Meetup Frequent Questions
How much does it cost to join Meetup+?
$19 per 6 months or $29 per year. That's around $3 per month. (It's free to sign-up for Meetups.)
What are the current special features of Meetup+?
- One-to-One Messaging: the ability to send private messages to Meetup members who’ve opted in to be contacted by other Meetup Members. You can identify these members by the small envelope icon next to their name on the Members list.
- Write-In Nominations: the ability to nominate up to 3 venues a month for your Meetups that are not already on our pre-approved list of venues.
- Meetup Notebook: a customizable, personal web page for introducing yourself and sharing on-going notes and pictures; makes it especially easy to post opinions about the community-generated Meetup Agenda Items each month. A Notebook is like a weblog, but specialized for Meetups. Meetup+ members can make a Notebook, and anyone can view the Notebooks (for free). More info.
- Meetup Agenda: a tool for global Meetup communities to easily create Agendas for their monthly Meetups. Participants suggest and rate Agenda Items, and the three top rated Agenda Items become the "official" Agenda Items for the real-world Meetups each month. Like "hotornot", but specialized for creating Meetup Agenda Items. MeetupPlus members make the Agendas, and anyone can use the Agendas for their Meetups (for free). More info.
How does One-to-One Messaging work?
When using Meetup, look for the little envelope icons next to people’s names. You'll see such icons both on the Members list and the Message Boards. Wherever you see one of these icons, you can click it to send this person a message. While you will not know this person's email address, they will see your email address. It's their choice whether they want to reply. If they do, the reply will arrive with your regular email.Why can't I send a message to my entire Meetup group at once?
We understand how useful it would be to "broadcast" a single message to everyone signed up for your Meetup. Unfortunately we're confident that such a feature would result in so many messages being sent that those that did opt in to receive messages would soon opt out. As an alternative, if you wish to say something to everyone we recommend either attending the Meetup and saying it there, or using your Meetup's message boards.Why have some people opted out of being contacted?
Even though their email address will always stay hidden, some people are wary about letting strangers contact them. At your next Meetup you might want to mention to the group that they should visit their Meetup profile and change their "contact me" preferences. Hopefully, now that they've attended a Meetup, they'll be more comfortable receiving messages from members of the group.Are Meetup Notebooks similar to weblogs?
Meetup Notebooks are similar to weblogs, except:
- Notebooks have the specific purpose of helping people become familiar with other Meetup attendees.
- Notebooks are generally about a specific Meetup topic.
- Notebooks prompt the user to comment on the community-generated Agenda Items each month. (This gives people something to write about and lets their opinion count as a part of community-wide polling.)
- Notebooks are integrated and linked throughout Meetup, giving users the potential for a wide audience within the topical community that they care about.
(If you're also interested in full-featured weblogs, check out LiveJournal, Blogger, Movable Type, Xanga, Diaryland, pmachine, Fotolog, or other weblog tools.)
What should I write about in my Notebook?
It's up to you. To help, there's a section of your Notebook called "Agenda Notes", where you can comment on the community-generated Agenda Items each month. Perhaps you'll write about your experience with the topic, your Meetup experience, or maybe you'll tell people a little about yourself. You can change, add, or delete the text at any time. There's room for 64,000 characters, so knock yourself out!
What is the "contact me" feature on Notebooks?
The "Contact Me" feature on Meetup Notebooks lets other Meetup Members email you (via a web-based form) without disclosing your email address to strangers and "spam-bots". Only members of that particular Meetup topic may use the form to contact you. MeetupPlus members can make a Notebook, and anyone can contact you (by joining the Meetup topic for free).
Can I upload my photos directly from my digital camera?
Probably, assuming that your camera is 3 mega-pixels or less. Images must be .JPEG, .GIF, or .PING format, and under 2MB.
Do I need to shrink my photos to the appropriate screen size before uploading?
Probably not. Meetup will automatically scale your picture to the appropriate size for the screen (assuming that your camera 3 mega-pixels or less).
However, shrinking your photos before uploading will make the upload faster, and will save some of our network bandwidth.
What if I have trouble uploading my pictures?
It may be a temporary glitch, so try again. If you still have technical difficulties, please contact plussupport@meetup.com.
What is the default picture?
The default picture will be displayed as (a) your "thumbnail pic" on the Meetup Member the page, and (b) the large image on your Notebook when people view your Notebook. Your other images (if any) will appear as clickable smaller images. You can select any of your images as your default picture.
How many different Member Pics may I upload?
There is limit of 5 photos. (Storage and bandwidth are expensive!) You can delete/change your pictures at any time.
How do I pay for Meetup+ subscriptions?
Mastercard, Visa, American Express, or PayPal. Unfortunately, we cannot accept other forms of payment at this time.
Can I change the length of my MeetupPlus subscription?
You can change the length of your MeetupPlus subscription at any time at our MeetupPlus subscription page. We’ll charge your credit card or PayPal account when you do so and the subscription you purchase will be added to your current subscription. Ongoing auto-renewals of your subscription will be at the new price and duration.
How does "recurring billing" work?
For your convenience, we will renew your 6- or 12-month MeetupPlus subscription on the day it expires. We will charge the cost to the credit card we have on record for your account. We will notify you via email one month before this renewal; this email will include simple instructions for canceling your renewal. You can also cancel your renewal at any time by visiting your account page.
Can I get a refund?
We don’t offer refunds for MeetupPlus subscriptions. You can cancel your renewal at any time by visiting your account page. If you do so, you’ll continue to enjoy the features of MeetupPlus until your current subscription expires. If you feel you were charged in error please contact us at plussupport@meetup.com.
How do I cancel the automatic renewal of my MeetupPlus subscription?
You can cancel your renewal at any time by visiting your account page. If you do so, you will continue to enjoy the features of MeetupPlus until your current subscription expires.
How do I change the credit card you charge for my MeetupPlus renewal?
We will charge the automatic renewal of your MeetupPlus subscription to the credit card we have on record for your account. Most likely, this is the card you used when you originally purchased your MeetupPlus subscription. You can view or change your credit card information on record at any time by visiting your account page.
How do I tell when my MeetupPlus subscription expires?
If you subscribe to MeetupPlus, you can view the expiration date of your subscription at any time on your account page.
Why should I join Meetup+?
MeetupPlus members get access to special features (such as a Meetup Notebook and the ability to help set Meetup Agendas). Plus, by joining MeetupPlus, you're supporting Meetup's important mission of strengthening local community around the world.
Why aren't MeetupPlus features available for free?
It costs a lot of money to keep Meetup running. Our goal is to keep it free for anyone to sign up for standard Meetups, and while we earn revenue from other sources (such as listing fees from local venues), it's only fair that the most active users pay for Meetup. Also, it makes sense to charge for MeetupPlus features because Meetup Agendas should be created by a subset of the community (or it's too "many cooks in kitchen") and Meetup Notebooks, especially with images, increase our web bandwidth and storage expenses. More info about Meetup.
Can anyone read the Notebooks of Meetup+ members?
Yes. Perhaps you may become familiar with a MeetupPlus member before meeting them at your Meetup.
What can Meetup members do for free on Meetup?
It's free to sign up for Meetups, submit venue suggestions, vote on the venue for your Meetups, see your Meetup agendas, be a Meetup host, post a thumbnail picture, receive email updates about your Meetups, browse photos of Meetup, submit new Meetup topics, etc.
Where do Meetup Agendas come from?
Meetup Agendas are created by a group of MeetupPlus members. More Info.
Why are there Meetup Agendas?
People asked for Agendas. With a community-created Agenda, more people get interested in going to Meetups, the Agenda helps break the ice and stimulate conversation among attendees. The Agenda is merely a suggestion for discussion.
Should we stick to the Agenda at the Meetup?
Probably not, but it's up to you. The Agenda is merely a conversation-starter. You may find that your group discusses one Agenda Item at your Meetup, all three, or none at all. Meetups are just informal gatherings among local people with a common interest. It's your Meetup.
What if I don't like the agenda?
Meetups are informal and discussion is certainly not restricted to the Agenda. It's your Meetup.
What are the different types of Agenda Items?
There are three types of Agenda Items.
- A "Question" can be answered with a shorter, definitive response. For example; "Which do you prefer...?"
- A "Discussion Point" encourages a lengthy response. For example; "How do you feel about ...?"
- An "Action Item" suggests something you and others can do about your topic, generally a physical task. For example; "Let's post flyers around town about..."
How much does it cost to use Meetup?
It's free to be a Meetup member and sign up for local Meetups. It costs a small fee to be MeetupPlus member (to publish a Meetup Notebook and help set the monthly Meetup Agendas).
