Ace The Website Redesign For Your Private Club

Most marketing agencies or club technology platforms want to start with a website redesign. They talk to you about fonts, colors, logos, website features, and SEO. These are all important elements to discuss—but they have very little impact on whether someone decides your club is the place for them.

You need to start with your story and what makes your club the right fit for a person. Most designers give you a quote for a website that says “copywriting not included.” You look at the price tag for your new website and think “how hard can it be to figure out the copy” and end up taking the copy from your old page and moving it to the new one. If so, don’t expect a rush of new interest from prospective members. If you want to grow your membership, here’s what to focus on.

Your Content is King

Your content is the most important part of a website refresh! It can’t be an afterthought. Having clarity around your brand and what you stand for is where to start. Only focusing on the visual elements of your website and overlooking messaging creates a missed opportunity to truly connect with your audience on a deeper level.

The messaging is more than headlines and copy on your website. It conveys the personality and attitude of your membership. Your website should showcase points of differentiation. Differentiation makes you the singular right option for a specified audience. You need to offer a unique, identifiable collection of services in a manner that sets you apart from your competitors. That clarity gives people a solid, recognizable reason to choose your club over another one that may otherwise be similar.

The best websites use words to create an emotional connection with the visitor. You must go beyond just showing off swimming pools and golf courses and communicate feelings and heart—the “why” of your club. 

Word Strategies That Make Sites Work Better

If you want your prospect to care and get to know you, tell them how it’s going to feel after they join your club. Are you a club that has a “vacation-like” vibe more than your competitors? Then make sure as part of your identity you reflect this relaxing-type atmosphere in the choice of words you use. Choose words like friendly, welcoming, comfortable, relaxing, escape, etc. 

Where you put your words on your website matters as well. You’ve got 7 seconds to hook a visitor, otherwise, they are moving on. At first glance, your website should look clean with no question of what you want your prospect to read first. The first sentence should be so clear and bold that they begin learning about you without having to try. 

Consider how Rogue Valley Country Club in Oregon quickly positions itself as the premiere club in the area and then immediately gets into “Amenities for Everyone” so people know this is a place for the whole family to enjoy.

Use words that clearly communicate to your prospect that they are in the right place right away. Ask yourself: “What does my prospect need to know to take action?” Then make taking that action super easy. “We are friendly, welcoming, fun, relaxed, and comfortable—come take a tour.” 

Immediately you are communicating to your prospect what they need to know the minute they land on your homepage. The faster and easier it is for a prospect to get to know you, the faster they will decide if your club is right for them.

Resource: 5 Essentials for Successful Golf Club Marketing

Good web copy improves your SEO and will get you found by more people. Your web copy does more than provide visitors with information about your club—it also helps search engines understand your website. The more written copy you have on your site—and the higher the quality of that copy is—the more likely search engines are to pick it up and rank it higher in organic search results. This is critical if you are a club that opens your wedding and event venues up to non-members. You’re competing with tons of event venues around you for the public’s attention. They’re not searching for a club. They’re searching for a venue. You need to be on the front page of Google results if you want to get calls and the right content will get you there.

To be different and distinct—a brand that means something—requires more than pretty pictures and generic words. Download our Guide to Digital Marketing for Private Clubs to learn the secrets. The clubs that thrive in this digital era of communication do so with a purpose, a point, and a position that is uniquely theirs.