Although strong ties are typically formed in shared settings, we know little about the characteristics of settings that attract and retain people. Meanwhile, the Internet has broadened the search for settings. As people turn to the web to find local, offline social settings to join, simple, searchable features- notably location, interest, size and age-guide their choices. Whether such features are helpful for establishing meaningful social relations has not been empirically tested. Using unique data on participation in online to offline communities, we explore the characteristics that attract members and the features that aid in their retention. We find that, although prospective members seek large and established groups when searching for organizations, such groups are less likely to foster community through repeated participation.
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