build a better website. 5 online trends to employ now!

Build a BetterAssociation Website!5 Online Trends to

Employ Now!Presented by

Ray van HilstDirector, Client Strategy and Marketing

5 Online Trends

“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.

Content Marketing Examples

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

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

1 Billion

“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.”

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/

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 growing

http://www.addthis.com/blog/2012/12/05/2012-social-sharing-trends/#.USIiq6WyUz1

5 Trends

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

You’re Probably About ReadyTo Redesign Your Website

40% of sites are more than 3 years old

50% will build a new site within 2 years

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

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 on a webinar

WYSIWIG & HTMLNewsEventsCalendarShared ContentListsForm BuilderMultimediaSocial integration

“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

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

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

Content Marketing for Associations• Industry News•Press Releases•Magazine Articles•Videos•Education•Blogs•Newsletters

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

Content Pyramid

Social Media

Blog Posts

News Articles

Features

Evergreen Content Formal

Informal Right Now

3 Years from Now

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/

Search Engine OptimizationMaking your content found

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

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+

SEO Basics

•SEO Friendly URL•Title Tag•Keywords•Descriptions

User Centric Philosophy

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

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

Welcome Box

Easy Personalization

•Recognize Member Type•Renewal Reminders•Capture Topic Codes

Frictionless Social Sharing

Engagement Pyramid – Charlene Li

Curators

Producers

Commentators

Sharers

Watchers

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

ATA Sharing(1 month)• 247 Shares• 35 Clicks• 14% Viral Lift• Top Content

▫ Learning▫ Case Studies▫ Meeting

• Top Share platforms▫ Email▫ Facebook▫ Twitter

Develop a Mobile StrategyEngage your members and readers where they go

3 Mobile Strategies

•Mobile Website•Mobile App•Responsive Website

Mobile Website

•Mobile only version•“Forked” approach

with two separate sites•Quick to implement

Mobile Apps

•Specialized experiences•Can take advantage of

device capabilities•Tend to be task focused▫eMail/Social▫Maps▫Reading

Responsive Design

•One site▫Consistent content management

•User experience is based on screen resolution

•Device Independent•Restructured Layout

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

Desktop

•Define breakpoints

•Prioritize content•Develop

Pros and Cons

http://info.vtcus.com/3-steps-to-a-mobile-strategy

Wrap Up

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

Q & A

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

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

Ray van HilstDirector of Client Strategy

and MarketingVanguard Technology703.439.1990rvanhilst@vtcus.com@rvanhilstwww.vtcus.com