{"id":7538,"date":"2021-09-21T06:00:00","date_gmt":"2021-09-21T10:00:00","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.meetup.com\/blog\/?p=7538"},"modified":"2023-09-22T16:35:15","modified_gmt":"2023-09-22T20:35:15","slug":"where-meetup-is-headed-an-update-from-ceo-david-siegel","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.meetup.com\/blog\/where-meetup-is-headed-an-update-from-ceo-david-siegel\/","title":{"rendered":"Where Meetup is Headed: An Update from CEO David Siegel"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

Dear Meetup Community Members,<\/p>\n\n\n\n

As another season comes to a close, my thoughts turn to what has transpired so far in yet another unprecedented year. I’d like to take this opportunity to share an update with you about what has been accomplished, where Meetup is going, and how you can take part in our future.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

But first, I’d like to thank everyone who contributed to the initiative to complete 20 million good deeds to commemorate the 20th anniversary of 9\/11<\/a>. The generosity of the Meetup community fills me with pride and gratitude. As a native New Yorker, I was humbled to see this historic act of compassion, teamwork, and altruism again in my lifetime.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

So far in 2021<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

After more than a year of limited social interaction, it’s clearer than ever that there is no substitute for genuine human connections. So far this year, 3 million people have joined Meetup as new members. More than 40,000 people stepped up to build community as Meetup group organizers. As people recognize the need for community, they continue to turn to Meetup to find their people.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

We’ve noticed some fascinating and promising trends within the platform. For the first time, “friends” was the top-searched term on Meetup<\/a>. Instead of searching for groups and events based on topics like “volleyball” or “knitting,” people were looking for friendship. This underscores the necessity of our mission. Meetup isn’t just an outlet to pursue passions, it’s a place to connect with other people. Meetup organizers aren’t simply event planners, they are catalysts for community.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Meetup’s goal to bring people together over shared interests remains our north star and a guiding principle for what we do. In the past year, our product team has launched a slew of updates to our website and mobile apps to improve community building, including:<\/p>\n\n\n\n