Don’t waste your limited time trying to convert lurkers into regulars. It’s an uphill struggle and most lurkers are already as active as they’re ever going to be.
Instead, turn your lurkers into the best lurkers they can be. Don’t try to create new behaviors, shift existing habits instead.
What is the most valuable thing your lurker can read, watch, see, like, or share?
If your community goal is to increase customer retention, make sure lurkers are reading the top 3 tips shared in the community each month.
If your community goal is to generate leads, make sure they’re downloading information which identifies themselves as leads.
If your community goal is to get feedback, make sure they’re liking, voting, or clicking on the topics which most interest them.
Most people have the balance completely wrong. They spend 90% of their time on the 10% of their audience that participates. Yet most value is going to come from what lurkers (the group which does represent 90% of your audience) watch, see, read, and do.
Don’t leave lurkers to aimlessly browse for something interesting to read. Set specific objectives for this group instead. These should be activities which drive the best value?
- What is the advice that will help them the most?
- What is the information that will most change their minds on a topic?
- What are the tips that will solve their questions before they have to ask it?
- What is the news they most need to know?
Once you have objectives for lurkers, you can design a strategy and tactics to match.
In short, spend more time on lurkers. Don’t try to get them to increase behavior, simply adjust what they do today. Make sure they’re doing the most valuable things they’re ever likely to do.
