{"id":223940,"date":"2020-03-14T05:51:09","date_gmt":"2020-03-14T00:21:09","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.qcsglobal.com\/marketing\/4-elements-that-affect-association-website-experience\/"},"modified":"2020-04-18T17:10:37","modified_gmt":"2020-04-18T11:40:37","slug":"4-elements-that-affect-association-website-experience","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/qcsglobal.com\/blogs\/4-elements-that-affect-association-website-experience\/","title":{"rendered":"4 Elements That Affect Association Website Experience"},"content":{"rendered":"


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In the modern association world, merely hosting in-person meetings and live events isn’t enough to keep members renewing their membership.<\/p>\n

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It\u2019s imperative that you carefully think about your own association website experience<\/a> and how you can make it better for other users. Having a thriving, stable, and collaborative online community can help promote member engagement, retention, and acquisition.<\/p>\n

What is an association website experience?<\/h2>\n

Let\u2019s first discuss what encompasses a user\u2019s experience on the web. According to Usability.gov<\/a>, in order for a website to have a meaningful and valuable user experience, the website content must take into account the user\u2019s needs, values, abilities, and limitations, while also accurately expressing the hosting organization\u2019s mission and goals.<\/p>\n

For an association, your website needs to consider two types of users: potential and current members. These audiences have different needs and goals and your association\u2019s website should reflect both<\/a>.<\/p>\n

Consider how your website can urge potential members to learn more about your association\u2019s mission and what it can offer. At the same time, your website should also provide space for current members to engage with each other and continue to discover unique experiences your association offers.<\/p>\n

In this article, you will learn about various web design essentials that will affect your association website\u2019s user experience. Hopefully, with the following site elements, you can engage website visitors in a more productive way:<\/p>\n

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  1. Easy navigation system<\/li>\n
  2. Accessible online member portal<\/li>\n
  3. eLearning opportunities<\/li>\n
  4. Event microsites<\/li>\n<\/ol>\n

    You don\u2019t have to be a master coder to optimize your association website experience. Are you ready to learn more? Let\u2019s get started.<\/p>\n

    \"navigation<\/div>\n

    1. Provide an easy navigation system<\/h3>\n

    You might not consider your website\u2019s navigation system as a high priority, but think about it as a visual map<\/a> of your entire online presence. Without an accessible and clearly organized website menu, users won\u2019t know how to get from one page to another. How will potential members find out about your upcoming events if they don\u2019t even know how to get there?\u00a0<\/p>\n

    As soon as a user enters your site, the navigation system should be prominent without overpowering the entire page. This first impression is extremely important, especially for these two reasons.\u00a0<\/p>\n

    Your website is the gateway for potential new association members. As soon as a person hears about your association, the first place they\u2019re looking is online. Ensure that your website\u2019s branding is aligned with your organization and presents all necessary information a prospective member might be seeking. For instance, the navigation bar can include links to the mission statement, current member testimonials, upcoming opportunities, and member guidelines.\u00a0<\/p>\n

    Your website is a resource for current members. Your website should serve as a hub for your current members and host all necessary information, such as an event calendar or FAQs<\/a>. This is also a great place to encourage online engagement, whether that\u2019s through connections to social media platforms or an accessible online portal where members can easily interact with each other.<\/p>\n

    Don\u2019t risk users entering your website and immediately exiting because they don\u2019t know how to navigate it. Preemptively eliminate any confusion by offering all essentials up front.\u00a0<\/p>\n

    \"online<\/div>\n

    2. Host an accessible online member portal<\/h3>\n

    Members often join associations to meet others in their field and learn from each other, so it\u2019s a huge mistake<\/a> to not have any type of online opportunity for members to engage. With 90% of Americans<\/a> using the internet regularly and your association membership constantly growing, a dedicated place for online engagement becomes a necessity.<\/p>\n

    It\u2019s important to go the extra mile to exceed modern members\u2019 expectations<\/a>. Your best bet is to host an online member portal that can be accessed from your main organization\u2019s website.<\/p>\n

    Within the online portal, your association\u2019s members can:<\/p>\n