As you manage your online community migration, rely on these tips to guide you. Just remember: moving your community to get it right is totally worth it.
Most of us hate moving. It means hassle, stress, PACKING, money, and time, but it’s one of those things you just have to do sometimes. And in the end, it’s usually worth it for a bigger space, a better yard, a faster commute, and more bathrooms.
It’s the same way when you’re planning a system migration, especially when it’s a software platform you’ve invested a lot into, like your online community.
Just remember that moving your online community to get it right is totally worth it. According to Aberdeen Research, firms with online communities:
Since migrating your online community to a new community platform vendor is a big commitment, I’m sure you’ve carefully considered the change. As you project manage the migration, rely on these tips to guide you (and preserve your sanity) as you progress.
(If you’re moving your community from a social media group to a community platform, we have specific tips for you here.)
Unfortunately, for everyone reading who hates cheesy analogies, I’m going to continue the moving theme to help clarify each of these tips. But trust me, it makes total sense.
Before you migrate, here’s a couple key factors to keep in mind:
I’m queen of forgetting to label my moving boxes, resulting in chaos when I arrive at the final destination. To avoid a scenario like this with your system migration, don’t forget to outline which content you want migrated, like discussion threads, webinars, etc. Your new online community vendor will need to know this. Follow the same process and create a wish list with must-haves and nice-to-haves in terms of content, by department.
Just like when moving homes, don’t be afraid to purge. Know the difference between an evergreen resource that users still download, versus a webinar invitation from three years ago. Remember that the more content you bring over, the bigger lift your migration will be, so try to prioritize based on your goals. Don’t bring your childhood drawings from all those years ago (unless they spark joy, of course). Paging Marie Kondo!
Some things matter when you move – like the movers losing your new big screen TV. But other things don’t – like a chip on your dresser. Keep in mind which functionality is crucial to achieving your goals (like accomplishing your use case(s) for the community), and don’t sweat the rest. For example, one feature might not work exactly as it used to on your old platform, but no two platforms are exactly alike.
No two platforms are exactly alike, so don’t put too much pressure on duplicating look, feel, and functionality with your new vendor.
Most people feel frantic to unpack and get settled once their belongings arrive to their new home. With a little pre-planning (“This couch would look amazing in this room!”), you can save yourself some stress. The same is true for your new community. Before your members arrive, be sure to:
Managing an online community migration isn’t easy, but with careful planning, the project can become both a huge value-add for your company and line-item to add to your resume. And your successful online community can help you transform the way your company approaches the customer experience. I mean, did you see those Aberdeen stats at the beginning? Don’t let the prospect of the hassle of moving dissuade you from a great next step for your company if it’s the right choice.