Why your Association and Not-For-Profit needs an Outstanding Membership Website

Lynne Newbury

Around 97% of website visitors who come to your website are looking to do research on your association. This is a high number of people and therefore, your Not-For-Profit website not only has to cater for those looking to make a donation, entice volunteers and new members but also educate visitors about your association's industry.

User Journey

Statistics show that 47% of people expect a web page to load in two seconds or less, and if your website is too slow to load, 40% of visitors will abandon it and look for another. These statistics indicate that your website needs to be functioning at high load speeds.

Visitors to your site need to find all the information they require quickly and logically while keeping them engaged with the content. The layout of your site is important and when a user on your site experiences a logical user journey through it, they will end up at their desired destination if it's designed correctly.

An example of a site visitor reaching a desired goal would be to end up choosing and purchasing a membership type, or purchasing tickets to an event. There are a number of steps that the user needs to go through before they are convinced to become a member, and this can include a page on membership benefits listing exclusive rights the member gains from becoming a member of your association. Displaying a full list of the membership types available assists the user in making the choice that best suits their needs.

Visual Design

Many associations and Not-For-Profit organisations have outdated website designs and little to no calls to action. A website refresh is sometimes a great solution where you can update the design, user journeys and simplify the layout of the site. A logo re-design is also not a bad idea as they do tend to become outdated and associations want their logo to be bold.

The home page is usually the first place users find, and this page needs to direct the user where they want to go. If the user can't find the section they are after such as the events, news or sign-in section, you may be losing out on new members, and you may need to rethink your calls to action.

The design and layout of your website are key aspects in creating an outstanding and effective website where new members are drawn to sign up and utilise the association's resources you have on offer.

Please check out our portfolio to see who we have worked with and our membership management website designs