--- title: "Your Association’s Website: Is Joining Easy" id: "35743" type: "post" slug: "your-associations-website-is-joining-easy" published_at: "2016-11-07T21:27:32+00:00" modified_at: "2016-11-07T21:27:32+00:00" url: "https://associationsnow.com/2016/11/07/your-associations-website-is-joining-easy/" markdown_url: "https://associationsnow.com/2016/11/07/your-associations-website-is-joining-easy.md" excerpt: "It’s important to design your association's website so potential members can take quick action. Also: How some companies are counterprogramming their ads against the election." taxonomy_category: - "Marketing / Communications" taxonomy_post_tag: - "AssociationsNow" - "Membership" - "online application" - "website design" taxonomy_content_format: - "Article" taxonomy_role: - "Association CEO / Executive Director" - "C-Level" - "Executive Team" taxonomy_persona: - "Association Professionals" --- [Home](https://associationsnow.com/) » [Articles](https://associationsnow.com/format/article/) » Your Association’s Website: Is Joining Easy When people hop onto your association’s website, what’s the first thing they see? Is it a bunch of clutter or information about some obscure initiatives? Or are they actually getting information they need to make a decision about your organization? And when they click a link to join, is it easy or painful? On the MemberClicks blog, Callie Walker notes that it’s essential to consider these points—otherwise a failure to design with potential new members in mind could cost you. “If it can’t be done in a few simple steps, people might toss the idea altogether,” Walker notes. [Check her blog post to get tips on placement (opens in a new tab)](http://blog.memberclicks.com/is-your-association-difficult-to-join) , as well as advice on the importance of accepting applications online. (Which is a biggie.) ### Counterprogramming of the Day > The possibility of a [#DebateHeadache (opens in a new tab)](https://twitter.com/hashtag/DebateHeadache?src=hash&ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw) > is high. Be prepared with Excedrin®. [pic.twitter.com/J1c1Mg6Wsk (opens in a new tab)](https://t.co/J1c1Mg6Wsk) > > — Excedrin® (@Excedrin) [October 19, 2016 (opens in a new tab)](https://twitter.com/Excedrin/status/788635817455390720?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw) **Tweets like this one from Excedrin** last month highlight the way that many advertisers have been trying to move past the loaded emotions of the election. The strategy: Play up the fact that people are really sick of politics at the moment. [The New York Times reports that advertisers (opens in a new tab)](http://www.nytimes.com/2016/11/07/business/media/ads-focus-on-relief-from-the-presidential-campaign.html?_r=0) like Hefty and Ringling Brothers and Barnum & Bailey have used the idea of people being sick of the election as a way to stand out in the market. It’s a great marketing idea to keep in your pocket if you don’t have a message that’s compatible with electoral politics. ### Other Links of Note **“In many ways,** associations are the original crowdfunded organizations,” [writes National Fluid Power Association CEO Eric Lanke (opens in a new tab)](http://ericlanke.blogspot.com/2016/11/the-limitations-of-crowd-funding-for.html) . But don’t mistake that astute observation for full support of crowdfunding. Lanke writes on his blog that there are limits to the strategy. **Could removing laptops** and liquid materials from your bag in the airport security line become a thing of the past someday? *The Next Web* has the latest on a technology [being tried at Amsterdam’s Schiphol Airport (opens in a new tab)](http://thenextweb.com/lifestyle/2016/11/07/laptop-airport-security/) . **The sound of silence:** During a recent trip to New Mexico, author and consultant Adrian Segar didn’t talk for five days. [He says the experience was profound (opens in a new tab)](http://www.conferencesthatwork.com/index.php/facilitating-change/2016/11/i-stop-talking-for-five-days-you-wont-believe-what-happens-next/) . (iStock/Thinkstock) [Ernie Smith](https://associationsnow.com/author/ernie-smith/) Ernie Smith is a former senior editor for Associations Now. [More articles by this author](https://associationsnow.com/author/ernie-smith/) Tags: [#Membership](https://associationsnow.com/tag/membership/) [#online application](https://associationsnow.com/tag/online-application/) [#website design](https://associationsnow.com/tag/website-design/) **Stay Informed** [Subscribe to our free newsletter](https://associationsnow.com/newsletter/) , *Associations Now Daily News*, to find out what’s happening in the association world every business day. ## You Might Like - [PodcastAssociations NOW Presents: More Than Marketing: The Power of Strategic CommunicationsJuly 30, 2026](https://associationsnow.com/2026/07/30/associations-now-presents-more-than-marketing-the-power-of-strategic-communications/) - [PodcastAssociations NOW Presents: Why Slower Marketing Can Drive Stronger Member Engagement (Episode 27)June 25, 2026](https://associationsnow.com/2026/06/25/associations-now-presents-why-slower-marketing-can-drive-stronger-member-engagement-episode-27/) - [TemplateMembers onlyWebsite RFPMay 31, 2011](https://associationsnow.com/2011/05/31/website-rfp/) - [TemplateMembers onlyIFT Website Redesign RFPOctober 31, 2007](https://associationsnow.com/2007/10/31/ift-website-redesign-rfp/) ## Comments **Comments are for ASAE members.** [Learn more about comments on this site.](https://associationsnow.com/comments/) [Log in](https://associationsnow.com/login?redirect_to=https%3A%2F%2Fassociationsnow.com%2F2016%2F11%2F07%2Fyour-associations-website-is-joining-easy%2F%23comments) to your member account or [join ASAE](https://my.asaecenter.org/select-a-membership-type/) !