This document summarizes key findings about how website visitors use and interact with websites. It notes that visitors typically turn to Google first for information, do not visit association websites very often, and spend little time on each page. Users scan pages rather than read thoroughly and are drawn to highlighted keywords, lists, and short paragraphs. The document provides tips on optimizing content for these behaviors and reviews several association websites.

1. What Do Visitors Really
Think of Your Website?
Dec 5 – 10:30 AM
H u b Ta g : # t e c h 1 2 L C 2
L i n d a C h re n o
Amanda MacEvitt
Ray van Hilst

2. How do your members
REALLY use the web?
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4. “Google
is
my
homepage
so
everything
starts
there.”
“I
Google
something
at
least
12
to
14
3mes
a
day.”
“Google
is
my
primary
research
source.”
“If
I
need
something
I
Google
it.”
“I
keep
up
to
date
on
my
industry
with
Google
alerts.”

5. Cluttered Online World
• They turn to Google first
• Competition drives users to other sites
• Your association website is not top of
mind
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6. How Often Do You Visit Your
Association’s Website?
1.9%
2.4%
Daily
10.5%
A
few
Hmes
a
week
44.7%
40.5%
A
few
Hmes
a
month
A
few
Hmes
a
year
I
have
never
visited
the
site
Data
Sampling
from
10
AssociaHons,
Vanguard
Technology
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7. Your Website is NOT a
Destination
• At most your members visit “a couple of
times a month”
• At worst they visit a few times a year.
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8. They Don’t Stay Long
• Users leave Web pages in 10–20 seconds
– However pages with a clear value proposition
hold attention for much longer
• The average page visit is less than a
minute.
– Users only read a quarter of the content on
the page
hNp://www.useit.com/alertbox/page-­‐abandonment-­‐Hme.html
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9. F-Shaped Patterns
• Users first read in a horizontal movement,
usually across the upper part of the content
area.
• Next, they move down the page a bit and
then read across in a second horizontal
movement
– Typically covers a shorter area than the previous
movement.
• Finally, users scan the content's left side in a
vertical movement.
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10. Layout Implications
• Communicate user value quickly
– Base navigation and layout on key user
needs
– Keep the user and let them explore based on
their need
• Differentiate between functional and
operational navigation
• Build a relationship and then convert
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11. How Users Read Online
• Users don’t read… they scan
– Headers and subheads
– Highlighted words
– Bullets and lists
• They “Satisfice”
– Click on the first relevant link
• They “muddle through”
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12. “Get
rid
of
half
of
the
words
on
the
page,
then
get
rid
of
half
of
what’s
leU.”
Steve
Krug’s
3rd
Law
of
Usability
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13. Readability Improvements
• Highlight keywords
• Use meaningful, relevant sub-headings
• Bulleted lists
• One idea per paragraph
• Inverted pyramid style, start with the conclusion
• Half the word count (or less) than conventional
writing
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14. Content Considerations
• How often is content refreshed?
• Who is your audience?
• Is it interesting and approachable?
• Is it relevant to your readers pain points?
• Do you have visual content?
• Is your content global ready?
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15. What members think of your
current site
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16. What Members Like Best
1. Events – 50.8%
2. Industry Resources and Tools – 42.6%
3. Member Directory– 37.7%
4. Industry News – 31.1%
5. Association News – 27.9%
Vanguard
Technology
AssociaHon
Redesign
Benchmarking
Survey,
2012
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17. What They Don’t Like
1. Can’t find info they need – 62.1%
2. Can’t remember login – 48.5%
3. Poor usability – 45.5%
4. Outdated content – 19.7%
5. Lack of content – 10.5%
Vanguard
Technology
AssociaHon
Redesign
Benchmarking
Survey,
2012
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18. #tech12
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19. Website Review
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20. Key Questions
• Do you know who I am?
– Do you have content I want?
– Can you solve a problem I have?
• Do I know what to do?
– Where do I find the information I want?
– How do I discover what you have to offer?
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21. Quick Review Checklist
• First Impression: or
• Where does your eye go first:
– Top Left Top Center Top Right
– Bottom Left Bottom Center Bottom Right
• Do you see organization name?
• Do you like the colors? Yes or No
• Do you like the look? Yes or No
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22.
www.nasn.org
NaHonal
AssociaHon
of
School
Nurses
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23. • Healthcare Businesswomen's Association's www.hbanet.org
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24. Distance
EducaHon
and
Training
Council:
hNp://www.detc.org
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25. Specialty
Equipment
Market
AssociaHon:
hNp://www.sema.org
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26. California
Hospice
and
PalliaHve
Care
AssociaHon:
www.calhospice.org
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27. Open Review
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28. More Sites to Review
• www.trpa.net
• www.nellco.org
• www.forestprod.org
• www.acaplanners.org
• www.isawwa.org
• www.assocforum.org
• www.highroadsolutions.com
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29. Before and After
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31. #tech12
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32. #tech12
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33. Finishing Touches
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34. Have You Considered?
• 508 Compliance
• Search Engine Optimization
• Non-Dues Revenue
• Conversion
• Error Pages
• Site Performance
• Cross Platform and Mobile Ready
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35. #tech12
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36. from
the
MarkeHngSherpa
2012
Website
OpHmizaHon
Benchmark
Report,
average
conversion
rates
broken
down
by
industry
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37. #tech12
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38. Top 10 Must Have’s For Your
Association Website
1. Clean, uncluttered layout (so the user isn’t confused)
2. User centric navigation (make the user feel at home)
3. Navigation clues – breadcrumbs and footer links (so the user
doesn’t get lost)
4. Consistent page elements (so I know where to look)
5. Good, relevant content written in plain English (for the web)
6. Real photos of your members (not stock)
7. Conversion points with Calls-to-Action (CTA) (so you can sell stuff)
8. Responsive web design (for future devices)
9. Google analytics (so you know what works… and what doesn’t)
10. Social integration and sharing (so your content can be shared)
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39. Resources
• Don’t Make Me Think by Steve Krug
• 25 Website Must Haves by Hubspot
• SEO for Associations
• Go Radical: Could MySpace and Digg Be Role Models?
• Useit.com – Jakob Nielsen’s Site
• Crazyegg.com – Heat Mapping
• fivesecondtest.com – Click testing and more
• Before and After Page Design by John McWade
• Hubspot Marketing Grader
• How to Make Your Website Awesome In Seven Weeks
by John Haydon #tech12
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40. www.vtcus.com/tech12
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41. Get in Touch
• Linda Chreno, CAE, IOM
– lindachreno@gmail.com
• Amanda MacEvitt
– amacevitt@osa.org
• Ray van Hilst
– rvanhilst@vtcus.com
#tech12
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