Your association likely has a website. It’s the source where members get information, interact with each other, learn about member benefits, and it’s also a place where you’ve worked hard to create value-added member benefits, possibly with an offering like an organization-specific, niche job posting board.
As the association, you represent the collective voice of your industry or profession. As such you are the trusted source for your members who look to you for professional guidance and support but also for additional, member-only benefits such as “preferred partner” products and services.
This is why including advertising on your website through tools such as banner ads – but only from companies that have been fully vetted and researched for integrity and true member benefit – can be a win/win for your association’s revenue stream and also beneficial as value-added services for your members.
Advertising the Right Way Increases Revenue, Enhances Member Experience
We’ve all seen how to do, and especially how not to do, successful advertising on a website. The possibility of scams, viruses and more has made some consumers, for example, shy away from clicking ads. But, as noted above, your association or professional organization is in the truly advantageous position of being the proven-trusted source for member support. Your members trust you and therefore will trust that the offers you present as legitimate.
Here are some proven tips on how to – and not to – initiate, design and place banner advertising on your association website.
- DO fully research any company you allow to advertise on your site, or organization that you are outsourcing your advertising with, and align any products/services offered to directly add value to your members’ professional careers.
- DO, and this is worth repeating, remember that any company or offer on your site carries your reputation with it and research your advertisers accordingly. Remember that any ad on your site will be directly associated to your organization in the minds of members. Oversee all content and offers prior to posting – or rely on a trusted partner that can outsource advertising for you, with the same care you give your program yourself.
- DO represent your association in the best light by using only professionally designed banner ads.
- DO NOT ever, ever use pop-up ads. Want a member to click away instantly? Use an obnoxious pop-up ad.
- DO make sure your entire website, from landing page to banner ads to niche job board, is a user experience that you’re comfortable with and includes a clear call to action.
- DO NOT overdo it. Ads on your site should not be the majority of the page. Clutter equals failure.
- DO track response to the ads and report back to advertisers on the results. Beyond the benefits of direct affiliation with your association that their ad will bring, advertisers will want numbers to justify expenditures and to tweak messaging as needed.
Tap the Complete Revenue Potential of Your Website
Adding advertising to your association website through banner ads is a simple, easy and, when done correctly, a member-beneficial way to increase non-dues revenue through a marketing asset your already have. Your site is up and running – utilize it to its revenue generating best while also best serving members!
If you’d like additional information, the marketing and advertising professionals at YourMembership can offer assistance on ways to tap the true revenue potential of your website and provide information on other non-dues revenue generating tools now available.
