Useful membership site statistics you should know (updated 2026)
In the world of fake news and information overload, it is important to get some facts straight and rely on data that you can trust.
So let’s look at some useful membership organisation site statistics which you can use to benchmark your data or simply read up on to stay up to date with the trends.
- Why do people join associations?
- What are the average member retention rates?
- What are the generational groups that sign up to membership organisations?
- Which recruitment channel should you use as a membership organisation?
- Which social media should you use as a membership organisation?
- Should membership organisations invest in a Learning Management System (LMS)?
- Which industries are using LMSs?
- Conclusion
Why do people join associations?
The latest 2025 data gives us a very clear answer.
- 54% joined to expand their professional network.
- 53% joined to stay up to date with the latest trends/events in their industry.
- 49% said it benefits their career development.
What are the average member retention rates?
- 90% for trade associations (those that recruit companies) which is the highest rate
- 83% for combination associations (those that recruit both individuals and companies)
- 81% for associations that only recruit individuals
What are the generational groups that sign up to membership organisations?
- Baby boomers remain to be the biggest generation group for associations at 27%
- Millennials at 25%
- Gen Z at 11%
Which recruitment channel should you use as a membership organisation?
- Half (53%) of all web traffic comes in from SEO (search engine optimisation)
- 27% of traffic comes from paid search
- 2.4% is the rate at which SEO converts traffic
- In contrast to 1.3%, which is the conversion rate of paid search ads
Which social media should you use as a membership organisation?
- 41% of associations use LinkedIn paid advertising
- 36% use search engines
- 35% use Facebook (for non profits the Meta’s ads have the best return on ad spend compared to platforms like TikTok).
MemberJungle and Nonprofit Tech for Good
Should membership organisations invest in a Learning Management System (LMS)?
Yes. At least the global market seems to be moving rapidly towards more LMS solutions.
- In 2024, North America held the largest share of the LMS market with 42.57%
- Globally, the market is projected to grow from $27.09 billion in 2025 to $82.00 billion in 2032
- 88% of associations mention a poor UX as the driver for moving to LMS
Fortune Business Insights and Fortune Business Insights and Atrixware
Which industries are using LMSs?
- Education: 21%
- Technology: 12%
- Manufacturing: 9%
- Healthcare: 7%
- Consulting: 7%
- Software Development: 4%
- Non-Profits: 3%
- Real Estate: 3%
Conclusion
Statistics on their own don’t grow membership organisations, but understanding them does.
What stands out is this, people join for connection, learning and career growth. They stay when they see ongoing value. And they discover associations largely through search, professional networks and increasingly through digital learning experiences.
Use these figures as a benchmark. Compare them against your own data. Look for gaps. Look for opportunities. Even small improvements in recruitment channels, UX, or learning provision can compound over time.
In a crowded digital landscape, informed decisions beat assumptions every time.