5 ONLINE TRENDSREINVENTINGASSOCIATION WEBSITES

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SAY HELLO

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Ray is Director of Client Strategy at Vanguard Technology where he blends 20 years of marketing experience with modern web principles to create high value websites that help organizations meet their goals. His career includes work with Fortune 500 brands such as Disney and The Home Depot and non-profits and associations.

Follow (and heckle) him on Twitter @rvanhilst.

Ray van Hilst

www.VTCUS.com

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ABOUT VANGUARDIntegrated Websites for Associations

Vanguard Technology is an online technology service provider specializing in website redesigns, content management, social networking, and mobile experiences for associations exclusively.

We integrating our offerings with Avectra’s netFORUM to create a seamless member experience to drive online engagement that supports the organization’s mission and meets their business goals.

Vanguard features the Sitefinity CMS and is a Sitefinity Platinum Partner.

Vanguard shares more than 20 clients with Avectra and integrates with both netFORUM Enterprise and netFORUM Pro.

For more information please visit your website:

www.VTCUS.com

www.VTCUS.com

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ENOUGH BABBLE….

5 ONLINE TRENDS

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“If you build it they will come…”

But… no one goes to hear a bad orchestra.

Content Marketing is an

umbrella term encompassing all marketing formats that involve the

creation and sharing of content in order to attract, acquire and

engage clearly defined and understood current and potential

consumer bases with the objective of driving profitable customer

action.

Content marketing subscribes to the notion that delivering

information to prospects and customers drives profitable consumer

action. Content marketing has benefits in terms of retaining reader

attention and improving brand loyalty.

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Content Marketing Examples

• White Papers• Infographics• Webinars• Emails• Fact Sheets• Blogs• Social Media (Twitter, Facebook, etc.)

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Content Marketing• A 2011 survey found that 82% of B2B companies

use content marketing• Predicted Trends

– Shifting Technologies (e.g. RSS to Google+)– Emerging content channels will steal the spotlight from

more established media– Curated Content– Search Engine Optimization including off site

optimization (e.g. social channels)

http://www.marketingprofs.com/articles/2012/6827/content-marketing-trends-for-2012-whats-in-and-whats-out #AUDC13

1 Billion

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“I Google something at least 12 to 14 times a day.”

“Google is my primary research source.”

“If I need something I Google it.”

“Google is my homepage so everything starts there.”

“I keep up to date on my industry with Google

alerts.”

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Personalization Trends from Adobe and

eConsultancy• 52% of digital marketers agree “The ability to personalize

web content is fundamental to their online strategy.”• 41% are “Committed to providing personalized

experiences.”• Data used to personalize the web experience:

– Personal Data– Browser History– Purchase History– Onsite Behaviour– User Preferences

http://infographicsmania.com/website-personalization-trends/ #AUDC13

Sharing Trends

• Facebook accounts for almost 53% of online sharing– An 18% increase from

2011• Pinterest is fastest growing

network• More options mean more

sharing• Mobile sharing is growinghttp://www.addthis.com/blog/2012/12/05/2012-social-

sharing-trends/#.USIiq6WyUz1

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5 Trends

1. Content Marketing2. Search Engine Optimization3. Personalization4. Social Sharing5. Responsive Web Design

YOU’RE PROBABLY ABOUT TO REDESIGN YOUR WEBSITE

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Top Factors for a Redesign

• 70.2% - Look and feel is outdated• 57.9% - Make it easier/faster to update;• 57.9% - Integrated with other technologies• 45.6% - Lack of functionality• 22.8% - Shifting business Model• 21.1% - Member Complaints• 5.3% - Board directive• 3.5% - Competition

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SELECT THE RIGHT TOOLSMake it easy to publish content

“The hardest part of managing a website should be writing the content. Not coding.”

Ray van HilstSome guy speaking at a conference

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More than just a website editor

WYSIWIG & HTMLNewsEventsCalendarShared ContentListsForm BuilderMultimediaSocial integration

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“My staff really likes their CMS [Sitefinity] -

they find it intuitive and with enough

safeguards that they're not afraid of

screwing up the whole site.”

Cathy StegmaierExecutive Director

Alliance of Cambridge Advisors

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Testing a CMS

• Give the vendor sample content to migrate in the demo

• Do a side by side comparison of publishing content

• Try a Sandbox Demo• Ask about training and documentation

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CONTENT MARKETINGCreate member value through content

“I am very much of a content-is-the-

most-important-thing [mindset]. You

can have the most effective

integrated social media platform and

every kind of technology, but if you

don’t have anything to say, you’re

done.”

- James Carville, Associations Now#AUDC13

Association Content Marketing

• Industry News• Press Releases• Magazine Articles• Videos• Education• Blogs• Newsletters

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Get Started

• Content Audit– What do you have?– Where is it?

• Identify your channels– Where should it go?

• Institutionalize– Get everyone on board– Adopt the Manifesto

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Content Pyramid

Social Media

Blog Posts

News Articles

Features

Evergreen Content Formal

Informal Right Now

3 Years from Now

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Content Marketer’s Manifesto

(Top 5)#1 – I am a Marketer

– If you are creating content – even editorial – you are engaged in marketing

#2 – I hold the hottest tool for retention – Content– Relevant content is the best way to create value

#3 – My content is aligned with the organization’s goals

– I create content that achieves my organization’s goals

#4 – I am in the influencing behavior game– My purpose is to provide value through content to influence and drive

behavior

#5 – I have an ongoing dialogue– Content topics are driven by ongoing discussion and listening to their

needs.

http://bussolati.com/manifesto/ #AUDC13

SEARCH ENGINE OPTIMIZATION

Making your content found

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http://readwrite.com/2011/12/13/googles-matt-cutts-good-conten

Good content trumps SEO

"Even if you do brain-dead stupid things and shoot yourself in the foot, but have good content, we still want to return it,”

“Google tries to make it so that sites don't have to do SEO."

Matt CuttsGoogle Webmaster Extraordinaire

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SEO Tips• Make it visible

– Relevant content can’t be hidden behind a login

• Know your relevant keywords… and use them!– Headlines– Body Copy– Internal Links

• Build links back to your site– Press Releases– Partner Sites– Social Media and Communities– Embrace Google+

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SEO Basics

• SEO Friendly URL• Title Tag• Keywords• Descriptions

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USER CENTRIC PHILOSOPHY

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Generalist

Jim• 26 Years Old• General RT in a

hospital• Early in career• Single, enjoys life

outside work• Transaction driven

Susan• 34 Years Old• Radiation Therapist• Hospital based• Married with two small

kids, always on the go• Transaction driven

Specialist

Sarah• 40 Years Old• Senior Technician

with many positions• Engaged at state

level• Married with two

kids (8 & 11)Careerist

Bob• 48 Years Old• Operations Manager• Service provider• Volunteers with state

affiliates and national org

• Married with active teenagers

Evangelist

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CEs Drive Web UsageTransactional 1

Transactional 2

Career Focused

Evangelist

Check & Manage CEs

X X X X

Continuing Education

X X X

Industry News

X X X

Standards X

Events X

Careers X X

Vote X X

Volunteer X

Advocacy

Member Benefits

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Welcome Box

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Easy Personalization

• Recognize Member Type• Renewal Reminders• Capture Topic Codes

FRICTIONLESS SOCIAL SHARING

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Engagement Pyramid – Charlene Li

Curators

Producers

Commentators

Sharers

Watchers

http://www.slideshare.net/charleneli/understand-your-customers-social-behaviors #AUDC13

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ATA Sharing(1 month)• 247 Shares

• 35 Clicks• 14% Viral Lift• Top Content

– Learning– Case Studies– Meeting

• Top Share platforms– Email– Facebook– Twitter

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ONLINE COMMUNITY

Why Online Communities Matter

• Members join associations because of:– Networking (22%)– Access to specialized/current info (12%)– Advocacy (12%)

2012 Association Membership Benchmarking Report, Marketing General

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Communities Align With Trends

• Create Content– Discussion Groups– Libraries– Blogs

• Facilitate Sharing – Connections– Networks– Relationships

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Conversion Points

Integrated Feeds

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Make it Easy

• Include with all other social icons

• Single Sign-On• Include in all

communications– Emails– Publications

RESPONSIVE DESIGNFuture Proof Your Website

Responsive Design

• One site– Consistent content management

• User experience is based on screen resolution

• Device Independent• Restructured Layout

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A website that responds to the device that

accesses it and delivers the appropriate output

for it uses responsive design. Rather than

designing multiple sites for different-sized

devices, this approach designs one site but

specifies how it should appear on varied

devices.

https://itservices.stanford.edu/service/web/mobile/about/terminology #AUDC13

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Desktop

• Define breakpoints• Prioritize content• Develop

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Tablet

Mobile

WRAP UP

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Top Takeaways

• Create good content– Put your users first

• Make your content easy to– Publish– Go anywhere your users go– Be found

• Expand your website’s footprint– Sharable content– Create user connections

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Q & A

Get more tips at www.vtcus.com/10-things

Download our eBook:10 Things Members Want from Your Association Website

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Ray van HilstDirector of Client Strategy and MarketingVanguard Technology Corporation703.439.1990rvanhilst@vtcus.com@rvanhilst

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THANK YOU

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