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As the year winds down, there’s no better time to reflect on your community-building journey. Picture this: you’re at your desk with a steaming cup of coffee, thinking about the wins, the hiccups, and those magical moments that made you say, “Yes, this is why I do this.”

2024 has been a whirlwind for community builders, with new trends, innovative strategies, and hard-earned lessons shaping our efforts. Today, we’re diving into what worked, what didn’t, and how you can wrap up the year strong while setting your sights on an impactful 2025.

Oh, and there’s a holiday bonus: a free Notion Goal Planner Template designed to help you map out your next steps. Ready? Let’s dive in.

Top 3 Trends in Community Engagement for 2024

1. AI-Enhanced Personalization

This year, AI went beyond chatbots. Communities embraced AI to create tailored member experiences, from personalized welcome messages to event suggestions based on member behavior. But here’s the key: AI didn’t replace the human touch—it amplified it.

Action Step: Explore tools that can help you personalize member experiences, like automated event recommendations or customized resource suggestions.

2. Community-Driven Content

Members aren’t just consumers—they’re creators. The best communities this year leaned into member-driven content, spotlighting stories, encouraging collaborative projects, and celebrating user-generated content.

Action Step: Start small. Introduce a “Member Spotlight” series or invite members to contribute to your next event or project.

3. The Rise of Online Summits

Online summits moved from niche to mainstream in 2024, creating shared experiences and driving excitement. These events brought in fresh voices and became powerful tools for member engagement.

Action Step: Consider hosting an online summit in 2025. It doesn’t have to be massive—start with a focused theme and a small lineup of speakers.

Simplify Before You Scale

One of the biggest lessons this year? Trying to do too much can backfire. A client of mine came to me overwhelmed with daily challenges, weekly events, and more. The result? Members felt as frazzled as the host.

What Worked: We streamlined their efforts to a single, consistent weekly Q&A session. Engagement soared, and members began to show up consistently.

Takeaway: Focus on doing fewer things really well. Simplification breeds consistency, and consistency builds trust.

Clarity Beats Creativity

I love bold strategies, but here’s the deal: if your members don’t understand what to do, they won’t do it. One community struggled with an incredible event series that flopped due to unclear instructions.

Fix: They reworked their messaging to make participation simple:

1. Register here.

2. Show up on [date].

3. Watch for reminders.

Attendance rebounded immediately.

Takeaway: Creativity grabs attention, but clarity drives action.

Listen to Your Members

When things don’t go as planned, ask your community what’s missing. One of my clients struggled with workshop participation. After a quick survey, they discovered the topics weren’t resonating. They pivoted, hosting a member-suggested workshop, and filled the virtual room.

Takeaway: Your community is your greatest source of insight. Don’t guess—ask.

Community Wins: A Story to Inspire

This year, Amanda, a fitness coach, discovered the power of small, meaningful changes. She hosted weekly virtual yoga sessions, but attendance was inconsistent. Her solution? Adding a casual five-minute post-yoga hangout where members could chat and connect.

The result? Attendance climbed, and members began to show up not just for yoga, but for the sense of connection.

What We Can Learn: It’s often the smallest tweaks that create the biggest ripples.

Your 15-Minute Reflection Exercise

Before you close out the year, take 15 minutes to reflect:

1. Write down one moment you’re proud of in 2024.

2. Identify one area you want to grow in 2025.

3. Set one small, actionable goal to tackle before the year ends.

For a guided reflection, grab my free Notion Goal Planner Template here. It’s the perfect tool to map out your next steps.

Looking Ahead to 2025

If you’re ready to hit the ground running, consider joining The Strategy Lab Retreat replay. This three-day virtual experience includes workshops, co-working sessions, and a toolkit to help you start 2025 with confidence. You’ll also get quarterly check-ins and ongoing support throughout the year.

Let’s make 2025 the year your community truly thrives.

Your Turn

I’d love to hear about your wins and lessons from 2024! Did you try a new engagement strategy? Pivot to meet member needs? Send me your story at Rachel@RachelBusinessCoach.com or DM me on Instagram @yourcommunitystrategist.

Resources & Links:

• Get started with Circle: Your go-to platform for building community
• Join The Strategic Community Co-Op: For more tips, strategies, and a space filled with like-minded creators
• Free Notion Goal Planner Template: Download here
• The Strategy Lab Retreat Replay: Learn more and access here