The days of gaming Google’s search algorithms seem to be coming to an end.  Soon, search will be based on activities that require honest effort to gain that valuable search result placement.  Content is regaining the throne as king of search and things like video and social referrals are going to weigh more heavily than purchased links and keyword laden tags. If you’re going to get on the first page of Google’s search results – you’re going to need to earn it. S... [More]

We’ve discussed how to create a social media strategy for your association; now how can you be sure it is working? Ensuring that you're measuring more that just the basics & understanding the difference between "cool" & "hot" levels of engagement is key to developing your networks in a valuable way. Ideally, member engagement should parallel your desire to seek & meet member needs. Here are a couple of things to consider when you're evaluting your member engagement. "Hot" vs... [More]

A great deal of time and effort is invested in building your brand's reputation, and your videos need to extend that effort. Utilize the trust you've established around your brand by employing it in your videos - giving people reason to watch them. This post provides a few tips to make this brand and video Ying and Yang easy.   To YouTube or Not to YouTube? There are a lot of places to publish your videos online. The most popular being YouTube and Vimeo; how do you decide which ... [More]

So you've spent hours perfecting the audio, script, and vision of your next video for publishing. Now you're left with a masterpiece and you don't know how to get it out there into the world of the internet. What many people often fail to recognize is that one of the most important tools you can utilize is the power of influence. This doesn't mean you have to be some hot shot celebrity either. Here are a couple of things to consider when you're beginning the promotional process: Your fr... [More]

You've finally made it! Your YouTube account is up and the video is on your website. But nothing is happening. Read our top ten tips on how to increase your video marketing efforts and get more views. [More]

What happens when outdated technology starts taking over your administrative overhead? You need to change your members' habits. You need to change the path of least resistance. [More]

The ability to innovate and adapt will play a major role in natural selection for Associations in the coming years. Those that embrace new technologies and opportunities will thrive. Those that find solace in fear will face difficulty retaining their relevancy in a changing world. [More]

An interesting thing happens with Associations that differs from for-profit enterprises. Despite a sizable budget, many feel the need to nickel-and-dime any significant investment in technology or infrastructure. It may be the fact that strategic planning beyond the year ahead can be difficult with a revolving door of board members. Or it may be that they simply don’t know any better. In the end, they always pursue the cheapest option possible. [More]

Untitled Document Associations face numerous threats in today’s world of constantly evolving technology. Social media is vastly changing the way professionals look at networking, and Associations need to dramatically rethink their value proposition to stay up to date. I won’t be getting into the “what” or “why” these growing changes can be a threat – you can check out a great post from Lead Creation on “Does your Professional Associat... [More]

Really – our Association’s Social Influence is a benefit to our Members?  How so? Like my post on why Non Profits should increase their blogging activity, this article provides some more information to help Associations begin thinking about how their online presence is a Benefit to Members – and not just a way to advertise your activities and attract new Members.  Leveraging your online social activities into benefits may help increase buy-in and resource support from your Board an... [More]