Keep your content fresh
We all know that content is king. If you expect people to visit your web site more than once, then you need to provide something of value to bring them back. No amount of fancy bells and whistles on your web site keeps users coming back for too long. Your users can get value from any number of things including hearing about your latest event, reading or watching about your latest success, finding new and interesting ways to get further involved with your cause or any number of other things you choose to put out there.
To keep them coming back, the content has to be there and that means someone has to create the content. Easier said than done. We’re here to help with this week’s Three Things – Three Things to help ensure you keep your content fresh, and your users coming back.
1) Let your activity pull you. Even if the most recent entry in the latest news column on your home page is from last quarter’s annual fundraising dinner, you’ve probably been busy in the last 2 months. Make sure those visiting the site see that. Some quick examples to keep things current:
-Take 2 minutes at the next board meeting and snap a picture of members in action with a paragraph about the most important thing they discussed that day.
-Take 5 minutes to record a quick video report from your latest member training workshop.
-Recap any significant event within a day of it happening. Remember to include the pictures and video.
Beyond remembering to always take pictures and video, not much forethought is necessary to give quick summaries and show that your organization is alive and kicking and making a difference in the world. Make sure your web site reflects the hard work your organization does in day to day and week to week.
2) Push next steps. What’s next? There is always a next step: for you, for your members, for your partners. Reporting on what’s happened helps show activity, but connecting last week’s success to next week’s plan gives your members an update this week and a reason to come back again next week. Two examples:
-Post a quick report from the email call to action you sent the week before. Thank the 400 people who contacted their member of Congress and include a quote in the press from a member announcing their support for your legislation. Now if you could only find 3 more votes to get it out of committee.
-Create a graphic for your homepage that shows the status of your annual fundraising campaign and a pitch from one of your grassroots fundraisers. This shows progress, makes an ask and gives another voice to your pitch. Not to mention, your supporters will check back to see what other grassroots leaders are saying.
3) Plan. Ideally, you’re not only doing both of the above, but there is already a plan for the next quarter about what will happen when. You know what events are coming, what your fundraising goals are and what your priorities are for this quarter and next. Step back with your organization’s calendar and add the new web content that needs to be created around events and activities. Some you can outline now and then finish when the time comes. Some you need to be ready with the camera to take pictures, capture video or antecdotes from participants. With your content calendar planned a few weeks or month in advance, you can see where the holes are. No updates planned during the first week of September? Too much in the last week of August? If keeping content fresh is important and you know where the gaps are a month out, you’re a step ahead of the rest.
Pull, Push and Plan – that’s this week’s three things to help keep your web content fresh and your members coming back. Let us know what you think in the comments below! (And if you need help making it all come together, we’ve love to help, so drop us a note or give us a call).
And if you’ve got Three Things to get off your chest that will make others lives a bit easier, shoot us an email – we’d love to feature your ideas in this space!