How do you turn visitors into members?

[Laura]

We see it on Creators, and I'm guessing you might see it on your Ning Network, too. When we look at our Google Analytics, we see that there are lots of visitors who come to Creators to read, learn from other Network Creators and find out what's going on at Ning. When we look at how many of these visitors have actually joined, the number isn't always as high as we'd like it to be.

I'd love to hear any suggestions, ideas or best practices that have worked for you and your Ning Network. How do you turn your visitors into members?

Contests? Making only your main page public? Other ideas?

[Scott]

Contests work, as do compelling and controversial discussion topics.

I still have a bunch of window shoppers as well. I've seen that certain topics convert more people to rush in and share every once in a while.

At Christmas I do a "not so secret santa" give away during which anyone can give away a gift to another member, and in describing that gift they are basically promoting it. They can only give away one of any product, and have to give to an active member who isn't asking for anything, but honestly contributing to the site. People come out of the woodwork for this.

looking forward to other ideas...
Scott

[Eric Suesz]

This is an excellent idea, Scott. Brilliant!

[Michelle]

Alex, how do you limit some pages to members-only? I thought it had to be all-private or all-public.

Thanks!

Michelle

[Robert]

tab manager ..

[Laura]

I like how they use a member quote in the header at http://www.swapmamas.com/#_blank. I wonder if featuring member content like that encourages folks to join?

Laura

[Hazrat Amin]

Twitter has one of the highest turn over rates, almost 50% and according to some stats up to 60%. So most people joining twitter stop using it within a month.

[KEVIN Jackson]

LOOK FOLKS SOME THINGS ARE BEST WHEN LEFT ALONE....THIS IS AMERICA FOR MOST OF US.....I LIKE MY FREEDOM......WHO REALLY GIVES A DAM ABOUT NUMBERS......IF SOMEONE WANTS TO READ AND GAIN KNOWLEDGE LET THEM. I WOULD NOT RECOMEND TRYING TO MAKE PEOPLE MEMBERS WHEN THEY MAY NOT WANT TO.BE ONE...IF ANYONE WANTS TO COME TO MY NETWORK AND LEARN FROM WHAT I DO AND IF YOU WANT TO COME ON THIS CREATOR MESS AND READ AND GET IDEAS GO FOR WHAT YOU KNOW MEMBER OR NOT.........TO MANY ISSUES IN THE WORLD TO BE TRIPPING OFF THIS MESS OF WHO CAN READ AND OBTAIN KNOWLEDGE AND RATHER THEY A MEMBER OR NOT....WHEN YOU CHANGE IT LET ME KNOW SO I CAN DELETE MY MEMBERSHIP.....HOW BOUT THAT......

[Eric Suesz]

Hi, KEVIN. We're shooting for positives here, not negatives. We're all simply trying to share what we think works.

[KEVIN Jackson]

AS I AM DOING......SO YOUR POINT IS......? I DONT THINK REQUIREING PEOPLE TO JOIN IS THE RIGHT MY WAY........THATS MY OPINION.BE IT RATHER YOU VIEW IT AS POS OR NEG..JUST MY THOGHTS..........ANY THING ELSE?

[KEVIN Jackson]

THANKS TO MY MEMBERS OF MATUREBLKMN4MATUREBLKMN FOR MAKING THE NETWORK WHAT IT IS. WE VALUE OUR PRIVACY AND OUR FREEDOMS.....AND REALIZE THAT WE RATHER HAVE A NETWORK OF FEW THAN A NETWORK FULL OF PEOPLE WHO END UP JUST BEING ANOTHER NUMBER.......IT IS NOT THE NUMBER OF PEOPLE ON YOUR NETWORK IT IS THE MESSAGE YOU ARE PUTTING FORTH WHICH IS WHERE THE VALUE COMES IN AT............

[Laura]

Hi Kevin,

Totally! This is one reason the content here is public.

In the original post however, Laura is asking how to encourage visitors to become members.

Thanks,
Laura

[KEVIN Jackson]

OK THANKS.....WELL ON THAT NOTE,MEMBERSHIP IS DIFFULCULT.......WITH SOCIAL NETWORKS YOU HAVE TAKE MEMBERS AS THEY COME....LIKE MYSELF I AM SWAMPED WITH SOCIAL NETWORKS.I HAVE 2 OF MY OWN ON NING. ANOTHER WEB SITE FOCUSED ON HIV/AIDS ISSUES......AND I AM A MEMBER OF 3 OTHER NETWORKS,PLUS MYSPACE, FACEBOOK..........SOME PEOPLE ARE OVER COMMITTED AND JUST WANT TO BROWSE AND READ AND GET INFORMATION WITHOUT JOINING........YOU HAVE TO MINDFUL OF THAT AND LET PEOPLE DO AS THEY CHOOSE. IF THIS SITE HAD A THOUSAND MEMBERS,WOULD IT MAKE BETTER OR WOULD IT JUST INCREASE THE SITE IN NUMBERS.....?