At Badge Nation, we are absolutely thrilled to have wide range of member organisations issuing digital badges and joining the movement to champion transferrable skills and learning outside of formal qualifications. From multinational employers and regional authorities to small community businesses, we are lucky and proud to work with so many change-making Issuers and are truly delighted to see the applications of badging in a myriad of sectors and environments.
Despite the variety of uses for badges and the plethora of organisations that are using them, as Issuers there is one thing we can all agree on: acceptance rates are a crucial component of digital badging!
A digital badge does no good sat in someone’s inbox, gathering the metaphorical dust that its paper certificate counterpart would when lost down the sofa or behind the fridge. Digital badges are made to be accepted and shared with the world.
Whether you are learning about digital badges for the first time, a new or existing Badge Nation member, or just looking for information on engaging with earners, here are Badge Nation’s top 5 tips for increasing acceptance rates for the digital badges you issue:
Write great badges that your earners will want to proudly display
One of our Golden Rules of Badge Writing is to always consider why an earner would want that badge. Badges that are written with the earner firmly at the forefront, that can be used on social media like LinkedIn and featured in CVs, tend to have better acceptance and share rates. This in turn can provide further exposure for your activities, so it’s a win-win for everyone!
Try to write badges that will continue to be useful to the earner in the future, perhaps once they have finished their participation with you and have moved onto other things. Consider what will make the badge a brilliant addition to someone’s social media or CV – what activities have they completed with you, and what transferrable skills have they gained?
Consider how to include information about badges in activity delivery
We always find that the best acceptance rates happen where earners fully understand that they will be issued a badge as part of their involvement with the activity.
Inform your earners about being issued with digital badges when they sign up or participate with you. Help them to become aware of the benefits of accepting their badges – is there any space within your delivery that you could use to help earners understand how their badges will support them in the future?
Make sure your earners know they are receiving a badge (and that it’s from you!)
We’ve all been there. You have a bunch of badges to issue by a certain date, it’s another thing to tick off the list, you’ve finally pushed the button – done. But is that it?
Automated emails generated in bulk that contain buttons or links can often be picked up by filters and end up in junk folders for the recipient.
We also live in an age where people are more aware of internet safety than ever before and can be reticent to click on links that they are unfamiliar with.
Ensure your earners know that they are being issued with a badge and that they will receive an email with an invitation to accept it.
Contact your earners when you have issued them with the badge, so they can look out for the email or check their junk folder if it hasn’t arrived in their inbox.
How often have you swiped away an email notification with the intention to look at it later? Follow up a few days later – remind your earners about their badge with some top tips on what to do with it.
Consider how to wrap claiming badges into activity delivery
We have found that the best claim rates happen where earners have had some dedicated time to claim their badges as part of the activity.
Whether your activity happens in-person or online, is there an opportunity to dedicate a few minutes to supporting earners with claiming their badge?
Access the Badge Zone
The Badge Zone is our online hub for all things Badge Nation and includes our ever-growing Knowledge Base of how-to guides, text, and templates to support you and your earners through your digital badging journey.
We strive to be member-led and are always excited to chat about any questions or ideas you have around digital badges. If you are interested in starting your own digital badging journey, get in touch and we will be delighted to speak with you.