New division members generally either don’t know where to start or are overwhelmed by a new platform they just became a part of. Below are some practices to make sure they have a great onboarding to the APA Community:
Introduce the Community – New members need to know this is a benefit available to them. Members will not engage unless they are informed and given the green light to activate their account.
Provide a Quick To-Do List – Offer a simple checklist for new members (e.g., “Introduce yourself, check out our latest discussion, and explore our resource library”). This can be a document, link, or a simple post to the group feed.
Personalize Welcome Messages – Group leaders can send a direct message or tag new members in a group post, welcoming and thanking them for joining the group. This can also build some recent content on your group feed!
Profile Updates – Ask members to complete their profiles to enhance networking opportunities. Additionally, you can remind them to check out their notification settings.
Introduction Prompts – Encourage members to share more about themselves with prompts, such as “What inspired you to join Division X?" Additionally, you can create an "Introduce yourself!" Forum.
Community Guidelines – Share best practices for posting, commenting, and engaging respectfully.