What’s the difference between badges, ranks, and category experts?

[mB_FrankEll]

• Badges: Rewards members on different types of individual actions or activities. Many badges are easy to earn and are awarded as soon as members start participating, reinforcing key behaviors early in the customer’s experience. Badges help identify a specific set of skills a member brings to the community. 

• Ranks: Rewards members for completing multiple, different and often unrelated actions. Ranks are more difficult to earn, and often the members don't know what specifically is required to earn a specific rank. While members can achieve multiple badges, members can hold only one rank at a time. A member’s rank is a better indicator of their overall status in the community rather than what they are good at individually.

• Category Experts: Identifies brand experts based on their participation in specific categories or boards and then rewards them with area-specific ranks and leaderboard standings.