Association pubs told that robust web-only can be the way to go

Readers of association publications want "more and more of less and less", the Society of National Association Publications conference in Chicago was told. Rebecca Rolfes, executive vice president of new business development at Imagination Publishing, told association publishers that several elements are changing their roles as publishers. This, according to a story carried in Folio:. She said the elements included:

• nichification (“people want more and more of less and less”);
  
• speed (“associations are not noted for their speed or flexibility”);
• peer-to-peer (“historically, associations have controlled the message—now you are no longer in control”);
• data (“search engines are struggling with the amount of data out there and one-to-one databases are key”); and
  
• sophisticated governance (“more boards are based on competence rather than tenure”).

She went on to outline a case study, the way in which her company helped client association IPC better connect with its intended audience.

With 2,600 global members spread throughout the supply chain, IPC felt its print products, including a magazine called Review, weren’t connecting with the right audience—and with 7,000 subscribers, the association felt selling advertising wasn’t worth the trouble.

Imagination recommended ceasing print publication and going web-only, overhauling the website to place content at the top, with current content open to anyone, but the archives available only to members.

The site now produces two 600- to 800-word features per week, as well as a podcast and a slideshow each month. A quarterly e-blast promotes rich media features in English and Chinese. While that doesn’t sound like much to most publishers ramping up their Web sites, it appeals to the international crowd. IPC.org produces its content in English, and with the help of a China-based office, offers full translation into Mandarin.

The site also offers two “best of list serve” each month. “Think of list serve as a baby social network,” said Rolfes. “Social media marketing is one of the best things you can do for SEO.”

The number of visitors has grown by 43 percent while the number of individual visits has doubled. Visit duration is up 15 percent to more than 11 minutes per session, and the site has generated more than 10,000 rich media downloads.