Association: making the most of your website

Far be it from us to claim we have THE definitive technique for using your website to its full potential. Every association, every organisation, is different, and we are fully aware of that.

Nevertheless, our expertise in creating websites for associations has allowed us to identify a series of best practices for using your association's website effectively. Here are a few of them.

A series of more detailed articles will be published over the coming weeks, in which we will walk through a range of possibilities for your association.

Using your website with the public

This may seem obvious: if you create a website, it is above all to communicate with the general public and raise awareness of your association's mission.

Educational content for the general public

When it comes to the general public, we recommend creating educational content. The more specific, high-quality content you publish — the more precise answers you offer to precise needs — the more your association will be considered the "go-to association" for your particular issue.

The quality of your content and its diversity will serve as your visibility.
Try to address every possible question through short, focused articles. Do your best to demonstrate your specialisation in the core themes of your area first. From there, you can gradually expand into related topics.

The importance of a press area

Never forget to create a "press area" containing a downloadable press kit in PDF format as well as the same kit in HTML. In the same vein, make a selection of official photographs and official videos available, which you authorise for publication (with publication rights included).

Your press area must contain all the essential information — everything a journalist or blogger would need to form an impression of your association. That journalist will know within seconds whether they can get in touch with you.
In your role as communications manager, you will be the voice of the association. List your professional contact details (direct line and professional email address) to make communication as easy as possible.

There are, however, more advanced ways to make use of your association's website.

Using your website internally

The second benefit of having a website is clearly to facilitate your internal communications. A subdomain is perfectly suited to this purpose. This space should be easily accessible but remain "private". You may choose not to index this subdomain.

Through this channel, your website will become the virtual hub where all your procedures are stored and all exchanges are made smooth and efficient. Ultimately, the goals are to maintain a consistent quality of service and avoid pitfalls that could damage your association's image.

Facilitating general internal communication

First of all, creating a website for your association will benefit your staff — if you have any — as well as the members of the central committee and then those of local branches.
For example: everyone could access your introductory fact sheet, press kits, logo, banner, or membership form in just a few clicks.

In your role as communications manager, the benefit is being able to delegate these tasks so that you can refocus on other priorities (communicating externally and raising awareness of your association).

Facilitating responses to the public

As an association, it is entirely possible that some of your members have to deal with members of the public. If that is the case, you may have prepared a standard response framework.
In this context, your mission can sometimes place you in emotionally complex situations — for your target audience as well as for your staff and volunteers handling enquiries.

You can use your website to give these people access to various standardised procedures. For example, you can:

• provide those concerned with a procedures guide for responding as effectively as possible to your target audience;
• offer template responses for handling emotionally charged interactions;
• integrate a procedure for specific provisions in response to a particular request.

Facilitating communication with local branches

Managing the activities carried out by local branches, located dozens or even hundreds of kilometres from your association's headquarters, can be challenging.
Sometimes, a local branch acts as an independent entity. In this context, its members may act as though they were independent — as though they did not represent the "brand", the image, of your association. Providing a comprehensive guide for local branches can prove very valuable.

However, this communication must not be entirely one-directional.
You should always bear in mind that local branches may need to feed information back to you. Some local branches may encounter difficulties that other, geographically distant branches have already faced.

In your position, if you are aware of all developments and all challenges, you can propose solutions in the blink of an eye.

Be careful, however, not to create a tool that is too cumbersome to use.

Using your website: publishing content in the public interest

Your members possess a wealth of expertise and knowledge that they sometimes draw upon day-to-day to keep your association running.

Capturing their knowledge and publishing it on your website will have a twofold impact:
· making these particular areas of expertise available to all your members, thereby enriching everyone's knowledge;
· applying what has already been written and done in the past, to build on it for the future.

If you need a more thorough analysis of your needs, we recommend getting in touch with our web agency in Lyon, Agence HTTP 5000.