Hi everyone! đź‘‹
Keeping users engaged across both a community forum like Vanilla and a ticketing platform like Zendesk can be a balancing act, but when done right, it creates an amazing experience for your users. They get the best of both worlds: the ability to talk to their peers and get creative ideas in the community, and access to support agents for more precise or technical questions. Here are my top 10 tips for keeping engagement high across both platforms!
1. Encourage Peer-to-Peer SupportYour community is full of people with unique insights! Encourage users to ask questions and share their knowledge. It’s a great way to build connections and trust within the community.
2. Promote the Zendesk Knowledge Base in the CommunityUsers love exploring on their own. By linking Zendesk articles within relevant forum threads, you empower them to find answers themselves while still engaging with the community.
3. Use Gamification in the CommunityReward users for participating in discussions, helping others, and sharing their expertise. Badges, leaderboards, or community titles are all great ways to boost engagement on your Vanilla forum.
4. Offer Direct Links to SupportMake it easy for users to switch from the community to Zendesk when they need specific or technical help. A “Need more help?” button on forum threads can be a simple, effective solution.
5. Highlight Community Power UsersEvery community has champions! Promote power users and create a space for them to shine. People often turn to fellow users for ideas before reaching out to agents.
6. Use Community Data to Refine SupportMonitor common community questions and patterns. Use this insight to inform your Zendesk support team, so they can create more targeted FAQs and knowledge base articles.
7. Create Joint Community and Zendesk WebinarsHost webinars or Q&A sessions where users can talk to both power users and support agents. This creates a bridge between the community and technical support, enhancing the user experience.
8. Maintain a Friendly Tone on Both PlatformsWhether it’s in the forum or Zendesk ticketing, a warm and supportive tone makes all the difference. People are more likely to engage when they feel welcomed.
9. Ensure Community Content is Searchable in ZendeskSometimes, the best answers are from peers. By making community content searchable in Zendesk, you give users a more complete source of answers.
10. Celebrate Wins Across PlatformsWhether it’s a resolved Zendesk ticket or a popular community post, celebrate success stories across both platforms. Highlight these stories to show the value of both community discussions and agent support.
I hope these tips help in keeping your users engaged and happy! If you have any more suggestions, feel free to drop them below!
