Does Your Association Need a New Website? How Do You Know?
An informative, professional website is vital to the success of any organization. Creating a website is only the first step. To make sure it stays relevant, you’ll need to regularly reevaluate it and make updates and tweaks. But how do you know if it’s time for a total overhaul?
Answer these questions to see if your association’s website needs a complete redesign.
Is your new member enrollment lackluster?
One of your website’s main jobs is to bring in new members. If you’ve noticed a drop in membership enrollment in recent years, it could be as a result of the way your website is set up. The form you use to register new members should not only be easy to find, but it should also be easy to complete. It’s best to also have a method for capturing the information of customers who visit but don’t enroll.
Does your site look outdated?
You may not realize it, but web design trends change from one year to the next. Once your site reaches its fourth or fifth birthday, you run the risk of appearing outdated. This can erode the trust you need to build in order to grow your membership and keep your own members happy. Trends like image carousels and overly aggressive popups mark you as amateurish and can cost you members. Take a look at other association websites and evaluate how yours compares. It may simply be a matter of choosing a modern WordPress template like Divi and then making updates to your content to resonate with your audience.
Do your members complain about a poor user experience?
Your current members are a great resource for determining how your website is coming across. Send out a survey and encourage members to take it. You can also ask a few trusted members to go through and jot down their frustrations with various sections of your site. Invest in an informative website analytics solution that will show you when guests exit your site or go to various pages without taking action.
Does your site reflect your current goals?
As an association grows, its goals change. That means the website you designed when you first formed probably won’t meet your needs a few years down the line. Make sure you reevaluate your site every couple of years or so and match it to the goals you have for your organization. If you’re trying to grow a more diverse membership, for instance, your website may not be helping you achieve that. Conversely, you should also reevaluate your website to make sure it’s staying true to your original mission since over time it can be easy to get away from the very reason you first formed.
Your association website serves as the first impression many have of your organization. At the same time, it becomes a resource for your current members, giving them access to the information they need. Consistently evaluate the site to make sure it’s attractive, easy to use, and giving both members and non-members the information they need.
If your association is ready to take the website redesign plunge, please contact our the design and development at our sister company, ArcStone.
