Why do your association's members need a website?

Often non-profit organisations, associations all have one primary reason for existing. Their objective is to provide non-commercial services aimed at a specific population, or even the population at large. They rely on members. An association needs them in order to survive.

These missions are set out in precise terms in the association's articles.
In what circumstances can an association website benefit your members? Why do your members need a website?

We answer these questions in this short article!

Your association's members need information

An association is a pool of members.
Each of these members has a personal — and therefore particular — understanding of the topic the association addresses. Bringing each individual experience together can serve the membership as a whole.

Under your leadership, this pool of experiences has the potential to become a pool of information.
That pool of information could become an invaluable resource, publishable (or not) in the form of educational content (a concept we will explore in more detail over the coming weeks). We recommend producing white papers, videos, or any other type of content that could help you reassure and disseminate information.

If all experiences were shared, everyone could find answers to their current questions. Better still: everyone could prepare to face particular situations in the future, or revisit past situations that may have been traumatic.

Your association's members need to share

Directly linked to the previous point, your association's members need to share their experiences and their stories. Building a website — with a forum at minimal cost — will allow all members to express themselves on the topics that matter most to them.
This will enable them to exchange with people who can offer them a different perspective.

In your role as communications officer for the association, your position is essential.
In a forum configuration, you can identify the most recurring themes discussed in this section of your website. If those themes have never been addressed in the public-facing part of your site, do not hesitate to create free content accessible to all.

The purpose of such educational content is twofold:

• to help visitors find solutions to their problems;
• to convince visitors to join your association (by donating, volunteering, etc.).

We have mentioned forums, but you can also draw on the feedback you receive about specific issues to generate content ideas. Likewise, do not hesitate to look at what your competitors are doing. Draw inspiration from your own social media channels and from social media more broadly.

Your members are your best showcase

Never forget: the people who join your association sign up to your cause. As a result, they will very likely want to talk about it to those around them.
Your members' social media channels are an excellent vehicle for this. Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, LinkedIn — all are sources of traffic that can help you attract even more new members.

Without a website, you will not be able to leverage your current members' social media presence to attract new ones.
But having a website alone will not be enough: you will need to share your news and keep your content up to date so that it can be shared on your members' social media channels.