolved. Your community might not be fulfilling the purpose that you created it for. And amidst the cut-throat competition that there is today, it might be time to consider switching to a new platform.

Modern-day community-building platforms offer a plethora of ways for customers to interact with the brand in a customized environment. Communities today provide superior experiences to the users in the form of gamification and rich media content which ultimately helps boost ROI.

4 Key Tips to Consider When Switching to a New Community Platform

Switching to a new community platform comes with a whole lot of responsibilities. It requires the migration of all your legacy data to a new platform without any data loss. For a community manager, it is important to create a strong plan of action first and then act upon it. Let’s take a look at some key points to consider when deciding to migrate to a new platform –

1. Keep Your Research Strong: Community migration comes with multiple challenges. Even after migration, if your purpose isn’t getting solved, you won’t be able to measure your success or even retain your customers. Sounds scary, right? To avoid this situation, ensure that you research the existing community platforms and then make a decision. The new community platform should cater to all your business requirements and should also be able to deliver a stellar CX to your members.

2. Practice Transparent Communication: Your community members and customers are your real business asset. Let them know about your decision of migrating to a new community platform and keep an eye on their suggestions. They should feel that they’re heard which will give them a sense of belonging in the community. If they have any concerns, ensure that you address them.

3. Determine the True Meaning of Success: Determine what success means to you when switching to a new community platform. Research thoroughly about the metrics that define your success and then align your community goals with it. Once the migration is complete, define your future goals and ascertain the key strategies that will help you achieve those goals for success.

4. Be Ready to Deal With Challenges: Community migration comes with a lot of challenges. There’s a lot of data in the form of chat threads, knowledge, resources, and a lot more. You need to plan before migrating, so you don’t lose any valuable information. Create strategies that will help you navigate the challenges and migrate to a new platform with zero data loss.

Apart from the listed benefits, moving to a new community platform is a great way to promote the community and enter new markets. It indicates that your community is improving and growing consistently.

Remember – You might lose a few members who don’t wish to migrate to the new platform. But looking at the brighter side, you’ll gain many new members too. Ensure that you keep your community members in the loop whenever migrating and promote your new community using various channels like social, newsletters, email campaigns, and more.

Wish to Migrate Your Online Community Without Data Loss? Talk to Us!