Stop "Featuring" your members: Put them "In the Spotlight" NO coding!!

[Scott Davidson "Dr. Trocar"]

Stop featuring your members, they don't deserve it.  They deserve more, put them "In the Spotlight"!  And no coding anywhere needed.  Here's how:

First, I'd suggest going to your members profile page and clicking their photo, and save this to a file. I named mine "Members In the Spotlight".  Next go in with an editor of some kind.  I use "Microsoft Picture It!" and re-size it down from 184X184 pixels to 100X100 pixels.  

Go into the "Features Layout", add a "Text Box" on the sideboard, and "Save".  In the "Edit" mode on the newly created Text Box, click the add image icon, find the image and add it from the file.  You need to now open a new window (for copying and pasting).  Find the desired profile page, "copy" the page URL and save.  Go back into the "ADD IMAGE" pop up window and delete all of the information in the "Link"  box, paste the URL in the empty "Link" box.  By doing this, when the photo is clicked, it with automatically go to your members profile page.  

We also type in the members name, centered, and also linked to their page.  IF they have told us something about themselves, on their "About Me" or text box, we copy and paste it below their name.

The only downside is that the members does NOT receive  automatic notification that they have been featured.  We take the time and notify them by hand by personal email that they are "In the Spotlight". This is our method of acquainting our members with their fellow members. 

[Janettee McCrary]

I do something similar to this. I have a page for "Members of the Month" and I do have a little blurb on the front page that links to their profile as well. I may change that to be an anchor tag for their blurb later on though... I also use a status message as an announcement and this last time I added a link to their page and asked members to congratulate them. Hmm I may have to try something better in the future though:)

I do also ask them for a small bio. I haven't asked for a professional shot but that may be something I do in the future:)

I usually send a notification to the member via a comment on their profile page with an image I created:

Here's what the (2011 - they're broken up by year) winner page looks like:

[Scott Fox]

Thanks for posting about this, Scott.

This is a great strategy that members love and your step-by-step guidance is very generous.

We've been giving monthly "Featured Member Awards" since 2009 on a private Ning network I run.

We recently launched a free version of the forum at http://www.ClickMillionaires.com (in conjunction with the publication of my new book, Click Millionaires: Work Less, Live More with an Internet Lifestyle Business You Love).

We're now giving monthly "Community Star" Awards to the most helpful members. 

Winners get public recognition:

• on our Home Page in the sidebar,
• at the top of the Members page,
• a permanent posting (and links) in our Community Stars Hall of Fame,
• a spiffy blue star badge on their profile photos, and
• a Ning gift that looks like the trophy at right.

We link both to their profile and also out to their own websites, too (to share some SEO juice).

People really appreciate the recognition and it's good for our community vibe.

I hope that approach might be helpful to some other NCs here, too.

[Kristy]

Thanks, that is helpful! :)

[Ali Meehan]

Nice!  I do a weekly interview with one of my members from a pre-prepared set of questions which get added to based on their likes, interests or business.  It promotes them and their business, or interests, charitable projects etc. and means that it can fit in with something they specifically want to promote.  I then add the interview on Facebook, Twitter and suggest they also add it to their blog too, so we get some new members from other platforms as well!

[dave]

Hi Scott well done :-)

[Kristy]

Great idea, Scott! Thanks so much for sharing. :)