Community Ranking Structure

[AARPMichaelP]

User ranks are an entertaining community element that encourage participation while rewarding quality and establishing reputation.  Every member in the community is assigned a rank based on various factors. Your rank is based on your engagement in the community, but it's not just how often you post, helpfulness and the value of your contributions also affect your ranking.      

The best way of earning a higher ranking is to visit our community often and talk to other members. Here are a few ways to advance your ranking:

• Posting and replying to other people's posts
• Giving and receiving kudos on posts 
• Marking a post as an Accepted Solution or having a post marked as an Accepted Solution
• Days of participation
• Using Tags when posting

You can see a person's rank in their profile or in any thread they have posted in, it appears just below their user name.   

We have 21 different rankings in our community with 6 of them being passive and the rest engagement oriented. Here is a better picture of what that structure looks like and how you can rank up:

Newbie is a member that has newly registered on AARP and has viewed messages in the community.

Visitor is a member that has progressed in their registration age and starts viewing more messages. They become a Regular Visitor as they consume more posts and login on a regular basis.

Info Seeker (Info Seeker +, and Info Seeker ++) is a member that’s consuming even more content and viewing other people’s posts on a regular basis.

Contributor (Periodic Contributor, Regular Contributor, Trusted Contributor, and Super Contributor) is a member who is starting to engage and become active in the community by replying to messages, and giving kudos. It’s possible a person can escalate from newbie to contributor very quickly.

Conversationalist (Bronze Conversationalist, Silver Conversationalist, and Gold Conversationalist) is a member who is starting conversations, giving kudos and tagging their posts.

Social Butterfly (Regular Social Butterfly, Recognized Social Butterfly, Trusted Social Butterfly, Esteemed Social Butterfly, and Honored Social Butterfly) is a member who is tagging their posts, being recognized by others via kudos, and others are accepting their posts as solutions.

In a nutshell, members that are consistently active have the best chance of achieving a higher rank!

[Anonymous]

💥Sunday - June 13, 2021💥

Hi @AARPMichaelP I got promoted today to Social Butterly and having a senior moment 🙄 with deciphering my next promotion from the info you posted. Thanks, Angela

[mi4090]

@AARPMichaelP 

I've noticed that Community Rankings for some members have changed, but not for others.

Will my rankings be increasing despite the problem with my ACE badge as you assured me?

I was moved from Valued which no longer exists to Regular.  

When will my increase to Rankings happen?

Thanks for your assistance.

Have a Blessed Day

Marylin

[mi4090]

Hello @AARPMichaelP 

Could you let us know how often member ranking changes?  

Thanks so much for your help😊

Have a Blessed Day

Marylin

[AARPMichaelP]

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@mi4090 wrote:

Hello @AARPMichaelP 

Could you let us know often your ranking changes?  

Thanks so much for your help😊

Have a Blessed Day

Marylin

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Hi @mi4090. We have only had one set of rankings since the existence of this community and that has never been changed until now. We don't envision making another change anytime soon. 

[MsStretch]

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@AARPMichaelP wrote:

User ranks are an entertaining community element that encourage participation while rewarding quality and establishing reputation.  Every member in the community is assigned a rank based on various factors. Your rank is based on your engagement in the community, but it's not just how often you post, helpfulness and the value of your contributions also affect your ranking.      

The best way of earning a higher ranking is to visit our community often and talk to other members. Here are a few ways to advance your ranking:

• Posting and replying to other people's posts
• Giving and receiving kudos on posts 
• Marking a post as an Accepted Solution or having a post marked as an Accepted Solution
• Days of participation
• Using Tags when posting

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Just curious.  How do you mark a post as an Accepted Solution? I'm not seeing that option.  

[AARPMichaelP]

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@MsStretch wrote:

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@AARPMichaelP wrote:

User ranks are an entertaining community element that encourage participation while rewarding quality and establishing reputation.  Every member in the community is assigned a rank based on various factors. Your rank is based on your engagement in the community, but it's not just how often you post, helpfulness and the value of your contributions also affect your ranking.      

The best way of earning a higher ranking is to visit our community often and talk to other members. Here are a few ways to advance your ranking:

• Posting and replying to other people's posts
• Giving and receiving kudos on posts 
• Marking a post as an Accepted Solution or having a post marked as an Accepted Solution
• Days of participation
• Using Tags when posting

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Just curious.  How do you mark a post as an Accepted Solution? I'm not seeing that option.  

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@MsStretch - Only the member who started the thread can accept a post as a solution.  The originator of the post or an Admin has this ability.  This is why you as a member WILL NOT see if on every post.  Also, please note that accepted solutions are turned off in Politics.

[Centristsin2010]

Very good info.  Was there a reason AARP took this long to explain the rankings.  It's been in place for years has it not?

[AARPMichaelP]

@Centristsin2010 It was the same for years. We just made a change for the first time, so we decided to explain once the change was made. 

[Centristsin2010]

Thanks, Michael  I don't doubt it's been the same for years, or that AARP just made a change.  My question is why weren't these published years ago.  Maybe they were and I just missed it....but I recall several posters asking for an explanation YEARS ago and never seeming to get an answer....maybe I'm mistaken and if so, my apologies.  The communication outward to the community as often been lacking.  Seems improved over the last month though.

Thanks.

[AARPMichaelP]

I think since the change was being made the explanation was needed. I haven't been in the community as long as some other have so I am not sure. @Centristsin2010 

[Centristsin2010]

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@AARPMichaelP wrote:

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Also, please note that accepted solutions are turned off in Politics.

Ahhh, c'mon!  LOL!  😃  🤣

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[AARPMichaelP]

Haha

[GailL1]

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@AARPMichaelP wrote:

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@AARPMichaelP wrote:

The best way of earning a higher ranking is to visit our community often and talk to other members. Here are a few ways to advance your ranking:

• Posting and replying to other people's posts
• Giving and receiving kudos on posts 
• Marking a post as an Accepted Solution or having a post marked as an Accepted Solution
• Days of participation
• Using Tags when posting

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@MsStretch - Only the member who started the thread can accept a post as a solution.  The originator of the post or an Admin has this ability.  This is why you as a member WILL NOT see if on every post.  Also, please note that accepted solutions are turned off in Politics.

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Why JUST "accepted solutions" turned off in Politics? ?????

They = people who post on JUST the Politics and Current Events board

• They just keep posting (on that Board) - that meets the "Posting and replying to other people's posts"criteria
• They just keep high-fiving each other (kudos) - that meets the "Giving and receiving kudos on posts " criteria
• They are there day in and day out - that meets the "Days of participation" criteria
• Many of them add tags or multiple tags to their post - that meets the " Using Tags when posting" criteria

Why should political bickering or discussions receive ANY rewards or increase in ranking? 

Seems to me that this "Community Ranking Structure" should mean more than just that - Don't ya think?  Cut that board loose from all ranking criteria!!!

[Roxanna35]

@GailL1   I guess  all of us in the Politics and Current events, have become Honored Social Butterflies, Does that mean that we are flaky? unimpressive?We only know how to argue?  and that is where  our knowledge lies? 
Gee, after over almost 20 years, to be seen as an honored Buttrerfly seems somewhat downgrading. 
So, If I start posting here, will my standing change. will I be seen in a better view?
I had always the impression that ranking occurred  when people posted intelligent posts about our country and our political views. amd issues of importance. Many have shown in that message board to be not only extremely intelligent individuals but very well versed in history and   many other matter that entail a high level of education. 
I guess that in order to become a better butterfly, I guess that I will join the rock and roll message board. Perhaps my knowledge on Elvis, will provide me with a better ranking.

[MsStretch]

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@AARPMichaelP wrote:

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@MsStretch wrote:

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@AARPMichaelP wrote:

User ranks are an entertaining community element that encourage participation while rewarding quality and establishing reputation.  Every member in the community is assigned a rank based on various factors. Your rank is based on your engagement in the community, but it's not just how often you post, helpfulness and the value of your contributions also affect your ranking.      

The best way of earning a higher ranking is to visit our community often and talk to other members. Here are a few ways to advance your ranking:

• Posting and replying to other people's posts
• Giving and receiving kudos on posts 
• Marking a post as an Accepted Solution or having a post marked as an Accepted Solution
• Days of participation
• Using Tags when posting

---

Just curious.  How do you mark a post as an Accepted Solution? I'm not seeing that option.  

---

@MsStretch - Only the member who started the thread can accept a post as a solution.  The originator of the post or an Admin has this ability.  This is why you as a member WILL NOT see if on every post.  Also, please note that accepted solutions are turned off in Politics.

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Thank, @AARPMichaelP , makes perfect sense, but I was trying to remember if I ever saw a post marked as  Accepted Solution, so that's what made me curious.

I also understand why this would be turned off in Politics. 😁

[GailL1]

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@AARPMichaelP wrote:

Social Butterfly (Regular Social Butterfly, Recognized Social Butterfly, Trusted Social Butterfly, Esteemed Social Butterfly, and Honored Social Butterfly) is a member who is tagging their posts, being recognized by others via kudos, and others are accepting their posts as solutions.

In a nutshell, members that are consistently active have the best chance of achieving a higher rank!

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Are TAGS used to locate topics ?

I have never used them or actually applied them.

Perhaps if there were more defined they would be used more -

Like

Social Security - too big of a topic needs to be broken down more

Like

Social Security - Spousal Benefit

Social Security - Government Pension Offset

But my main question is Do People Even Use them for guidance?

Most people who come here for info - don't search, they ask.

But maybe I don't understand TAGS.

SAME thing with SOLUTIONS - how many people use flagging a SOLUTION after they get their question answered - heck, some of them don't even give a KUDO or even a Thank You - or even respond back that they read the answer to their question.

I have (5) Solutions but they were back in 2019 and I think an AARP Community person added them, not the person who asked the question.

Again, Maybe I don't Understand SOLUTIONS

[AARPMichaelP]

@GailL1 This might help explain tags a bit further:

Adding a tag to your posts is important, as it helps other users discover posts of interest to them by grouping like content together. The tag area is located to the right of the New Message screen.

What is a tag? It is  a single keyword or phrase that describes the topic, theme, or subject of a post. You can add as many tags as you want, and should be separated with with a comma. 

[MsStretch]

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@AARPMichaelP wrote:

@GailL1 This might help explain tags a bit further:

Adding a tag to your posts is important, as it helps other users discover posts of interest to them by grouping like content together. The tag area is located to the right of the New Message screen.

What is a tag? It is  a single keyword or phrase that describes the topic, theme, or subject of a post. You can add as many tags as you want, and should be separated with with a comma. 

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Actually, @AARPMichaelP , I think you can only add a max of 5 tags.  From my end, anyway. 🙂

Tags are useful for searching.  Of course, you always have those who use tags to add further 'comments' (for lack of a better word).  I've probably been guilty of same. 😏

[cat0w]

Here is how I use them. To me it's like using Google only here it should take you to topics that have been created on that subject.

[sunluvngal]

I didn't realize this was going on, until i saw a member somewhere on this site ask a question about it. And then just today i saw this thread and, as a member, i thought i would share my thoughts on it.

This ranking of members reminds me of Elementary school as a kid and the singling out of certain ones to make them feel special, by giving them gold stars.  However, on the other hand, some that worked very hard but it was just more difficult for them to learn...didn't feel so special.😪

 I find it troubling that any website for adults would consider this a good thing or that any adult would care where they stand in the "ranking" on a website. Of course, that's just me.