Checklist: Top 7 Loyalty Drivers in User Portals

User portals need to engage with their target group to keep their members loyal. In this checklist, I present seven loyalty drivers that help retain your users and motivate them to interact.

If your user portal feels like a ghost town — with no new users joining and little to no interaction — it may be time to implement a scoring system. Such a system can accompany users throughout their entire lifecycle on the platform: awarding points for signing up, subscribing to the newsletter, completing their profile (including setting preferences), referring new members, creating and sharing content, celebrating anniversaries, and even for purchases made both within and outside the portal.

There are different ways to structure the points allocation. One option is to assign users a simple points account, where their score increases over time. Alternatively, a tiered points hierarchy can be implemented, linking user levels to roles and permissions. Once a user reaches a certain number of points, they advance to the next level—earning a new title, additional benefits, or a new role that grants them more rights, such as voting on new product designs or selecting content topics.

Users will enjoy watching their points balance grow. The more positive incentives you provide, the better. As users accumulate points, their loyalty increases—after all, who wants to lose their entire balance by switching to another platform? However, a pure focus on transactions, like the frequent flyer program Miles & More, won’t be effective if your goal is to build an active community. Instead, aim to foster engagement, interaction, and content creation across channels that amplifies your brand.

Leaderboards are an ideal way to foster friendly competition among users on your portal. They allow users to see which community members have, for example, created the most posts, shared the most content, built the largest network of contacts (keywords: multipliers, influencers), referred the most new members, or simply accumulated the most points. This kind of peer-to-peer comparison motivates users to become more active. The added transparency can also strengthen user interaction by encouraging the exchange of best practices, sharing of contacts, and collaboration on relevant topics.

As with all content and features within the portal, it is essential to align these elements with data protection regulations—and, if employees are also portal users, with labor laws and any relevant works council requirements. Without going into further detail here, it is important to note that in Europe, the General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR) applies, while in Switzerland, the new data protection law, coming into effect in the second half of 2022, must be observed.

Without a rewards catalog, points are essentially worthless. That’s why it makes sense to integrate redemption options directly within the portal. For e-commerce companies, this can take the form of a shop-in-shop model. Operators without their own online store should ensure that the portal software they choose includes this functionality.

Possible rewards include the following:

• Vouchers (products, tickets)
• Discount Coupons
• Exclusive products, e.g. as special editions
• Backstage Passes
• Badges / Digital Badges
• Signed products
• Exclusive events

It’s important that the rewards are aligned with the portal, the organization behind it, and its products and services. This ensures consistent brand extension and helps strengthen the overall brand experience in a meaningful and positive way.

Gamification refers to the use of game-like elements in non-game contexts. When the context is education, it is often referred to as “edutainment.” An online game can serve as an interactive feature that enhances a user portal, encouraging members to visit more frequently and engage in playful competition with other users.

At its core, every game follows the same basic structure, made up of three key elements:

1. the “trigger,” meaning the positive stimulus or incentive to try out the game,
2. the “action”, the activity of playing and
3. the “feedback”, the reward in the form of points.

Gamification elements can be integrated directly into the portal—for example, as a quiz that tests the user’s knowledge about the brand or organization, rewards correct answers, and strengthens engagement. Alternatively, these elements can be offered via a separate app. A successful example is the Nike Run Club app, where users earn badges for the kilometers they run.

An effective strategy for building customer loyalty is to actively seek their opinions and engage them in dialogue. One way to do this is through voting features, where users can cast their votes on specific topics and contribute their views. In the sports industry, examples include “Goal of the Month” or “Man of the Match” polls. Similarly, in the consumer goods sector, users can vote on new products, flavor variations, or design options.

Voting can take place either sporadically or according to a fixed schedule or content calendar. Alternatively, a user decision tool can be permanently integrated into the user’s personal dashboard. Access to this feature could also be unlocked only after the user reaches a certain points threshold and thereby advances to a new role.

One of the most important and frequently cited reasons for joining a user portal is access to exclusive content reserved for the portal’s community. This could include, for example, behind-the-scenes insights, a look under the hood, or access to a club’s training area. Users “pay” for this knowledge with their data—whether it’s contact information provided during registration or activity tracking of their interactions, such as creating or sharing content.

Instead of providing content exclusively, it can simply be delivered earlier. This knowledge advantage then convinces fans, readers, and guests through word of mouth to become members of the community.

Content created by users within the portal and shared with other members can either be made available exclusively—like in a forum—or be shared outside the portal by users.

When planning this content, creating a content calendar is helpful. Designed for a full year, it outlines the key topics on a weekly or monthly basis.

The better a portal operator knows their members, the more targeted the content they can offer: a vegetarian might receive a new tofu recipe, while a new fan dad could be rewarded with a club-colored baby romper for securing the top spot on the leaderboard. The user experience becomes more personalized—and thus more relevant and engaging—the more the operator knows about their users. This information can come from personal profile data regarding preferences and interests, but also from analyzing which channels the user frequents most and which content they prefer to share. Users also appreciate personal touches, like a birthday greeting or recognition of their community anniversary. These gestures make them feel noticed and valued as customers.

User portals are only successful when they have active and loyal members. The seven loyalty drivers presented here reward and engage active users, enabling the portal to grow continuously while supporting the operator’s business strategy.