If you’re like most people, what’s the first thing you do when you start researching a topic?

Ten to one, you put a term in a search engine, and that leads you to a website. Now imagine prospective members doing just that. According to a recent SBI Association Management blog post, it’s why your organization needs to focus on making your website easy to use.

“Your website’s homepage is the most important recruitment tool you have to market the value of joining and close the sale,” the firm explained in its post. “From page one, your website needs to draw customers in and showcase the value of your association. It’s an asset that you need to vigilantly polish so it shines bright with potential.”

The article highlights a number of factors in this, including the features you should focus on, as well as the ease-of-use aspect. The company repeatedly brings up Amazon as a comparison point.

“Bottom line, take a page from online retailers and market membership as a must-have product,” the firm stated.

Do You Wanna Go Viral?

In a recent discussion with 5:00 Films’ Esteban Escobar, Maddie Grant of WorkXO and SocialFish throws out a basic question: “I really want to make a video, and I want it to go viral. So, what do I do?”

Escobar’s first response should tell you where this is going. “My first question when somebody starts talking about ‘we want our video to go viral’ is: Are you sure?” he said.

And it goes from there. Check out Grant’s clip above and a few other thinkers on the 5:00 Films website.

Other Links of Note

Build a relationship with your favorite journalist. Media relations pro Peter Panepento explains how on Kivi’s Nonprofit Communications Blog.

Your to-do list can look daunting, so it’s always important to optimize. Lifehacker points out how you can ensure that something you’re throwing on the list is worth your time.

Android may be more popular than iOS, but Apple’s App Store handily bests the Google Play store, according to newly released stats by App Annie.

(iStock/Thinkstock)