Is Your Association’s Website Showcasing the Best of Your Organisation? Essential Elements to Regularly Update for Lasting Success

Your website is more than just an online presence—it's the face of your association, the digital front that reflects your organisation's mission, values, and commitment to your members. Whether your association aims to attract new members or provide ongoing value to existing ones, your website plays a crucial role in shaping first impressions and fostering engagement. Even your most loyal members will visit your site to stay updated, so it’s vital that your website meets and exceeds their expectations.

A website isn’t a "set it and forget it" asset; it’s a dynamic, evolving extension of your association that requires regular attention and care. Just as you wouldn’t let your physical office or meeting space fall into disrepair, your website needs consistent upkeep to remain fresh, relevant, and aligned with your organisation’s goals. By dedicating time each month to maintaining and enhancing your website, you not only keep it up-to-date and engaging but also ensure it continues to add value to your members and attract new ones.

In this blog, we'll explore essential practices to keep your association’s website fresh, up-to-date, Google-friendly, and engaging. From content updates to technical checks, we’ve covered everything you need to maintain your online presence effectively.

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• Align with Your Organisation’s Mission and Goals: Regularly review your website's content and pages to ensure they align with your association's mission and growth objectives. Consider whether your website highlights the focus areas, services, and resources you want to promote, as well as the unique benefits that help you attract and retain members.
• Blog Posts and Articles: Consistently publish fresh, relevant content that addresses the interests and needs of both potential and current members. This not only keeps your site dynamic and improves SEO but also provides valuable insights and updates to your community. Consider adding high-value content and resources for your members, placing these behind a login so potential members can see a teaser to encourage membership. You can even offer these resources for sale to non-members while providing them for free to members. Additionally, ensure your blog content is fully searchable and filterable so that past posts are easily accessible and not buried on multiple pages.
• Service and Resource Updates: Keep all services, member benefits, and resources current by regularly updating descriptions, availability, and any new offerings. Expand your pages with relevant content—FAQs are an excellent way to provide valuable, easy-to-find information.
• Add Value to Your Website: Include case studies, success stories, or member testimonials that showcase the impact of your association. Provide helpful guides, industry insights, and advice that not only demonstrate your organisation’s expertise but also add tangible value to your members.
• News & Events: Regularly post updates about your association, including upcoming events, webinars, new initiatives, or partnerships. Ensure these are easily searchable or filterable to enhance accessibility. Keeping this section active signals that your organisation is vibrant and engaged. Consider adding member events, allowing members to submit their events for listing. You could charge for listings or offer them for free, and automate parts of the submission process to streamline operations.
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• Keyword Research: Regularly review and update your target keywords to ensure they align with current trends and the search behaviours of your audience. Monitor your rankings monthly to track your SEO efforts and identify areas needing improvement.
• Internal Linking: Strengthen your site’s SEO by adding internal links to both new and existing content. This not only improves your SEO but also helps visitors navigate your site more effectively.
• Competitor Analysis: Evaluate how your association compares to others (not only in your industry, but other industries) and identify strategies to improve your online visibility and member engagement.

Top Tip:

SEO Audit: Consider having your web company perform an SEO audit tailored to your organisation’s needs. This personalised report can help you track progress and identify areas for improvement.

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• Navigation: Ensure your website is easy to navigate with a clear structure and intuitive menus. As more content is added, the navigation/menu might lose its clarity, so regular reviews are essential to maintain a user-friendly experience.
• Speed Optimisation: Regularly test your site’s loading speed and optimise images, reduce server response times, and leverage browser caching. Consult with your web company about services they can provide to help with this. Google frequently updates its speed-related ranking factors, so periodic adjustments may be necessary.
• Broken Links: Use tools to identify and fix broken links that could frustrate users and negatively impact your SEO.

• Fresh Visuals: Update images, banners, and graphics to keep the visual appeal modern and relevant. Consider refreshing your website’s look at least every 2-3 years. Most website providers can assist with redesigns without affecting your SEO rankings.
• Interactive Elements: Add or update interactive elements like videos of past webinars and workshops, slideshows, or member testimonials to increase engagement and provide a richer experience for visitors.

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• Google Analytics Review: Monitor your site’s performance using Google Analytics to understand visitor behaviour and make data-driven decisions. This data can help you better serve your members and attract new ones.
• Search Console Checks: Regularly review Google Search Console for any crawl errors or issues affecting your site’s visibility. Keeping an eye on these metrics ensures your website remains in good standing with search engines.

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• Contact Forms & AI Chatbots: Test and update contact forms and chatbots to ensure they function correctly and provide a seamless user experience. This is crucial for both prospective and current members who seek information or assistance.
• Member Testimonials and Reviews: Encourage and display member testimonials and reviews on your site. Regularly update these to build trust and credibility with both new and existing members.
• Email Sign-Ups: Ensure that sign-up forms for newsletters or updates are working properly and are easy to find. Email marketing remains one of the most cost-effective ways to maintain contact with members, fostering loyalty, engagement, and community.

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• Privacy Policy & Terms: Regularly review and update your privacy policy, terms of service, and cookie notices to comply with current regulations. This not only protects your organisation but also builds trust with your members.
• Accessibility Compliance: Ensure your website is accessible to all users, including those with disabilities, by following WCAG guidelines. Accessibility is key to serving a diverse membership.

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• User Testing: Periodically test your website's usability with real users to identify areas for improvement. This feedback can be invaluable in enhancing the member experience.
• Feedback Loop: Collect and implement feedback from members and website visitors to continuously improve the user experience. Engaging with your members in this way shows that you value their input and are committed to meeting their needs.

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• Browser Compatibility: Regularly test your website on all major browsers (e.g., Chrome, Safari, Firefox, Edge) to ensure it displays and functions correctly across different platforms.
• Operating System Compatibility: Ensure your website performs well on various operating systems, including Windows, macOS, iOS, and Android, to cater to all user bases.
• Device Responsiveness: Continuously test your website on various devices (smartphones, tablets, desktops) to ensure it is fully responsive and user-friendly, regardless of screen size.
• Software Updates: If your website uses plugins, themes, or third-party tools, regularly update them to avoid security vulnerabilities and maintain smooth operation.
• SaaS Advantage: If your website is hosted with a SaaS (Software as a Service) provider, take advantage of their backend technology updates. This can save you hundreds of dollars each month, as the SaaS provider often handles essential updates and maintenance tasks, keeping your website running smoothly without extra cost to your organisation.
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Annual Strategy Session with Your Web Company

• Review and Evaluation: Schedule at least one annual strategy session with your web company. During this session, allow them to review and evaluate your website's performance, functionality, and alignment with your organisation’s goals.
• Industry Insights: Your web company operates in the digital space daily and has insights into the latest strategies and trends that are yielding great results for other associations. Leverage their expertise to refine your digital strategy and implement new tactics that could benefit your organisation.
• Goal Alignment: Use this session to ensure your website continues to match your organisation’s direction. Whether you’re looking to expand, pivot, or enhance specific areas, your web company can provide tailored advice and updates to help you achieve these goals.
• New Opportunities: Discuss upcoming trends or technological advancements that could be integrated into your website, keeping it competitive and effective in the ever-evolving digital landscape.

By systematically addressing these areas, you’ll keep your association’s website fresh, engaging, and in line with the latest digital best practices, ultimately attracting more members and enhancing the value you provide to your existing community.

Ready to take the next step? Contact Membership Management Consultant today!