The myth is if members complete their profiles they’re more likely to participate in a community.
The reality is the people who complete profiles are already most likely to participate in a community. Asking them to do it doesn’t change anything.
In fact, asking newcomers to complete their profile is a waste of an ‘ask’.
Profiles represent how someone in a community wishes others to perceive them. If they’re visiting a community to get an answer to a question, they really don’t care how they’re perceived.
However, as they start to participate in a community beyond an immediate need, they do start to care how others see them. This is when they complete their profiles.
You shouldn’t be asking newcomers to complete their profiles. You should be challenging newcomers to figure out what they can contribute to the community – which in turn will make them more likely to complete their profiles.
“What can you contribute to the community?” is a far better ask than “complete your profile”.
