What is Community Engagement Software?

I’d liken Community Engagement Software to be the tool to build an online club for your community, be it customers, users, employees, or another group with a shared interest. 

It’s a place where your community members can gather, chat, collaborate, build relationships, and ultimately help each other out. 

Circle Circle
4.9
The all-in-one community platform for creators and brands. Build and scale online communities.
Bettermode Bettermode
4.7
An all-in-one community engagement platform designed to help businesses build better customer relationships. Collect candid feedback and opinions of your business. Build trust and credibility among your audience base.
Hivebrite Hivebrite
4.4
We power communities, help them thrive, and maximize their impact. Launch, manage, and grow fully branded private communities.
Higher Logic Higher Logic
4.4
Some people connect businesses to people. Others connect people to people. We do both. Community software for B2B and B2C companies to improve customer experience and engagement.
Mighty Networks Mighty Networks
4.6
Build a community, courses, content, and commerce on Mighty. Online platform for creators to build communities.

Key features of the best Community Engagement Software

  • Discussion Forums: Think of it as the digital water cooler—where members gather to ask questions, share insights, and talk shop.
  • Content Sharing: It’s like an online library, where users can swap articles, videos, and other helpful resources (the more they do it, the less you have it :).
  • Member Profiles: Picture it as your digital business card, allowing users to strut their stuff, connect with others, and flaunt their expertise.
  • Event Management: It’s the virtual event planner, helping with the process of organizing and promoting events, webinars, and meetups.
  • Analytics: Offers insights into community engagement, member activity, and the performance of your content.

Benefits of Community Engagement Software

  • Drive Collaboration: It’s an always-on way to get your community to share their knowledge, and support fellow members.
  • Increase Retention: Like building a cozy clubhouse, it creates a sense of belonging with your community memberg, helping boost loyalty and retention (be it with customers, employees, etc.).
  • Build Brand Affinity: Your community members will appreciate that you made a place for them to connect with like-minded people.
  • Gain Valuable Insights: Learn what your community members really have to say about a variety of things, and note which topics stand out as bright or sore spots.

Who uses Community Engagement Software

Pretty much any organization with a community can use it.

From associations to companies and educational institutions, Community Engagement Software is your place-maker for online community-building.

Whether you’re a professional group, a company team, or an educational institution, if you’re looking to build a lively online community, one of these can be your go-to tool.

Implementation of Community Engagement Software

Getting Community Engagement Software off the ground is not exactly a walk in the park.

You gotta define your goals, tweak the platform to match your vibe, welcome members aboard, and kickstart the chatter.

It’s like constructing a city from scratch—meticulous planning and execution are key.

Oh, and don’t forget your community manager, the glue that keeps everything humming along smoothly or risk you community withering.

Comparing Community Engagement Software

Higher Logic, Bettermode, Circle, Hiverbite, and Mighty Networks each bring their own flavor to the table.

Higher Logic is a top choice for associations and large B2B orgs, Bettermode keeps things simple, and Circle is the new kid on the block with momentum.

It’s like comparing residential neighbourhoods — they all have a similar setup, but one will stand out to you as having the right feel for your community.  

Pricing: the cost of Community Engagement Software

When it comes to Community Engagement Software, pricing varies depending on what bells and whistles you need, customization levels, and how many folks you’re inviting to the party.

Typically, you’re looking at a monthly subscription, which could be anywhere from a few hundred to a few thousand dollars a month.

But hey, think of it as planting seeds in your community garden—you invest a little now, and watch it grow into something beautiful and bountiful.

 

Author

Joe Kevens B2B SaaS Reviews

I’m the Founder and Editor-In-Chief of B2B SaaS Reviews and the Director of Demand Generation at PartnerStack, the leading platform for partner management and affiliate marketing in B2B SaaS. My experience spans several notable B2B SaaS companies, including Influitive (Advocate Marketing), LevelJump (Sales Enablement, acquired by Salesforce), and Eloqua (Marketing Automation, acquired by Oracle). I hold a Bachelor of Commerce in Marketing Management from Toronto Metropolitan University and a Master of International Business from Queen’s University, with academic exchanges at Copenhagen Business School and Bocconi University.

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