Teaching someone how to use a platform is a
bad idea.
First, it’s a bad use of your time. Second,
it you shouldn't have a platform that should be more intuitive. Third, very few people will show up.
Worse still, those that do won't participate for long.
If people aren't participating, it's not because they don't know how to use the platform. It's because they're not motivated to use the platform.
You can optimize the process, add nudges, but the key is increasing the motivation to participate.
This begins from the moment they first hear about the community through to where they make their first contribution. Ignore the platform. Focus on your outreach. How do people hear about the community? What do they hear about the community? What are your promotional messages, how do people receive these messages, what is the motivational appeal used within these messages?
Remember the basic motivations of people; more fame, power, achievements, and friends.
Tweak the different appeals. Try one that asks for their own expertise on an issue. Try one that invites them to sign up for an interesting community event. Try one that focus on the exclusive, successful, nature of the community.
In this first message, you need your target audience to hear about something specific within the community, not the community itself. Highlight what you want people to do within the platform. Highlight
how their unique experience/skills/knowledge is needed for the community to
succeed.
By the time someone visits your platform, they should be motivated to participate in something.
