5 Association Website Improvements You Need to Make Today

It’s no secret that your association’s website is a powerful tool for recruiting, engaging, and retaining members. In fact, studies show that increasing member engagement, such as visits to the members-only section of an association’s website, correlates with overall membership growth. 

Even if you’re confident that your association’s website meets the mark, there’s always room for improvement—that’s where this guide comes in. Let’s run through the top improvements your association should implement to revamp its website.

1. Use an Engagement Management System (EMS)

You’ve likely heard of personalization, which is a tried-and-true strategy for engaging your audience by using what you know about them to share relevant content. However, if everything you know about your audience lives in a separate database, such as your association management system (AMS), it can be challenging to apply it to your website.

As iMIS explains, an engagement management system (EMS) differs from traditional databases in that it includes website management functionality. This allows you to merge your member data and offerings, providing a centralized member experience across all systems. For example, you could allow members to access all of the following offerings from one portal:

• Membership details, including renewal options
• Training materials
• Your association’s online store
• Event details and registration
• Donation opportunities

Next step for your association: If you don’t already use an EMS, research the leading solutions, prioritizing a system with built-in website management tools.

2. Improve Page Performance

Over 60% of website traffic comes from mobile devices, and 53% of mobile users abandon a website if it takes more than three seconds to load. However, fast page speed isn’t the only expectation your site visitors have—7.3 million internet users rely on screen readers to access the web. 

These insights all point to one conclusion: Every page on your website must perform optimally to accommodate visitors’ needs and increase engagement. There are a few key components of page performance your association should focus on:

• Mobile responsiveness: Reduce image sizes (without compromising quality) with an image compression tool like TinyPNG. Use image formats known to load faster, like WebP files. Set a minimum font size (14-16px) to ensure readability on mobile screens and make buttons large enough (44px by 44px) to be easily tappable.
• Accessibility: Heading elements, alt text, color contrast, captions, and many other elements play a role in ensuring your website is inclusive and accessible to all. Research web accessibility requirements established by the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) for a full list of guidelines to ensure your website is compliant.
• Search engine optimization (SEO): While primarily used as a way to boost your association’s online visibility, SEO can also drive high-quality website experiences by reminding you to thoughtfully and strategically publish website content. Think about what your members (or potential members) search for on the internet, and use your website to answer their questions.

Next step for your association: Assess your association’s website to determine which performance factors need attention. Google’s PageSpeed Insights test can diagnose performance issues on both desktop and mobile, providing a detailed view of what needs to be fixed.

3. Share Engaging Member Content

From blog posts to newsletters to webinars, sharing content is at the core of your association’s offerings. After all, access to specialized and current information is one of the top three reasons why members join an association. 

It’s clear that sharing valuable content is an effective member engagement strategy, but what does this look like in practice? Instead of throwing content at your members and hoping something sticks, flip the tables by asking them to submit content.

Member-generated content can include blog articles, case studies, and other contributions that allow members to directly participate in the thought leadership your association shares. This helps members feel more invested in your organization and more willing to interact with each other!

Next step for your association: Collect member-generated content and sort through it to choose what materials you’ll share. As members interact with the content on your website, use analytics to measure engagement and determine what types of content best resonate with them. Consider looking for a mobile app that integrates with your membership management software and posting member-generated content directly into a news feed for members to browse. 

4. Incorporate Member Testimonials

Testimonials from satisfied members provide a sense of community for their peers and social proof for prospective members looking to join. Highlight quotes and video testimonials on your association’s homepage to showcase what your organization is all about. 

When collecting testimonials, ask for specific feedback. For example, instead of asking, “What do you think about our association?” ask, “What was your experience like at the conference you attended last month?”

For more ideas on what these testimonials could cover, consider asking members to:

• Reflect on past event experiences
• Detail their involvement in one of your programs
• Explain the benefits they’ve realized from their membership

Next step for your association: Review your member data to identify members who might be willing to give a testimonial. Reach out to potential interviewees and collect their stories in various formats depending on where you plan to share them. Don’t forget to have them sign a consent form beforehand that outlines the ways in which your association is allowed to share their story.

5. Maintain Consistent Branding

Your association likely has numerous member-facing resources, including your website, learning management system (LMS), member portal, and marketing channels. However, your website serves as the main hub for information about your organization, meaning all other channels should point back to it.

A cohesive brand is the key to accomplishing this, making your association easily recognizable no matter where members encounter your content. According to Getting Attention’s marketing statistics, audiences continually look online for brands even after encountering the brand elsewhere. In fact, 53% of U.S. consumers aged 18 to 34 reported searching for a brand online after receiving direct mail.

Build a brand guide for your association to ensure the branding of your website aligns with that of your other channels. A brand guide defines your association’s visual and messaging standards, including your:

• Mission, vision, and values
• Brand personality, voice, and tone
• Color palette
• Typography styles
• Logo guidelines
• Image and video standards

Next step for your association: Use your association’s software to identify member-facing channels that should represent your brand. If your association doesn’t already have a brand guide, work with your team to develop one and implement the logo, color schemes, font preferences, and other elements outlined in the guide.

Your website is a powerful tool for your member engagement efforts, but it takes the right strategies and comprehensive association software to use it to its full potential.

Update your website regularly to ensure your testimonials, educational resources, branding, and other elements are up to date. Additionally, conduct audits to help spot broken links or new accessibility issues before they impact a member’s experience.