Technology

THE CHALLENGE AGC MA Operations Manager Barbara Canoni led the efforts for the association to evaluate various association software options where all member information could be accessed in one place. She knew finding the right technology would be a long-term cost savings investment. “We needed a system that would help us provide our members with timely and accurate information,” said Barbara. “It used to be that financial information was only accessible through our bookkeeper, so if a member needed to […]

Combined, Gmail and Apple iPhone account for over half of email clients (around 55%)*. The number one spot routinely alternates between the two. Why You Should Care Email open rates and unsubscribes are heavily impacted by any adjustments made by Google and Apple. Therefore, organizations that depend on email marketing should stay alert for updates and changes to both platforms and adjust their email strategies accordingly. The Latest Big Updates In a move designed to separate meaningful emails from junk, […]

A rundown of the best association management software options. Compare top AMS platforms like GrowthZone, Fonteva, and Wild Apricot.

Association Management Software (AMS) offers associations, as well as other member-based organizations, the tools to run their day-to-day operations and provide services to their members. The most popular association management software and membership management software (MMS) saves associations time and money by improving their membership management and increasing efficiency in addition to growing and retaining membership, engaging members and streamlining tedious tasks. A powerful AMS offers the following features: Association Contact Management Easily view and manage your individuals and organizations, including […]

An inside look at one GrowthZone customer’s journey from an outdated data management system to a full AMS complete with NAHB WMS upload. Veteran association professional Natalie Fryer of the Home Builders Association of Fayetteville recognized their 400-member organization had outgrown their existing association management software. What used to be state-of-the-art was now simply outdated. Find out how to choose the best AMS for your organization’s needs with the AMS Buyers’ Workbook. The HBA wanted a web-based solution. They initially […]

Associations must make an “apples to apples” association software comparison when researching new systems. Still trying to decide what criteria to consider? In Part 2 of the blog series, “Where to Begin Your Association’s AMS Search”, we address how to research the ease of use, setup and integration, and training and support. Download How to Sell Your Board on New Association Software for a step-by-step blueprint to help explain the benefits. Here are some issues to discuss with potential AMS […]

Are you paying attention to the footer on your association’s website? If not, you’re missing an opportunity (and you’re not alone). A LOT more people see the footer than you might think (particularly on mobile). It’s an essential element of any website. A website footer, found at the bottom of a web page: helps boost conversions builds credibility reduce bounce rates improves SEO enhances user experience A footer signals that the user has reached the end of the association’s webpage. […]

It’s time to change your association emails and make them more voice-friendly. Why now? Millions of Americans now own smart speakers, and they use those virtual assistants to check their email with voice commands. Several years ago, Amazon has updated its Alexa voice assistant, giving it the skill to read, reply to, archive, or delete emails. Alexa will read the sender’s name, subject line, and text. It can read emojis but will ignore images and certain HTML attributes. Alexa will […]

Jumpstart your blog with step one of simple association blogging techniques. Admit it, you’re a scanner. We all are. There’s a lot of content out there, and if a blog post doesn’t quickly grab your attention in about 10 seconds, you move on to the next one. Here’s the deal. Quality blog posts drive web traffic. Increased web traffic improves your search engine ranking, creating more awareness about your association. Improving your blog’s readability doesn’t have to be an overwhelming […]

Each page on an association website has a unique address – commonly known as a URL (uniform resource locator). A URL is like anything else on the web: It can be good, bad, or ugly. It’s one of the most important aspects of ensuring that your association website appears in search engine results. So, what makes a “good” URL? Two things (which go hand-in-hand): a positive user experience and an SEO-friendly structure. Familiarizing yourself with URL components will smooth the […]

Your website is on the job 24/7 and is a key player in your association. Your association website is often the first interaction someone has with your association, speaking to every person who visits you online. You have one chance to make an excellent first impression, so it’s important to get it right. Most of us are familiar with Inattention Blindness, failing to see something right before us (you’re not alone—it’s a real thing, and a fantastic video demonstrates the […]

According to Techopedia, a keyword (in the context of search engine optimization), is a particular word or phrase that describes the contents of a Web page. It helps search engines match a page with a search query. Think of keywords as a summary of a web page. To determine the most relevant keywords for your organization’s site, list topics, products, or services related to your organization, and put them in a spreadsheet. Next, enter some of the words and phrases […]