Model: The 7 Levels of Participation

The 7 Levels of Participation is a model that aims to present a guide and scale for participation, helping us know what level to pitch for our communities or projects.

My basic assumption: as the level of participation increases, the number of people who participate decreases.

1. Consult

The mass market looks at your content, most likely through search. Not part of your community. Not a regular reader. Make it findable and useable to first-time visitors.

2. Consume

Regular readership. The distinction from consult is frequency. Provide regular content and make return visits easy by delivering to the doorstep.

3. Connect

Formalising a relationship – subscribing, following, joining, signing in. An exchange: I give you this, you give me that. Demonstrate how it creates a win for the end user.

4. Compete

One of the pillars of participation is competition. Since the beginning of time, the lure of competing (and winning) has generated the most participation. Show a scoreboard and rank your users. That’ll create competition immediately.

5. Comment

Most early adopters are in the habit of commenting, but the early majority find it intimidating. Commenting represents the shift from getting more to giving more. Provide ways for users to add their angle and attach getting to their giving.

6. Create

User-generated content intentionally and specifically created by the user. The motivation is usually identity – the benefit of being associated. Show the identity benefits, with examples of others who have done it.

7. Curate

The highest level – going beyond creating content to curating it. The rarest and most valuable level of participation.