As the past year has shown, keeping people connected is no simple task. Despite the challenges of remote meetings and limited in-person interactions, some communities have been able to thrive in the past year. In this interview with Elastic Meetup organizers, you’ll hear tips and tricks for keeping audiences in the loop and invested in your community.
Some networks on Meetup have a presence in local groups around the world. One such network is for Elastic, an open source analytics software. The Elastic Meetup Pro network has nearly 150 local groups in 57 countries worldwide. Elastic’s local Meetup groups help more than 80,000 data enthusiasts and analysts to learn the ins and outs of using Elastic software in a community setting. Learn from their group organizers.
Finding your supporters in Europe
As Imma Valls (Spain) will tell you, the community aspect of learning about new software is key to getting your questions answered.
“Meeting people, learning new things, it’s worth it!”
Imma recommends finding a team to support you as you organize a group for optimal efficiency and enjoyment.
“I would recommend finding a few colleagues to help organize, as it makes it much more fun. For speakers, it’s a great way to get your ideas out there, in a safe place.”
With a supportive community, it’s much easier to try new things. Keep your Meetup events fresh by incorporating different activities. Switch up your events with new locations, icebreaker games, and networking opportunities. Get a sense of whether things are working by surveying your group members.
David Pilato (France) has learned a lot about community building since founding the Elastic France user group. David’s go-to tip for keeping a group connected? Consistency.
Having a “regular cadence is the key to success when running Meetup events. Don’t organize too frequently. Invite some rock star guest speakers if possible. Having Elastic engineers speaking might increase the credibility of the group.” —David Pilato
With a regular meeting schedule and a lineup of knowledgeable speakers, you’re bound to have an engaged audience who will keep attending your group’s events.
Stepping up in South America
If Felipe Queiroz (Brazil) can share one piece of advice, it’s to get comfortable putting yourself out there. You don’t have to be an expert to run a successful community. Learn as you go by stepping up to run a group.
“I used to think that there were requirements for presenting a talk or organizing a Meetup group, and I confess that this was my biggest mistake. What a wasted opportunity not to share my knowledge with the community and help out some fellows—all because I was being hesitant!”
Often, group organizers learn more than they expected to in the course of hosting an event.
“What I’ve learned since is that regardless of your career level, if you believe that passing that content on can add to someone’s life, don’t hesitate to do it. You’ll be surprised with the reward of having positively impacted the life of someone else.”
Felipe also reminds us of the important lesson that running a thriving community doesn’t need to come at the expense of the rest of one’s social life. In addition to contributing to the Elastic community, Felipe likes to spend his free time with his girlfriend, friends, and family. He’s also been spending a lot of time playing the drums on Guitar Hero. —Felipe Queiroz
Networking in North America
For Rodrigo Vanini (Seattle, Washington, USA), organizing a Meetup group within the Elastic network was a no-brainer.
“As a search and analytics guy, I got so much over the years and saw the Elastic ecosystem develop. For me, Elastic is one of those daily go-to tools that always brings me joy when I use it.”
Rodrigo couldn’t pass up the opportunity to learn more about a useful tool in the company of other users.
“While looking for local Seattle enthusiasts I found the local chapter of the Elasticsearch Meetup user group and started attending their events. I developed a friendship with the organizer at that time and helped wherever I could to organize and facilitate the meetings. When the local organizer had to relocate for work, I took over as the official organizer, and five years later, I have been there since.”
For Rodrigo, one of the best parts of organizing a group is the supportive setting. By keeping Meetup events casual and comfortable, people are more likely to speak up and get involved.
“Nobody is in the same room with a personal agenda. It is simply a group of people enthusiastic about software and willing to share their experiences with others. I also enjoy the networking possibilities and the simple act of meeting new people in an informal setting, helping others, and learning new professional skills. This has led to some awesome friendships.”
“No idea is too small, too simple or complex that does not deserve to be shared. There are members of the community with all levels of experience. So share your approach, experience, and professional or personal projects—It is a good opportunity to showcase your talent and network. Organizing Elastic Meetup events is an incredible recruiting opportunity for your company and a great way to showcase your engineering teams and projects.” —Rodrigo Vanini
When it comes to building community, there is no one way to get started. Whether you’re a seasoned organizer in Singapore or a newer organizer in Seville, a winning strategy is to meet consistently and have fun with your community members. For more tips and tricks about keeping your group members engaged, visit the Organizer Guide on Meetup’s Community Matters blog. To learn more about joining the Elastic community, visit the Elastic Meetup Pro Network page.
If you are an organizer who is interested in expanding your scaling your groups, check out the tools available on Meetup Pro. By upgrading to Meetup Pro, you can unlock handy features like the ability to create an unlimited number of groups, tools to share a single event across multiple groups, network sponsorships, increased communication abilities, and more. Try it out during a free trial.
Last modified on September 8, 2021
