Company: AARP
Company background: AARP is a nonprofit, nonpartisan organization, with a membership of nearly 38 million that helps people turn their goals and dreams into 'Real Possibilities' by changing the way America defines aging. With staffed offices in all 50 states, the District of Columbia, Puerto Rico, and the U.S. Virgin Islands, AARP works to strengthen communities and promote the issues that matter most to families such as healthcare security, financial security, and social connection. AARP also advocates for individuals in the marketplace by selecting products and services of high quality and value to carry the AARP name. As a trusted source for news and information, AARP produces the world’s largest-circulation magazine, AARP The Magazine and AARP.
Contact: Maura White and Sandy Moreland
Title: Director, Audience Marketing and Manager, Online Community
Related URLs:
- Ask the Expert: Small Business Recovery Loans and Small Business Finance Tips
- Ask the Experts: What advice do you need on handling stress and anxiety
- Ask The Expert: Tax Prep, Services, and Saving Your Refund
- Ask The Expert: Managing Budget and Dept
- AARP Rewards: Share stories of kindness and thank those who have helped you during the coronavirus pandemic.
- Sharing Your Tips: Dealing with Staying at Home and Physical Distancing Contest
- Step Up to The Plate Health Eating Contest Weekly Challenges:
- GUT CHECK: Eat probiotic-rich foods three days this week
- MOOD FOOD: Include one omega-3-rich food in your diet every day
- ‘D’ IS FOR DELICIOUS: Include one vitamin D-rich food in your diet every day
- SCRAP THIS FOR THAT: Try regrowing one food from your scraps
- GUT CHECK: Eat probiotic-rich foods three days this week
- Online Community Fitness Friday
-
Fitness Friday Video - Zumba
Kudos Category: Keep Calm and Carry On
1. How did your team shift your existing strategy to better engage customers during a crisis?
AARP’s Online Community was able to keep its strategy of providing exclusive access to subject matter experts, provide useful tips and help prompt social connection by leveraging existing assets and programs.
First, the Experts Series program was modified to bring key information to help managers manage and cope with the COVID-19 pandemic.
Secondly, Caregiving Experts were asked to provide information in our Caregiving Tips area.
Third, the Rewards team held contests to surface high value input on how to manage at home and maintain positive mental health.
Lastly, we directed our conversation sparking on relevant topics in the health, money, social connection and wellbeing including hosting a Fitness Friday Video series.
Over 125 conversations were sparked in Q2, helping deliver 130K Views and 100K+ Engagements.
2. What operational processes did you create or change to respond in a time of crisis?
AARP modified its Expert Series scheduling to meet the demand of the health crisis, including for our members who are small business owners.
The first step included cancelling its Cruise Tips series which was to feature experts from Cruise Critic.
The team also capitalized on its strong interdepartmental relationships and quickly reached out to strategic issue leads. Through this partnering, the following events were coordinated, which included 4 expert events, 2 contests, and 2 crowdsourcing events covering 81 days (91 total), and driving 86K Views and 2.1K engagements.
Date
Supporting
Topic
Expert
April '20
Themed Month: Savings & Planning
Tax Prep, Services, and Saving Your Refund - Ask The Expert: Tax Prep, Services, and Saving Your Refund
Rosa Maymi, Senior Tax-Aide Advisor, and Volunteers from AARP Foundation's Tax-Aide
April '20
Themed Month: Savings & Planning
Managing Budget and Dept -
Ask The Expert: Managing Budget and Dept
Martin Booker, Financial Resilience Project Manager
April '20
COVID-19
Small Business Recovery loads and Small Business Financial Tips -
Ask the Expert: Small Business Recovery Loans and Small Business Finance Tips
AARP Expert Felicia Brown along with David Hincapie, Economic Development Specialist from U.S. Small Business Administration, and Belva Anakwenze, Principal of Abacus Financial Business
May '20
Themed Month: Health
Managing Stress and Anxiety Q & A Session -
Ask the Experts: What advice do you need on handling stress and anxiety
Dr. Barry Jacobs and Dr. Julie Mayer
Clinical Psychologist, a family therapist and a member of AARP's Caregiving Advisory Panel
June ‘20
Themed Month: Health
Step Up to The Plate Health Eating Contest
1. GUT CHECK: Eat probiotic-rich foods three days this week
2. MOOD FOOD: Include one omega-3-rich food in your diet every day
3. ‘D’ IS FOR DELICIOUS: Include one vitamin D-rich food in your diet every day
4. SCRAP THIS FOR THAT: Try regrowing one food from your scraps
Contest guided by nutritionist Sasha Hope, graduate professor of nutrition and human performance
April '20
COVID-19
Sharing Your Tips on dealing with staying at home and physical distancing contest
1. How are you staying connected?
2. What tips can you share for grocery shopping and cooking while social distancing?
3. What ways are you keeping active?
4. Tell us: What projects have you taken on? What advice can you share about this project?
Contest
April ‘20
Themed Month: Savings & Planning
Managing Debt Crowdsourcing -
Share Your Tips, Suggestions, and Advice on Managing Debt
Crowdsourcing
May ‘20
COVID-19
Share stories of kindness and thank those who have helped you during the coronavirus pandemic
Crowdsourcing
In collaboration with the AARP Editorial team, a new series called the Online Community Fitness Friday launched on 5/29/2020 in Online Community using AARP Studios’ 20-part, 10-minute daily in-home exercise series Get Moving! Wherever You Are, featuring five expert trainers. To date, there have been over 10K Views and participants.
3. What success metrics did you use to determine if your shifts in strategy and process had the desired outcomes? What were those quantifiable outcomes?The June CHI score was 728, well above the Khoros standard of a health online community. AARP Online Community has received a CHI score of over 715 for the last four years.
Q2 Engagements grew to over 100K, with Posts reaching record high 37K (+35% YoY) and Kudos 39K (+40% YoY) – both record highs. Repeat Visit Rates increased 25%, and logins grew 43%.
We also look to the the satisfaction of our members to let us know we're on the right track. Our rising Customer Sat score of 70 is gratifying.
AARP & Community,
I wanted to express my gratitude to the AARP Community and AARP Rewards. These past several months have been difficult as I am currently immunocompromised and isolated at home.
I appreciate very much the AARP Community, the informative articles and valuable resources. I just recently redeemed my AARP Rewards points for Home Chef Gift Cards. Having this home food delivery has been a life saver.
Thank you again and please stay safe and well everyone!
Suzy
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