The 10 Most Popular Blog Posts of 2018
Data leads to discoveries. If you use association management software (AMS) at work, you’ve had those “aha” moments when patterns and trends start emerging from your data. Then, you can turn that information into insight and confident decisions. That’s a good day!
We enjoyed looking back at our 2018 website traffic data and discovering what the numbers could tell us. Which posts attracted the most page views? What does all that attention say about the interests and concerns of our readers? Here are our thoughts on the ten most popular 2018 posts on the MemberSuite blog.
#1 – 5 Myths about GDPR
We’re not surprised this April post was our most popular in 2018. The months leading up to the GDPR deadline on May 25 were full of conversation and consternation. At first, many in the association community didn’t think they’d have to worry about GDPR since it was “a European thing”—that’s myth #1, by the way. We wrote this post to clear up some of the GDPR confusion out there.
This post also received a good deal of traffic from its mention in the Daily Buzz column at ASAE’s Associations Now. It’s a good time to reacquaint yourself with some of these myths since it’s likely a similar data privacy law will go into effect here in the U.S.
#2 – Increase Non-Dues Revenue with a New Sponsorship Approach
Non-dues revenue is a constant challenge for associations, which explains why sponsorship was the topic of our second most popular post. Companies are looking for a better ROI on their marketing dollars, and a more effective partnership than the gold/silver/bronze sponsorship tiers that associations have always offered. We advocate a new approach to sponsorship that involves collaborating with your revenue partners, thinking beyond events, and finding ways for them to provide value to your members.
#3 – How to Update Data throughout the Member Journey
Data management was a popular topic on the blog this year. Data helps you understand members, but it has a short shelf life. In this post, we suggested several ways to collect and update member data during the recruitment, onboarding, engagement, and renewal stages of the member journey.
#4 – 6 Benefits of Investing in Event Management Software
If you use an AMS with an event management module (like MemberSuite), you probably can’t imagine running your events without it. But some event planners aren’t as lucky. The popularity of this post shows how many of you are seeking information to help build a business case for event management software.
#5 – 6 Principles of Member Data Collection
Here’s another popular data management/governance post. It became even more popular after being the lead feature in a Daily Buzz article at Associations Now. Data governance may not be sexy, but it’s essential. The six data governance principles we share in this post will set you on the right path.
#6 – What Is the Difference between Reporting and Business Intelligence Anyway?
Not sure about the difference between reporting and business intelligence (BI)? We’ve got you covered: this post is the place to start. With software like MemberSuite, even word nerds and diehard liberal arts majors can do wonders with member data thanks to MemberSuite’s reporting and BI capabilities.
#7 – 5 Tips to Increase Small Staff Productivity
Is there anyone working in associations that has enough time in their day? We wrote the tips in this post with small staff associations in mind but anyone could benefit from them. In fact, staff at small associations often have great productivity advice to share because they’ve had to figure out how to manage with less of everything.
#8 – 4 Effective Event Email Marketing Tips That Will Benefit Your Association
Event planning is nerve-wracking enough, and then you have to wait and see if your email marketing works its magic. Will members see your email in their crowded inbox? Will they decide to open your email? And, most importantly, will they click on the link to register? Your chances for success increase when you use the tactics we recommend in this popular post.
#9 – 5 Ways to Improve Member Engagement by Using Apps
Member engagement is a perennial challenge. What works for one member doesn’t necessarily work for another. But, there’s one thing all members have in common: a mobile phone in their purse or pocket. In this post, we shared five ways to put a mobile app to work in your member engagement strategy.
#10 – Why You Should Become a Member
We’re huge fans of associations, naturally, and belong to many ourselves. But, some association professionals don’t belong to a professional society or association. As we point out in this post, the benefits of membership can transform your career and life. Plus, the insight you gain from being a member can inform your association’s approach to the membership experience.
Your website visits revealed the topics of most concern to you in 2018. Number one: data. Data privacy, data management, data governance, and data analytics were top of mind. You also wanted to read about non-dues revenue, software selection, email marketing, and member engagement. We’ll continue to address these topics in the future. And, we’ll keep our eyes and ears open so we can spot the questions and concerns you’re wrestling with in 2019.