So, it’s no wonder that member-based organizations and businesses are becoming increasingly aware of the need to stay connected through mobile devices. After all, it’s the most direct and effortless way to reach people—the phone-in-your-hand-first-thing-in-the-morning kind of way!

In 2026, being mobile isn’t just about having a responsive website or a flashy dashboard; it’s about building fully mobile-powered ecosystems that keep organizations and businesses connected, agile, and, above all, competitively alive. In 2026, your members expect everything at their fingertips (literally!). In this article, we’ll explore five ways to stay competitive by going mobile.

Going Mobile Still Matters, Now More Than Ever

Duarte (2025) reported that over 64% of website traffic came from mobile devices in 2025, and that 96.3% of internet users accessed the internet through their mobile phones. Additionally, around 4.32 billion people currently use their phones to access the internet—that’s more than half of the world’s population!

Mobile connectivity isn’t just about member convenience: it’s about accessibility and affordability for the majority. Because mobile traffic now dominates the online ecosystem, everything from site design and optimization to user experience and performance must adapt.

The New Mobile Landscape (and What’s Changed Over the Years)

You’ve probably noticed (and even felt!) the wave of changes in the mobile experience over the last decade. Users now enjoy smarter navigation and a more seamless experience, powered by the rapidly advancing capabilities of our evolving technology. Not to mention, we’re looking at newer, wackier mobile designs flooding the market, creating a diverse ecosystem of devices in all shapes and sizes.

Let’s cover a couple of changes we’ve been seeing so far:

Progressive Web Apps (PWAs) and Mobile-First Design

PWAs are web applications that provide native app-like experiences on mobile devices and desktops (Extended, 2023). They act like apps for smoother, faster, and more reliable browsing—without requiring a download from the app store!

This setup can also provide several benefits, including better load times, offline functionality, and timely push notifications. Overall, PWAs can create a more engaging and immersive user experience that is fast, intuitive, and well-suited for mobile use.

Mobile-first platforms, on the other hand, are built—you guessed it—for mobile devices first! The goal of mobile-first design is to ensure that a platform’s interface is both responsive and easy to navigate on a small screen. From here, designs can easily scale up to larger devices, such as tablets and laptops.

What makes mobile-first design platforms appealing is that their layouts remain clean, clear, and intuitive, so user navigation doesn’t get bogged down by strange layouts, poor sizing, and other undesirable elements. This design starts with the layout’s space limitations as a strength, forcing designers to focus only on what truly matters.

Since most website traffic comes from mobile devices, a mobile-first approach just makes sense! The result? A user-friendly experience that works seamlessly across all other devices. Both PWAs and mobile-first design prioritize straightforward, no-nonsense navigation so that users can move through content effortlessly, even on their phones.

Hardware Design

While many recent upgrades have been software-focused, one often overlooked (but arguably equally important) consideration is the devices themselves—specifically, their hardware! These changes are shaping how users interact and experience digital content on mobile platforms.

Newer devices introduce a novel approach to configuration and functionality. Modern phones come in various shapes and sizes. Foldable and wearable technologies are becoming increasingly popular, and these flexible hardware designs can heavily influence design choices for mobile interfaces.

Developers and designers must now also account for features like multiple screen orientations and split displays, ensuring a seamless experience no matter how or where users interact.

The Five Pillars of Mobile Strategy for Staying Competitive in 2026

For member-based organizations, staying ahead of the curve drives engagement and supports long-term growth, which is why a well-defined mobile strategy is essential for staying relevant, responsive, and cutting-edge!

Let’s take a look at the five essential pillars for strengthening your mobile presence in the year ahead:

1. Embrace Evolving Technology

Some of our greatest technological advances are dominating much of the digital ecosystem today. If you want to stay competitive, you’ve got to up your game: embrace evolving technology and implement the tools that help you adapt faster, work smarter, and better serve your members in the mobile space.

For example, AI has become versed in handling almost everything software-related, from chatbots to voice assistants to even recommendation algorithms! You can now have your platform analyze member behavior and automatically suggest relevant content, making it easier than ever for your members to find the right offerings.

While it may feel easier (and safer) to stick to the good, old traditional systems and measures, embracing evolving technology becomes increasingly important in a world that doesn’t stop growing. Modern tools aren’t meant to replace an organization’s values or established processes; instead, they enhance them by improving accuracy, consistency, and scalability.

By adopting the right technologies at a measured pace, your organization can future-proof your operations, meet rising member expectations, and remain relevant without losing your identity.

2. Enhance the Mobile Experience & Design

In our previous articles, we discussed why your organization should focus on going mobile while keeping your platform smooth and responsive. One of the most critical ways to execute the transition properly is to focus on enhancing the experience—on making it enjoyable!

This trend isn’t going away anytime soon, and it’s more relevant than ever in 2026. So, why not add a little something extra by highlighting your platform’s appeal?

Here are some of the ways you can do it:

• Visual storytelling: Use progress indicators, icons, and visual cues to guide members along your platform. You can highlight key actions to convey information at a glance without resorting to dense text.
• Thoughtful Microinteractions: Add a simple, light animation when your member interacts with a button (e.g., having the color of a button change when hovered over or clicked) or tweak the sound of your notifications to make them more engaging.
• Subtle Personalization: Recommend relevant content, send reminders, or allow customizable dashboard elements based on members’ activities or preferences.

Integrate elements that reflect your brand and your members’ needs. Your interface shouldn’t just be easy to navigate; it should be interactive and feel tailored to your members, too!

3. Aim for Mobile Accessibility

When deciding how your organization’s website should look on the average smartphone, prioritize a consistent user experience. Compare your desktop to mobile: do they offer the same level of accessibility?

What your website offers should also be what the mobile version delivers. Too often, users run into interface issues, such as being unable to access certain features or sections simply because they aren’t available in the mobile interface.

If your organization doesn’t have a dedicated phone app, have no fear! You don’t have to miss out. Instead, you can choose a platform that’s built–right again!–mobile-first to ensure your interface looks organized on both your phone and your desktop. This way, you make it easy and intuitive for your members to access their dashboards on their phones (without needing your own dedicated app!).

4. Track Your Growth

Behind every website is a monitoring system that records every digital footprint a user makes. This is where data analytics come in. With the right platform, our ever-evolving technology now enables us to track interaction and usage, providing valuable information that empowers better decision-making in your organization.

Data analytics can be instrumental when analyzing performance and tracking your statistics. You can start by asking questions like:

• Where does user engagement fall short? Analytics can show you which pages have unusually high bounce rates, short session durations, or minimal interactions from mobile users. This may indicate issues like slow page load times or poor mobile responsiveness.

• What areas of improvement can we underscore to boost mobile traffic? These areas become visible when comparing mobile and desktop performance metrics, such as conversion rates, scroll depth, and exit points. Identifying where mobile users drop off enables organizations to prioritize fixes, such as optimizing layouts for smaller screens, simplifying navigation, or improving page speed.

Your analytics should provide the insights you need for strategic, targeted solutions so that you can feel confident in your decisions, knowing every move is backed by real data.

5. Prioritize Your Security

We saved the most important consideration for last: cybersecurity.

Going mobile doesn’t just mean seamless interfaces, clean dashboards, and integrated systems. Behind all the bells and whistles, there should be an impenetrable system that protects your organization from a wide range of cyber threats.

With all the movement and growth in your organization, it’s easy to forget that cybersecurity remains the number one priority, especially when deciding on major technological shifts. With your data constantly under attack, the need for strong, reliable digital security measures is a no-brainer!

Rahmonbek (2023) reported that smaller organizations (1–250 members) experience the highest rate of targeted malicious emails, with 1 in 323 messages being malicious. Larger organizations are not spared, however, where 1 in 823 emails are equally dangerous (Smith, 2024)!

So, for member-based organizations seeking to go mobile, be sure to choose a vendor that follows robust cybersecurity protocols and uses reliable tools like antivirus software, encryption, and firewalls to keep your data safe.

You may also like: Your First Line of Defence: Tips for Smarter, Safer Passwords

Conclusion

As we transition into 2026 and beyond, one thing is clear: mobile accessibility is no longer just a convenience. It’s the lifeblood of how organizations connect, communicate, and thrive.

With so much digital traffic now coming from phones, there’s no question you should prioritize a smartphone-forward approach. The world’s not gonna stop scrolling anytime soon, so might as well move along with it and keep it mobile!

References

Curry, D. (2025, December 2). AI App Revenue and Usage Statistics (2025). Business of Apps. Retrieved December 13, 2025, from https://www.businessofapps.com/data/ai-app-market/

Duarte, F. (2025, July 10). Internet Traffic from Mobile Devices (July 2025). Exploding Topics. https://explodingtopics.com/blog/mobile-internet-traffic

Extended. (2023, May 31). Why Are Progressive Web Apps Becoming the Future of Web Development? Extended Web. https://www.extwebtech.com/blog/progressive-web-apps-becoming-the-future-of-web-development

Rahmonbek, K. (2023, February 22). 35 Alarming Small Business Cybersecurity Statistics in 2022 | StrongDM. Discover.strongdm.com. https://www.strongdm.com/blog/small-business-cyber-security-statistics

Smith, G. (2024, December 10). Top Phishing Statistics for 2023: Latest Figures and Trends. StationX. https://www.stationx.net/phishing-statistics/

The post Going Mobile in 2026: How Member-Based Organizations Can Stay Connected and Competitive appeared first on Online Learning Solutions | Association Management System | Vocalmeet.

Nowadays, most online traffic comes from mobile devices, and employing a responsive design to accommodate that traffic is a necessity!

Despite this, while organizations everywhere have adopted mobile friendliness, not all are equal. To reap the best rewards, associations must make having mobile-responsive and accessible designs a priority.

Thankfully, that’s where this article comes in! Let’s take a look at why organizations are increasingly looking at mobile-friendly designs:

1. Improved Communication

It’s no secret that mobile access encourages communication, but getting the most for your users in this area requires some forethought.

The goal should be to create the most interactive design possible. You want users feeling compelled to communicate with you–and with other users–regardless of what page they’re on.

Since mobile users are already in a more communicative state (they are on communication devices, after all!), be sure to make a variety of mobile applications and digital tools compatible with your system. You may consider push notifications, system text message capabilities, or click-to-call functionalities to allow for contact any time, anywhere.

Another consideration is to integrate your association’s social media into your organizational structure. This means more than just adding the odd social media link on pages: it’s about developing an entire social media marketing plan and presence.

You want your members, partners, and consumers to have the chance to engage with you and each other from anywhere. Over time, this can lead to better collaboration among members, more time spent with your organization, increased time and financial investment, and greater member loyalty!

2. Boosted Productivity

A mobile-friendly organization is often a more productive organization. Users of all kinds can access the various facets of the organization’s online system whenever and wherever. Work? Commute? On the couch? No problem–your site is there! Members and staff can collaborate more easily, respond more quickly, and get more involved with less stress.

For the greatest impact, organizations should consider adopting a more mobile-forward approach. In both work and training, for example, studies have shown that participants are typically more motivated and productive when using mobile devices–especially when in a remote environment.

Organizations may wish to look into mobile-integrated data software, such as one of the many enterprise resource planning (ERP) systems that are available; these systems help manage mobile data and make it actionable, allowing users to access data updates and reports in real-time. The information available to individual users can be automatically customized and filtered to ensure only the most relevant and required data streams are made available.

3. Reduced Costs

Another substantial benefit to a mobile-friendly organization is the cost reduction that can result. More remote capabilities means fewer physical requirements for organizations, as well as less travel for staff and members.

At scale, reusable online and digital content replaces expensive physical materials and time-consuming in-person meetings and events. Organizations can also replace their physical storage systems in favor of the more cost-effective cloud.

It’s also important to note that a properly designed mobile online presence is also much less restrictive than developing mobile apps after the fact.

App development, for example, generally requires organizations to create different apps for different platforms, whereas mobile-forward design typically accommodates all users and platforms right away. App development can also take considerably more time, steps, and money.

Though revamping your platform to a mobile design may require more of an investment in the initial stages, it offers fewer barriers and increased savings for everyone in the long run!

4. Expanded Reach

An accessible mobile organization offers a larger landing spot for users everywhere.

In general, mobile readiness and accessibility extends the reach of an organization for consumers, members, and advertising capabilities. For advertisers in particular, partnerships are more diverse, go further, last longer.

In fact, mobile design typically provides better advertising and sponsorship opportunities overall, as mobile marketing strategies are proving to be some of the most effective available. Mobile design can also lead to a more developed brand identity and more pervasive brand awareness.

In terms of developing an online presence, mobile friendliness is absolutely crucial. Modern Search Engine Optimization (SEO) strategies require a strong mobile design to be effective. All of the major search engines understand how central mobile usage is among online usage, so mobile access is now mandatory among the top search results.

Consequently, if you want the competitive advantage, you have to make mobile responsiveness and design a necessity!

5. Increased Accessibility

True mobile device accessibility accommodates a wide variety of users and devices. This goes beyond standard mobile functions; mobile devices have the ability to bridge the gap between offline and online worlds and media.

For example, your organization may consider adopting QR code technology to allow users to perform actions both online and offline. For instance, this type of application can make information accessible on mobile devices whether they have an internet connection or not.

Though mobility is often synonymous with accessibility, many standard mobile sites are rather inaccessible, particularly for users with visual, auditory, and cognitive disabilities. Fully accessible pages allow users to customize their experience to meet their individual needs. These sites may allow for changes to the standard navigation or layout; they may enable users to change the font and screen layouts, altering text sizes and type or manipulating the brightness, colours, and contrasts on the screen.

Another option is to integrate voice control functionality and a variety of other assistive devices, screen-reader technologies, and keyboard navigation. Some simple considerations that go a long way are to include closed captions, allow for pinch and zoom, and support dynamic design type and styles.

The more accessible and inclusive your design, the more members you’ll be able to reach!

6. Enhanced Experience

A mobile experience is often a more enjoyable one.

Members and users are kept happier because of the mobile integration and less stressful settings. They can work with their peers freely and easily, and they can do so from wherever they like.

Furthermore, by improving the accessibility of your platform to welcome all users properly, your organization will better accommodate the requirements of the AODA and the needs of users with disabilities.

One of the most important things to remember is that a mobile-friendly experience is not a “lesser” experience. Mobile technology is fully capable of maintaining all standard business and membership operations from a distance. Instead of using mobile design as an alternative to the standard desktop method, consider it an amplification of your original design.

After all, your smartphone is (almost) always with you when you’re on the go!

You may also like: 11 Challenges (and Solutions!) of Digital Transformation

Conclusion

When it comes down to it, organizations must recognize that mobile accessibility, responsivity, and design isn’t just a trend but a vital strategy for success.

By prioritizing mobile-friendliness, you not only adapt to the current digital climate but also position your association for future growth and opportunities. Embrace the mobile revolution, and watch your organization thrive in a connected world!

Sources

The post On the Go: Why You Should Make Your Organization Mobile-Friendly appeared first on Online Learning Solutions | Association Management System | Vocalmeet.

A responsive website is a website designed to adapt and reformat itself to fit any device and any screen size.

It allows visitors to get the same experience, regardless of what they’re using or where they’re using it. 

Responsiveness also encompasses mobile-friendliness, which means that content is displayed cleanly and the interface is usable on all devices (like cell phones or tablets!)

Responsiveness helps mobile users navigate the website easily, and anything that’s interactive and functional on desktop computers is equally usable on mobile.

While every association will have its own list of reasons for incorporating a mobile-responsive website, there are several benefits that touch nearly all associations. 

Let’s take a look at some of the major reasons your association could benefit from a mobile responsive website:

1. It’s Not Just Modern–It’s Essential

Today, the majority of internet users use their mobile devices for their everyday internet activity. 

If your website isn’t set up to handle mobile users, you’re effectively cutting your traffic in half–if not more! 

But having your site mobile-ready is about more than just that. 

Mobile-responsivity brings your association into the modern era. If you want to position your association as an industry hub and knowledge center, it’s important that you demonstrate to your members that you’re current and up-to-date. 

Consequently, it’s critical to focus on the first touchpoint your members will encounter: your website!

2. It Boosts Your SEO

In 2015, Google started making a dramatic shift in the way it ranks websites. 

With this algorithm (and all those used after!), mobile-responsive sites rank better than those that aren’t. 

If your website doesn’t accommodate mobile users, you run the risk of getting hit with a penalty in the form of a lower search ranking. The change was made to reflect how people use the internet; with more users using their phones than their desktops, the best websites are those that incorporate this into their design!

3. It Makes Your Association Easy to Access

For contemporary internet users, access is king. 

Websites need to be accessible and usable from multiple devices and locations. 

For associations that offer online training, courses and modules need to be accessible whenever and wherever to allow learners to complete training on the go and in small bunches (called “microlearning”). 

Increased accessibility isn’t just good for your members, though; your association stands to benefit from this, too! With increased access comes increased traffic, meaning more usage, be that courses purchased and taken, new members, or repeat renewals.

In general, mobile readiness can help build your association’s brand–after all, you’re ensuring that no members have to miss out just because they’re engaging on the go.

4. It Means Better Engagement 

Another major benefit to a responsive website is that mobile devices encourage and drive engagement better than desktops. 

Mobile websites can use click-to-call functions, which allow users to call your association with a tap of a button. If someone has to put calling off until later, they may never get around to it!

Your site can also connect with social media directly, as most social media users engage with their favorite channels from their mobile devices; this opens up one of the best communication pathways available between associations and members!

The easier you make it for members to interact with your organization, the more they’ll take advantage of it.

5. It Can Improve Event Integration 

While a responsive design can make integration easier and more effective in general, one of the best uses of mobile integration is during an event. 

If users can connect to your website or your event app through their mobile devices, they can pull up an event map, calendar, and program online; even small conveniences can mean a lot on a busy day!

With mobile-responsive designs, attendees can network with each other online, play event games, and ask questions of speakers, exhibitors, and administrators straight from their phones. They can also use QR codes to quickly and easily pull up information on exhibitors and products–meaning more sales!

6. It’s More Flexible and Cost Effective

When it comes to a responsive design, the bottom line is that it protects your bottom line. 

Instead of maintaining two websites (including a mobile-only version), a responsive design allows for just one, minimizing the administrative efforts and maintenance costs required to run it.

Furthermore, when adding new mobile functions and features to your website, a responsive design can save you a considerable amount of time and money than trying to develop your own association app–a notoriously time-consuming and costly endeavor!

You may also like: Technology Consolidation: Why Should Your Association Consider It?

Conclusion

When it comes down to it, mobile responsivity has become essential for associations to remain competitive and relevant. 

Not only can it boost your SEO and improve engagement, it can also make your association more flexible and easy to access. 

As technology continues to evolve, a mobile responsive website is one of the best ways to help ensure your association remains successful!

Sources

The post Why You Need a Mobile Responsive Website appeared first on Online Learning Solutions | Association Management System | Vocalmeet.

Social media can also help associations build better relationships with their members and establish a stronger position in their industry. To accomplish this, associations need to think about the goals they want to meet and develop a plan to get there. Boost your reach, connect with your members, and improve engagement–by employing the following tips, your organization can start making social media truly work for you! 

Develop Your Presence

While it can be tempting to use social media as a medium for traditional advertising, associations will likely be better served using their channels to curate an overall image for their organization. 

For many associations, social media provides them with the perfect platform to establish their position as an industry authority. This can be achieved by using social channels to build a hub for industry information and discussion. 

Consider posting relevant industry news and think pieces on your various platforms. Encourage discussion among your members and followers, and share helpful tips for professionals. The more valuable the information you offer, the more enticing (and engaging!) it will be.

Think: how can you keep members and potential members coming back to your social media pages? 

Well, what would you look for in a professional page? Tips, behind-the-scenes looks, up-to-date information–the sky’s the limit! Just make sure it fits your association’s brand.

With enough effort, your channels may become a hotspot that professionals rely on for information.

Find Your Audience

In order to have your messages find the right audience, you first need to know who your audience is and where they tend to hang out. This knowledge can save you time and effort, as you can identify which channels are the most important when it comes to directing your message. The bonus of this is that you can then use targeted ads to the greatest effect, having your hard work pay off!

Another useful element of this information is that your association can investigate how your audience interacts with social media, and what information is most important to them. You can then develop and employ strategies to meet audience expectations. Do they seem to prefer articles? Podcasts? Videos? Infographics? The more you know, the more you can cater to their tastes.

When building an accurate picture of your members and target audience, social media can be one of the best resources available. It gives you a more accurate and unfiltered representation of both people and organizations.

A Powerful Promotional Tool

Social media provides associations with the ability to send out real-time promotions. 

When promoting an event or cause of any sort, associations can trust social media to help get the word out to members and start a buzz.

Compared to more traditional mediums, social media promotions allow associations to send out quick updates and inform members of any last-minute changes. When sent through the channels your member base uses most, these messages also create some level of urgency among potential attendees. Don’t underestimate “FOMO”–the Fear of Missing Out!

For events in particular, social media allows associations to host promotions and event updates during an event. While unique and interesting content can help recruit attendees for the later days of the event, it can also build brand awareness and help recruit members and attendees for events down the road. Even if a member can’t attend this event, your association’s posts may fan their desire to attend future events instead.

When creating your promotional content for your events, try incorporating event speakers and sponsors (and tag them!). This can really help broaden your association’s reach by accessing a new group of followers–those who follow the relevant parties. Events are a kind of collaboration, after all, so even the hosting organizations can get in on networking!

Nix Self-Serving Posts 

With so many eyes watching, social media makes a great space for advertising and other promotional materials. However, associations should be wary of posting too much self-serving content. Over time, social media users will tune out or completely ignore organizations who only use social media for these purposes.

Instead, start or join conversations with members and other social media users. If done honestly, these conversations can create meaningful interactions that rank highly and lead to your posts showing up on more social media feeds. At the very least, you’ll be building human connections with the lifeblood of your association.

Furthermore, meaningful interactions can go a long way toward building a relatable and accessible image for your association. You aren’t limited to fostering bonds with members, either–you can use social media to network and build relationships with different speakers, sponsors, and other industry organizations. These relationships can lead to collaboration on future events and cement your association’s position as an industry expert. The more engaged your association is within your industry, the more your audience will notice.

Can You Picture It?

Every social media user engages with the medium differently but, generally, pictures and videos tend to perform better than straightforward text. Try mixing up the style and format of your posts to generate better results and greater interaction from viewers. Try posting links to your website from time to time, in addition to self-contained content formatted specifically for social media. 

For many users, social media offers a very unique look at otherwise inaccessible people and organizations. The platform allows associations to share an inside look at their operations; those who let people in can reap the benefits of this approach–namely, the presentation of a friendly, trustworthy brand. Consider sharing behind-the-scenes information and pictures with your audience to make your association feel even more accessible. 

Address Concerns Publicly

While mistakes and issues are always best avoided entirely, this can sometimes be more difficult than it sounds. When your association does face a challenge, such as a mixup of some sort, social media can be a great medium to tackle it head-on. 

Rather than downplay or try to hide from anything that might be perceived as negative, your association can try to resolve the issue publicly. Quick and acceptable solutions can not only help your association recover from your mistakes–they can actually turn negatives to positives for you in the long-term, as they help build trust and loyalty from members. 

Acknowledge your mistakes, state how you will make things right, and explain how you will do better in the future. A proper apology can go a long way in any relationship!

Measure Your Results

Finally, to build the best social media strategy, your association needs to be able to measure what works and what doesn’t. 

First, decide on a metric that can help determine successfulness, such as likes, comments, or click-through rate. Analytics can help measure how viewers interact with your posts, allowing you to judge what strikes a chord with your audience. 

The next step is to actually use this information to improve. Ask yourself:

• What times do posts perform the best? 
• What types of posts are they? 
• Do members engage more when your association participates in the conversation? 

The answers to these questions can help you make each next post perform better than your last.

Conclusion

When it comes down to it, social media can do wonders for an association when it comes to reach, visibility, and engagement. With a little planning and some elbow grease, your organization will be able to leverage this tool to its fullest potential, netting you new followers (soon-to-be members!) and cementing old.

Develop your presence, determine your audience, promote your merits, engage through content, focus on quality media, be honest, and track your results: with this checklist in mind, you’ll be seeing results in no time–the possibilities truly stretch to infinity and beyond!

The post To Infinity and Beyond: Boosting Your Reach with Social Media appeared first on Online Learning Solutions | Association Management System | Vocalmeet.

Don’t worry, though–we’re here to help! 

In this article, we’re going to look at what associations really need from an LMS, while also clearing up some of the “unknowns” you may find yourself encountering. 

Here are some common questions:

• What should you and your association look for in an LMS? 
• What are members looking for from these systems? 
• What do you do after you get your LMS?

Below, we’ll answer these questions and highlight what your ideal LMS will include–helping your association get the most out of its continuing education!

A User-Friendly LMS

User-friendliness is one of the most obvious (but also perhaps the most important!) thing to consider when establishing your LMS. 

It doesn’t matter how powerful or how complex the system is behind the scenes–it needs to look and operate in a simple, straightforward way on the surface. 

Because users possess a variety of technological experience and comfort levels, your system can alienate basic users if it’s too complicated. Besides that, an intuitive LMS and interface don’t mean they lack depth; rather, they’re just cleaner and easier to operate for everyone. 

Another aspect of user-friendliness that associations should consider is that of training and operation resources and documentation. 

While many LMS vendors offer training resources that come with the system, it is sometimes up to the association to create their own. Ensure that your documentation is as clear as possible and that users can access it easily. For best results, keep this material up-to-date and add a “Frequently Asked Question” section populated with answers to users’ most common queries.

Personalize the Experience

Whether your LMS does it for you or you find a way to accomplish it yourself, personalizing your training in a way that makes each learner feel like it’s been designed specifically for them can make for a very powerful learning experience. While this may sound like it requires a significant time investment, it can actually be accomplished fairly simply!

For example, most systems allow administrators to ensure learners see only the learning content that applies to their specific careers, experiences, and training levels. You can also offer training and certificates that help learners further develop their careers or make a change to their profession. 

Allow learners to set their own goals and create a roadmap for them to follow. As they complete their training, they’ll move along the path and will be able to better visualize how close they are to realizing their goals! Now, that’s incentive.

(Mobile)ize Your Training

It probably goes without saying these days, but mobile access is absolutely necessary for modern training courses. Most learning management systems today include mobile-ready and responsive designs, which allow users to access the content from any type of device or screen size, but it’s important for associations to create mobile-friendly content as well. Remember, training should be designed with mobile users in mind!

For instance, training should be offered in small, snackable segments to allow learners to complete their training in short bursts. Few working professionals can set aside hours at a time for study, so small chunks of training allow them to complete and digest mini-lessons. 

Additionally, to enhance engagement, mobile-compatible modules should be interactive. Have users complete in-lesson quizzes and knowledge-testing activity games to make the learning process fun.

Furthermore, allow users to connect to and from social media straight from your platform, as the majority of social media use is done via mobile devices. This can help boost your association’s social media status, too!

Learn from the System 

Regardless of how good your training is in the beginning, it’s never a good idea to leave it unaltered and unsupported. Some of the most powerful tools provided by an LMS are the tracking and reporting options. 

To get your training to its most effective, and to help your learners get the most from their training, use these tools to improve your CE components as much as possible. Get the system to track your learners’ progress and produce reports documenting weak points in your training. Are the majority of users getting hung up on a specific module? This can indicate a problem in the material!

By paying attention to analytics and spot-fixing any issues you encounter, your association will be able to boost your content’s efficacy quickly and easily. Don’t forget to pay attention to modules and courses that are doing especially well, either–you can set them as an example and learn from their popularity! 

Basically, your LMS can offer you insight into how your users are interacting with your system: which courses are performing best, and which ones still need a little TLC? Determine what content and learning formats produce the best results, then replicate them. 

In general, this process can help associations create highly effective training for their users. The better your content, the more value for your members, the higher the renewal rates!

Make No Mistake: Integrate!

Integration makes life easier for everyone on a platform, as users can seamlessly move between systems without getting lost or confused. An integrated system allows learners to access the association’s entire system–including the main website, the LMS, and the online store–all with a single login.

For administrators, system integration allows for better and easier reporting and transference of data. Learner activities can be shared with other department systems, and information can be accessed from a centralized location without having to move between management systems or transfering data. 

Many systems contain built-in integration features, whereas some accommodate it through their customization capabilities. Either way, integration is quickly becoming one of the more important features an LMS can offer. 

Keep It Updated

Updates are an essential part of both online learning and an association’s LMS. Content-wise, training needs to stay current and relevant. Industry changes and compliance mandates need to be reflected in your content, and learner feedback should be continually incorporated to ensure your CE offers the most effective training possible. 

The system itself also needs to stay updated–in a number of different ways! Your security and privacy controls need to remain current and intact to keep users (and their information) safe and protected.

The way you keep your system up-to-date will vary based on your platform. If you use SaaS (Software as a Service), you’ll get automatic updates. If your platform is custom-built, however, you’ll have to maintain any updates yourself–or else hire someone to do it for you. This can get costly if your platform is especially custom, since anyone fixing your software will have to learn it first!

Any apps or plugins that the LMS uses should be updated as well to keep things operating efficiently. Have you ever left updating your computer or browser a little too long? Things start to get a tad buggy when you do, right? The same goes for apps and plugins, so to keep your system working smoothly, you want to keep everything current.

Finally, different system features and components should be updated regularly. Your association should stay on top of the latest developments in training and incorporate these new additions whenever and wherever necessary. Your members don’t want to waste their time on outdated education, after all!

Be Supportive

After you’ve implemented your learning system and posted your training content, the next stage of the training begins: the support stage. 

Ensure that your members and learners feel supported in every way. Keep traditional lines of communication (like phone and email) open and accessible. Post and update training materials to assist learners, and make sure these resources are hosted in an easily-found location.

Again, here’s where an association’s social media channels can come in clutch; by maintaining a solid social media presence, you can address issues and concerns as they appear. More and more, people are reaching out to organizations on their Twitter, Facebook, and LinkedIn feeds when they want a real human answer, so be sure to give them a friendly, helpful, and timely response when they do!

You May Also Like: 5 Things NOT to Leave Out of Your LMS

Conclusion

While choosing and supporting the right learning management system can feel like a daunting task, with the right checklist, it becomes a simple process. 

First, it’s important to understand what your association and its members need, and how those needs will be met by your chosen LMS. Your ideal LMS should be user-friendly and offer personalized education options; mobile-responsive, snackable learning modules; and integration capabilities. Once implemented, you should be regularly updating its content and offering members support. 

With the right system, you can take your continuing education to the next level. Provide members with an enjoyable, informative experience, and they’ll continue to come to your association for their needs for years to come!

References

The post So, You’re Picking an LMS: What to Look for and What’s Next appeared first on Online Learning Solutions | Association Management System | Vocalmeet.

The reality is, there is no right way to design a website, but there are plenty of wrong ways. 

The good news is that by following a rather straightforward checklist, your future website can help you achieve everything you’re hoping for–without fears and headaches plaguing the design process!

Because there are so many ways to create an effective site, we’ve decided to hone in on some of the most important aspects in this article.

While we can’t highlight every possible factor that goes into making a great site, we’ve listed some of our favorites below:

Know Your Purpose and Your Audience

Before setting out on your design adventure, you need to know who your audience is and what the purpose of your website is. 

Ask yourself: what do you want to achieve, and what do you want your users to achieve online?

By answering these questions, you can start to identify what type of content, layout, and structure you’ll need. 

In fact, the consideration of your audience and your overall goals will help you answer a great deal of your design queries! 

You can think of the following:

• Will your website be rich with media? What type of media would you include (videos, podcasts, etc) 
• What kind of training programs should you include? What programs will you use?
  • Will you have video modules? Will you host them on your own custom platform, or with a SaaS vendor? Will they be interactive
• What types of original content and industry links will you be hosting? How many dedicated pages will you have for them?
  • Do you plan to have a blog or video series? Will you create a “knowledge hub” for members? Will there be multiple “pillar pages” dedicated to different topics?

From this point, you can begin making some important decisions about providers and the level of support you need:

• What level of traffic do you anticipate? How much growth do you anticipate?
• Do you have in-house staff to support the website, or do you need a third-party company to manage the website?
• What level of security and technical support do you need?

Once you’ve got the ball rolling, set your goals (specifically, your measurable goals) and track them. If you find that your website is failing to meet these targets, don’t just change them to accommodate your design. Instead, make changes to your design to better meet your goals!

Create Your Online Brand 

The early decisions you make about your online design may be some of the most important. 

Your goals and your audience will also inform these decisions, of course, but your (likely) already established brand and brand identity are also important. 

You will, for starters, need to decide on a website name. 

This name will take into consideration your brand voice and website purpose. You want to make it as easy to remember and simple to spell as possible–simply hearing it once should be enough! 

In these early stages, you also want to start thinking about the content on your page. Think of what your users want most and how you can deliver this to them best.

Another early-stage design consideration is your online color scheme. 

The colors you pick for your website can have a major impact on your brand overall; colors can evoke emotional responses in visitors, and they help make your brand recognizable and memorable. 

The color scheme you choose will likely be based on your existing brand materials, such as your logo and other marketing materials. It will also be informed by your primary audience; different colors, fonts, and contrasts may appeal to certain demographics and not others.

To lay your foundation, start your page design by placing your logo in the upper left-hand corner. Everything should flow from that point out!

Steer Clear of Navigation Issues

While it may be tempting to create as many pages as you can, it’s probably more effective to keep things simple. 

Avoid overloading users with pages and options to keep them from getting overwhelmed. The most effective designs are often those that are attractive, clear, and concise. 

Think “ease-of-use”. 

Users should be able to navigate the site intuitively with no barriers. Include a comprehensive site map to help visitors locate the information they need. Your location headings should be descriptive and illustrative of the content they encompass. Site maps also help search engines sort and identify information for more accurate and positive search results.

The cleaner your design, the greater the focus will be on your brand and your content. 

Bombarding users with fancy design elements, distracting graphics and images, and large blocks of text can make the website feel messy and unfocused. To keep things smooth over time, test out the site regularly and make sure that every page and its content features short loading times and serves an overarching purpose. 

Finally, the easiest way to determine ease-of-use is to put yourself in a first-time user’s shoes and try to pinpoint any usability or navigation issues; this way, you can quickly find and eliminate problems and make the interface as user-friendly as possible!

Get on Schedule

An effective online design gets the ball rolling, but website management is a process. Over time, it evolves and changes. So too does your content, so it’s important to keep it up-to-date and fresh. 

Simplify your processes by keeping a schedule for regular updates. Content-wise, organizations want to maintain a steady stream of helpful, useful, original, and relevant material. A content management system (CMS) can help with this monumental task by streamlining your updates. 

You should also manually check all of your material regularly. Scroll through your pages and double check that all links and images are functional. Comb through all of your content and remove any outdated information. Training programs, surveys, and contact and feedback forms are some of the areas that often need attention. 

If you’ve put tracking and reporting systems in place, you can identify any pages or links that are underperforming, either in traffic, engagement, or conversion rates. You may choose to remove the offending sections or revise them; either way, you want all your pages performing at their best!

Give Them a Reason to Return

For some organizations, an online design that centerpieces first-time users is enough, but many depend more on return visitors. To accommodate the latter group, your website needs reasons for visitors to keep coming back. 

This can be achieved in several ways, but they can be broken down into content and structure. 

The structure of your website, for example, may accommodate return users by hosting an online forum or a continuous training program. If done right, users may treat your site as their industry hub or homepage.

The other major component is content, and content is (and likely always will be) king. Users will return to your website because of the material you host. If it’s fresh, useful, and relevant, people will continue to come back. 

Consider hosting an industry news and updates section. Start an active blog to provide helpful information to your members, consumers, and partners. Encourage and integrate social media sharing and beef up your social media presence to extend the reach of your online activities. 

Incorporate Marketing Strategies 

The next major stage of online design is mixing in marketing strategies. These should contribute to a cohesive overall brand identity and should be developed well in advance of starting your site. 

First, think about your ideal search terms. 

This goes back to your audience’s goals and what they want to achieve. What will they typically search for to find you, and in what other ways might your organization be useful to them? 

Once you know your ideal search terms, you can craft content and design elements to help facilitate positive search engine results. 

Your organization can be assisted here by CMS services or various SEO applications, which can help clean up your design and code to improve your search results. You can also do this manually by posting relevant content, creating engaging links on social media, and partnering up with local directories. 

Try to complete promotional activities regularly to keep your marketing fresh and effective, and use calls to action to get the most from visitors.

Think Secure

Once you’ve considered your major front-facing design elements, it’s time to secure your website. 

First of all, you want to provide multi-browser compatibility and security for your visitors, while also protecting your back end from attacks. 

To prevent automated spam from hitting your forums, forms, and comment sections, add some captcha tests to these sections; it may feel like an extra step for users, but it is essential in safeguarding your site overall. 

If your website allows online transactions, you’ll need to strengthen any security that protects consumer information and privacy. Add SSL certificates to prevent more browser-based threats, and conduct regular security audits to detect any vulnerabilities or suspicious activities. You’ll be thankful you did!

You may also like: Keeping Members on Your Association’s Website

Conclusion

Designing a website is a complex process, and there are many elements to consider when creating the one that’s best for your association.

We’ve highlighted some of the most important steps in this article: from knowing your purpose and audience to incorporating marketing strategies and keeping your site secure, you’ll be able to build a top-notch, valuable site for your members to enjoy. 

Ensure that your online design will be successful, engaging, and helpful to your visitors–try employing these steps today!

Sources

The post Online Design 101 appeared first on Online Learning Solutions | Association Management System | Vocalmeet.

Thankfully, we’re here to help! This series of posts produced in collaboration between Vocalmeet and Lexum will cover our top tips and tools to help your bar association make the most of what the internet has to offer:

Tool: Your Website

It may feel like a cop-out to start with what’s arguably the most obvious tool in your association’s belt–its website–but it’s a crucial factor that can be easily overlooked.

Build a Solid Base

Regardless of what you’re making, it needs to have a solid base. The same is true for your association’s website: if your site isn’t visually attractive and user-friendly, you’re already losing out on potential members.

First, make sure your website is modern: if it looks like it was built before Y2K, you’re not going to find much success. It’s hard not to judge a book by its cover when you’re browsing the net, so if you want to keep your audience on your page, make sure your site’s design is snappy, clear, and interesting.

Pay attention to both the user interface (how your website is laid out) and the user experience (how it feels to use your website); if either of these is lacking, you’re going to frustrate your members. Frustrated members are more likely to wander, so be sure to make the process of using your site painless for everyone involved.

A good way to achieve this is through integration. If all of your website’s sections–whether that means your store, forums, continuing legal education, blog, or more–are properly integrated, your users will be able to navigate your site with ease. Additionally, integration means a more seamless experience with more consistent branding. If all your pages match, members are less likely to get confused. In this line of thought, make sure to pick white-label solutions (in this case, software that can be purchased and rebranded to match your association) when relying on third-party vendors to power some of these sections.

You’ll also want to beef up your site’s search functionality. This is especially important when it comes to your continuing legal education courses or publications, of course (members can’t purchase material they can’t find!) but it also applies to your site as a whole. Allow for an array of filtering options; you could include sections for keywords, categories, fields of law, popular posts/courses/books, speaker/poster, profiles, pages, and more! (Look out for part 2 in this series, where we’ll go into more detail on this topic.)

If your bar association is partnered with other quality organizations, consider adding a section presenting them and their logo. For instance, if you run a county bar association that belongs to a larger collective (for instance, a state bar association), you can indicate this with their brand image. This will show your members you belong to a larger network of credible organizations–promoting your peers and proving your reliability in a single step! (Just make sure you get permission first.)

Captivate Members

Catching the attention of members may sound difficult, but there are a number of ways you can accomplish it.

First, you’ll want to put context-specific member testimonials at the front and center of your page (or somewhere else easily accessible!). For instance, on a page dedicated to a practice guide, try to include some feedback from practitioners heavily relying on it. After all, who better to promote your products and services than the members who use them? If you don’t have a stock of reviews available, don’t worry; you can offer CE program discounts or vouchers to those who submit them! Soon, you’ll have plenty of quality member quotes to use.

Your association should also establish a knowledge hub section on its site. This can encompass a variety of formats–videos, blog articles, Ask Me Anything sessions (whether they take the form of livestreams, recorded live sessions, or forum threads), news updates, anything! If you find it useful or interesting, your members likely will, too. By establishing a broad, frequently updated body of resources, your members will be more inclined to keep coming back for more.

Finally, you can appeal to the kid in all of us: achievement badges! By offering digital badges (also known as eBadges) for accomplishments like completing programs or course tracks, you get to reward loyal members with a virtual sticker. Members can then display their badges on their profiles or on social media–showing off their accolades and promoting your association at the same time! Everyone likes to be validated for their hard work, and you’ll be scratching that “collector’s itch” for some of your audience.

You may also like: Let’s Get Digital: 3 Strategies to Boost Member Engagement Online

Conclusion

When you’re looking to boost engagement, you can’t go wrong with a sleek, appealing website. Make it intuitive, make it fun, and make it smart–your members will appreciate it!

Looking for more tips and tools? Have no fear, this article is just the start! Check in next week for our tips to enhance your research ability.

The post Technology Tips and Tools to Help Bar Associations Build Trust and Support Members – Part 1 appeared first on Online Learning Solutions | Association Management System | Vocalmeet.