Member acquisition up, strategy down

The MemberWise Digital Excellence (2026) Report has officially launched, marking a decade of research tracking the digital evolution of the membership sector. Based on insights from around 480 sector professionals, the findings highlight a landscape defined by rapid innovation but also with significant strategic gaps.

As a MemberWise Recognised Supplier, we have identified five key findings from the research to help membership organisations define their technology roadmap for the rest of 2026…

1. The return to acquisition

For the second report in a row, new member acquisition has been the #1 priority for the membership sector. Driven by the rising cost of doing business and inflation, 44% of bodies are reporting an increase in new member numbers.

• The insight: While growth is essential, the report warns that focusing too heavily on acquisition can lead to engagement issues with existing members.

• The lesson: Sustainable growth requires a balance; acquisition brings them in, but engagement keeps your community thriving.

  
  

2. The expectation gap in integration

While core integration between websites and CRM systems has improved, the report reveals a deep-seated frustration with how these integrations actually perform.

• Falling short: A staggering 59% of professionals reported that ease of integration fell short of their expectations.

• Performance issues: Additionally, 48% found that both system performance and member self-service functionality did not meet the standards they were promised.

• The bespoke advantage: This data highlights why ‘out of the box’ isn't always best; custom-built solutions can ensure that integration is seamless and performance is optimised for your specific workflows, rather than forced into a pre-existing template.

3. The AI strategy gap

AI adoption has seen a massive surge, jumping to 26% across the membership sector, up from 5% in the last report.

• The disconnect: Despite this rapid take-up, only 6% of organizations have a formal AI strategy in place.

• Current usage: Most AI activity is currently focused on automating processes e.g. renewals (21%) and customising the member experience (10%).

  
  

4. The measurement challenge

The report identifies an  inability to measure member engagement as the #1 challenge for the sector in 2026.

• Manual methods: Currently, 75% of organisations still rely on online surveys to gauge engagement.

• The data opportunity: There is a clear need for more sophisticated, automated ways to capture behavioural data. Bespoke systems allow dedicated measurement tools to be built directly into your platform, providing real-time insights that standard software often misses.

  
  

5. Aligning strategy with budget

For the first time, the report explores budget management, revealing that most membership bodies spend between 2% and 5% of their annual budget on technology.

• The recommendation: The report suggests that to truly align investment with strategy and see benefits like improved member experience and efficiency, organisations should aim to spend more - recommending that 6% to 10% of their annual budget should be focussed on technology.

• Strategic alignment: Currently, only 14% of organisations confirm that their tech spend is firmly aligned with a clear digital strategy.

  
  

Key takeaways

This year's research makes one thing clear: digital excellence is no longer about having the most features; it’s about integration, performance, and strategic alignment.

As a MemberWise Recognised Supplier, Cursor specialises in building bespoke systems to help membership organisations bridge the gaps that standard software often leaves behind. Whether you are looking to formalise your AI roadmap or create a truly integrated member portal, let’s start a conversation about your 2026 goals.

Download the full report: If you’d like to benchmark your organisation against the full data set, you can download the research yourself at memberwise.org.uk/dx/. Happy reading!