How associations can [attract young members]

28th August 2024

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For associations, staying relevant in our new digital age is a key concern.

One important aspect of this is appealing to a new generation of members, whose needs, interests and desires differ from their forebears in sometimes unexpected ways.

Plus, with the internet comes increased competition for time, money and attention – a battle that many associations find themselves losing.

Add to this a cost-of-living crisis, and it’s no wonder that some feel that the inability to attract young members is one of the biggest existential threats facing the association industry.

Generation Z consists of people born between 1997 and 2012. Currently aged between 12 and 27, this generation now makes up a quarter of the workforce.

Indeed, as Baby Boomers retire and phase into retirement, Gen Z is becoming a vital demographic for associations to understand and target to ensure continued membership growth, member retention and organisational longevity.

Read on to learn more about this fresh generation and how you can leverage these insights to attract young members to your organisation.

Understanding the characteristics of Gen Z

One of the most important steps to take when appealing to a new audience is understanding their unique wants and needs.

Gen Z are known as ‘digital natives’. Having grown up with smartphones and other advanced technologies from a young age, they have a high level of tech literacy and high expectations of the programs and services they interact with.

On average, individuals in this age group spend up to 10 hours per day engaging with digital content across a range of channels.

Beyond being tech-savvy, the characteristics of Gen Z include being financially minded and pragmatic, particularly about their career and education, collaborative and self-reliant and highly flexible and adaptive to change.

Importantly, they’re also highly socially conscious, showing high levels of climate anxiety, and prefer to interact with brands and organisations that show authenticity, transparency and social responsibility.

While this leads some people to believe Gen Z wouldn’t be interested in associations, this is far from the case.

In fact, many in this age group want to find meaningful ways to connect to a community, especially one that reflects their beliefs and values. Additionally, they’re drawn to member benefits, social connection, training, mentoring and networking opportunities.

Being pragmatists and life-long learners, they also enjoy engaging with content that will support them in their education or career.

Go where they are

Beyond having an appealing offering, associations looking to attract young members should make an effort to understand where to reach them.

Being digital natives, it’s no surprise that you’ll find Gen Z online. Research shows that they are prolific users of YouTube, with 85% regularly accessing the platform, while 72% use Instagram regularly.

TikTok might only be used by 64% of young people, but for those who use it, it’s essential. 51% of Gen Z users say they use TikTok to search over traditional platforms like Google, and many use it as their primary source of information for news and opinion.

The popularity of these platforms illustrates the key role video content, including short-form video content, plays today.

Whether advertising is paid or organic, associations hoping to attract younger members need to be online.

Give them what they want

Contrary to what some may think, Gen Z isn’t necessarily against the idea of joining an association.

But, pragmatic and financially minded, they are reluctant to join when they can’t see a clear ROI.

Importantly for associations, young people today are seeking out opportunities for training, networking, mentoring and peer support. However, they are doing so through other channels, particularly free ones like Reddit, Slack and Discord.

With so much competition in the space, it’s critical that associations have a clear member value proposition and a marketing strategy that’s tailored to younger people.

So, what can associations do to appeal to Gen Z and drive membership growth?

As can be seen by the rise in video-based content, this demographic prefers to engage with dynamic content that is relevant to them and their educational or professional goals.

One popular solution for associations is to offer on-demand content. While some organisations offer this as a value-add for members, others are cashing in on the popularity of the subscription model, offering access to non-members for a small monthly fee.

Additionally, as Gen Z have high expectations for the digital technology they interact with, it’s important to make sure your online presence is fast, useful and user-friendly. This includes not only your main website but also your social channels, communications, event websites and more.

Further, young people today are in search of community. This provides associations a great opportunity to help them connect with others who share their interests and goals.

However, it’s important to note that this generation isn’t interested in bulletin boards. What they seek are meaningful discussions, authentic interactions and a place where they can stand for something they believe in.

With their interest in social activism, young people also seek out organisations that are socially and environmentally responsible.

Finally, when it comes to events, immersive and tech-forward experiences are the way to attract young members.

Remember, this generation doesn’t just see the internet as a tool but as an extension of the real world.

Think innovative tech, like event apps, which allow you to leverage gamification, messaging and polls to drive engagement and boost attendee experience.

Stay agile

Of course, as with every age group, the needs, wants and characteristics of Gen Z will grow and evolve as they do.

For example, as environmental sustainability becomes commonplace, they might shift their social awareness to other, more immediate concerns. Or, as they advance in their careers, their desire for interactive learning experiences may give way to a preference for more streamlined delivery.

For associations, maintaining membership growth in the long term isn’t just about doing the work to attract young members now but staying agile and continuing to analyse, understand and meet their needs in the years to come.