Tips for writing an onboard welcome message

[Olivia]

A thoughtful and inclusive onboarding welcome message sets the tone for a positive relationship and fosters a sense of belonging for you new community members.

Below, I outline key tips for crafting an effective onboarding welcome message for your new users.

Express Excitement:

Starting with enthusiasm is crucial when welcoming new users. New users often experience nervousness and apprehension as they embark on their journey with your community. Demonstrating your excitement about their arrival and explaining how they can easily get accustomed to the community helps alleviate anxiety and establishes an immediate sense of acceptance and enthusiasm.

Introduce Colleagues

The initial moments in a new community can be overwhelming, as new users navigate unfamiliar faces and technology. Ease this transition by introducing mentors, ambassadors, and expert users. Encourage interactions and provide opportunities for your users to get to know one another. Breaking the ice fosters a sense of camaraderie and helps newcomers feel more at ease and integrated.

Emphasize Support

One of the primary concerns for new users is the fear of making mistakes. It is vital to convey that you, as their community manager, and other users are available to offer support and guidance. Assure them that they can reach out for assistance whenever needed. This reassurance diminishes anxiety and empowers new users  to seek help when required.

Outline Rules, Expectations, and Goals

Clarity is key to ensuring that new users feel comfortable and confident in their roles. In their onboarding, provide a comprehensive overview of the community's rules, expectations, and goals. This information equips them with a clear understanding of what is expected, reducing concerns about rule violations or goal attainment. A well-informed userbase contributes to the smooth functioning of the community.

In conclusion, a warm and inclusive onboarding welcome message plays a vital role in ensuring a positive start for new employees. By expressing excitement, introducing colleagues, emphasizing support, and outlining expectations, you create an environment where new users feel welcomed, valued, and well-prepared for their roles. This approach not only sets a positive tone for their journey within your community but also contributes to a thriving and cohesive culture.

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[Kane]

Frankly speaking, when I join communities and when I receive welcome message, I do not read the message. I just check if they have added any links to pages that I should be reading. If there are links I check them. I do not send welcome messages. However, on my forums I like to have important pages on the top so that users can read rules and other important announcement.

[Nomad]

I don't write on board message. My forums has rules, terms of services and support forums in the top and users can check those topics to learn about community. I do not like to bombard users with private messages. I believe all communication should be in the main forums and not through private messages.

[Shortie]

I tend to have it set so that onboarding private messages and onboarding emails are sent to new users welcoming them to the forum. These onboarding messages contain useful information and links to help them as they first join the forum and I feel that helps a lot, especially those who may find it difficult joining a new forum.