Change is inevitable in the world of customer marketing and advocacy (CMA), and this is especially true when it comes to the tools we rely on. With platforms constantly evolving, advocacy professionals are finding themselves faced with the often overwhelming task of reassessing tools and strategies… and possibly making the dreaded change to a new platform.
Why Doing It Right, Matters
A platform migration is a potentially very disruptive time, not just for your team but also for your customers. It’s imperative that it’s done well, done right and executed smoothly to avoid losing trust from your audience. Failing to properly plan can leave yourself open to fires or blockers that could affect transition time, audience experience, and internal stakeholder buy-in.
Here at Captivate Collective, one of the most common transitions we see companies facing right now is migrating away from Influitive, a platform that has been foundational for numerous advocacy programs, but has faced struggles after their recent acquisition by Jigsaw Interactive. However, moving from Influitive to another platform can create a radical change in program architecture and experience. This can affect your entire program from top to bottom.
Learn more about Captivate Collective’s Platform Migration Services.
To tackle this issue head-on, we held a webinar with advocacy leaders going through or completing migrations themselves. They shared valuable insights and best practices that apply not just to migrating from Influitive, but for any CMA facing a platform change. Here are some of our favorite takeaways from the webinar, or catch all the incredible insights and tips by watching the webinar replay.
Start With Strategy, Not Software
Choosing to change your advostack shouldn't start with selecting new technology. Instead, begin by reassessing your strategy.
"A platform is not a program. You really want to think through how you're going to deliver value through your program and use that to inform your strategy through your platform of choice." Amy Ng, Senior Advocacy Consultant, Captivate Collective
Consider these critical questions:
- Is this still the best program architecture for engaging your audience?
- Are you targeting and reaching the right audience?
- What else may have changed with remit, budget, resourcing, bandwidth, tech stack, etc.since the original implementation?
By answering these questions, you'll clarify your strategy, which will help inform your decision process as you move forward with all of the technology choices behind a specific advocacy engagement program.
One of the biggest decisions you will need to make is the type of program architecture your program requires. The 2025 CMA Technology Landscape Report supports the following three program architecture options:
- Destinationless
- Community+
- Dedicated Environment
If you want a fun explainer for these options, check out Deena Zenyk's recent Advocacy in the Wild installment where she outlines these platform types from the forests of Vancouver Island.
Once you have decided on your platform architecture, it's time to get started with a plan. This might feel like a monumental task, but Amy Ng, who has worked on many migrations, offers the following 10 step plan for moving forward with your migration with confidence.
10 Key Steps For a Successful Platform Migration
- Settle on your sunset date and create a work back schedule.
- Notify internal stakeholders and provide enablement assets.
- Align with the tech team to sunset integrations, SSO, SPF / DKIM, etc.
- Connect with Legal on points and a spike in reward redemptions.
- Build your member comms and comms calendar.
- Turn off active join codes and invites.
- Sunset old content and reduce challenge publishing.
- Lock ineligible, duplicate, and badvocate accounts.
- Audit content, members, and reporting for data exports.
- Draft your desired lock screen message.
Expert Insights and Tips
During the webinar, the panelists offered a number of best practices, lessons learned, and insights from their own experiences. Here are a few of our favorites.
Expert Tip #1 - Communication Is Key
"Communication was absolutely key. We were openly communicating with customers months before sunsetting our program." Huw Wigley, Advocacy Manager at SUSE
Clear, transparent, and proactive communication with your audience and internal stakeholders can significantly impact the success of your migration.
Regular communication, through a variety of channels that meet your customers where they are, ensures your customers understand what's happening, why changes are being made, and what they can expect next. It also helps maintain trust and goodwill, essential for any customer-centric initiative.
Expert Tip #2 - Engage Customers Early and Often
"We have taken our customers along for the ride. They've helped us design our new advocacy program, which has strengthened their trust and engagement." Jeni Asaba, Senior Manager of Community Engagement at Jamf
Customer involvement in the migration process can make a considerable difference.
Inviting customers to participate in shaping your new program not only builds deeper relationships but also ensures that your program aligns closely with customer preferences and expectations.
Expert Tip #3 - Effective Data Management
"Resist the urge to take everything with you… Be intentional about what data is necessary for your new environment." Amy Ng, Senior Advocacy Consultant, Captivate Collective
Data management can seem daunting during a migration, yet it's a critical element of success. This is your chance to clean house and come out much stronger for it.
An audit of existing content and data will help determine what's valuable and relevant moving forward. Consider segmenting your members and documenting processes that are critical for ongoing success. Clean, relevant data ensures your new platform remains effective and user-friendly.
Expert Tip #4 - Allow Sufficient Time
"Give yourself at least six months to plan and execute the migration. This timeframe allows you to address any unexpected issues without rushing." Jenni Adair, Commvault
A smooth migration requires adequate preparation and lead time. Give yourself the gift of time by planning in buffers so you don’t end up in a crisis situation.
By providing enough time to handle the complexities of a migration you can mitigate stress and enhance the quality of the transition experience for both admins and community members.
Expert Tip #5 - Embrace Innovation
While migrating off Influitive might feel overwhelming initially, it presents an excellent opportunity for innovation. Many companies discover unexpected advantages from transitioning to new platforms or strategies. For instance, Huw Wigley found that shifting away from Influitive brought sharper strategic focus:
"We are now laser-focused on where we provide the most value to our business."
Similarly, Jenny Asaba experienced significant program evolution:
"Our advocacy program now looks wildly different, and that's exciting. The migration pushed us to rethink and reimagine our approach entirely."
FAQ’s
There are lots of questions that come up around how to tackle a migration. Here are a few common questions you might have, and the answers from the experts.
How long should I plan for an Influitive migration?
The panel of experts recommended planning at least six months for an Influitive migration. This provides enough time to audit data, prepare communications, phase out content, sunset integrations, and transition members thoughtfully. Some panelists shared that shorter timelines increased stress and complexity, while those with longer windows experienced smoother transitions.
What should I do with member points and rewards during an Influitive migration?
One of the top concerns is managing member expectations around points and redemptions. Many successful migrations included creative reward strategies like raffles, limited-time redemptions, or custom “thank you” gifts to acknowledge loyal participants. Planning and budget alignment with legal and finance teams is critical to handle this piece transparently and fairly.
Do I need to bring all members and data with me when migrating off Influitive?
Not necessarily. One of the biggest lessons shared was to resist the urge to bring everything. Migrating is a perfect time to clean house—segment your members, archive outdated content, and only carry forward high-value data that aligns with your future goals. The key is to be intentional to avoid cluttering your new platform with legacy baggage.
How should I communicate an Influitive migration to my members?
Transparent, early, and consistent communication was emphasized as a major success factor. Panelists suggested looping in members months in advance, keeping them informed about timelines and upcoming changes, and even involving them in shaping the new experience. This builds trust and eases the transition while maintaining engagement.
What are the biggest challenges during an Influitive migration?
Common challenges include managing reward redemptions, translating workflows into new platforms, retraining internal teams, and navigating technical dependencies like integrations and single sign-on. Having a detailed workback plan and engaging a technical partner early in the process can help mitigate these issues.
Are there any unexpected benefits of migrating off Influitive?
Yes! Many panelists reported that the migration process prompted them to rethink their strategy and refocus on delivering measurable business value. One participant noted that their new setup allowed them to be “laser-focused” on ROI-driven outcomes like customer references and feedback, rather than just engagement metrics.
Thriving Beyond the Transition
Migrating from Influitive, or any established advocacy platform, is more than just a technical challenge; it’s an opportunity to refine your advocacy strategy and enhance customer engagement. By prioritizing strategic alignment, clear communication, customer engagement, and effective data management, your transition can result in a better advocacy program that more strongly aligns with business outcomes, and supports stronger returns. This can also increase buy-in from leadership and other internal stakeholders.
Remember, successful advocacy programs continuously evolve to keep pace with shifting customer expectations and technological advancements. Embrace the change as an opportunity—not just to survive, but to thrive.
