4 Ways to Share Your HOA Website Setup Success

When you signed up to create a website for your homeowners association, did you know in advance what that project would entail, or were you surprised at the depth of the responsibility? Whether you’ve been involved since the HOA website software provider selection phase or only came on board for the actual nitty gritty of site creation, you want your work to be a real credit to your community. “Sharing the wealth” of site setup tasks can make the job easier at the same time that it boosts your prospects of a swift and successful project.

“Promote” other members to Admin status

Let’s face it: If you’re like most homeowners association administrators, you’re a volunteer, so that means you’re taking time away from work, family, hobbies, and more to get involved in HOA business. Sure, you know that your contribution is valuable, but sometimes, it’s nice to have help along the way.

Instead of trying to take on every single task involved with your homeowners association website project yourself, share the responsibilities with other Admins. If you already know people within your community who have expressed an interest in being involved, get in touch with them and ask them how they’d like to help. Put out a general call for people who want to play a role in the website setup process. Ask for additional volunteers at community meetings and functions. Look for people who will stay involved with maintenance tasks after the website is up, as well as people who only want to be involved in the website build.

While you’re asking, make sure you’re clear about what the Admin role entails and how much of the work you want to share. Don’t skimp on the details or skim over the real time commitment. You want fellow Admins who are committed to diving in and making a difference, not people who agree to be involved up until the point at which they find out what they’re actually going to have to do.

Remember that for website-development tasks, you’re better off with computer-literate volunteers who have access to up-to-date computer hardware and software, either on a Mac or Windows. That way, your new volunteers won’t be hamstrung by outdated browser software or other limitations.

Add sub-admin roles

When you run into people who’d like to be involved but who tell you that they don’t have the time for full Admin status, consider setting up sub-admin roles that involve a subset of the full roster of responsibilities. If your homeowners association website software provider offers built-in support for these types of subsidiary roles, so much the better. In that case, you can integrate your second-level volunteers directly into the project.

Think of sub-admin roles either as ways to delegate portions of the full Admin role or to provide a backup to step in when you’re busy with other projects. If you anticipate that you’ll need to devote considerable time to the website project, sub-admins can take some of your other administrative responsibilities off your plate, leaving your schedule freed up for web work.

Create a content committee

Another great way to take advantage of the collective talents, experience, skills, and resources of your fellow community residents is to set up a website content committee. Typically, this type of committee identifies, creates, collects, and uploads all the right verbal and visual assets to add to your site.

If you’ve already planned out the content coverage and messaging approach of your website—and at this point in the process, that’s something you really should have in the bag—then you know the types of information you want to present, along with the forms of visual support that help make your points vivid and compelling. You and your fellow content committee members can plan out the practical logistics involved in putting all this material together.

Who will take the lead on acquiring photographs from members of the neighborhood—or taking community pictures themselves? If your board members do not have professional quality headshots to post on a page that features your leaders’ background and responsibilities, does someone on your committee have the ability to take these photos? Who is going to write the verbal content for pages about community history, and cover other aspects of the ambience that surrounds your neighborhoods? Your content committee can ask and answer these and many more questions about the material you incorporate into your website.

Put out a call for great community stories

Human interest stories always add value and focus reader attention on homeowners association websites. If you’ve lived in your community for a long time, you may think you know many of your neighbors really well, but if your community is large or you’re new to the neighborhood, you may not have heard some of the more interesting stories these folks have to tell. Even if you’ve lived next door to the same families for years, their accomplishments may surprise you.

Of course, not everyone wants their person stories made public, but many people enjoy sharing what makes their families unique—and these types of website features can help bring your community closer together. As you’re putting together the content strategy and approach for your HOA website, look for these interesting tales to tell.

Do you have a champion athlete, world-class musician, budding entrepreneur, or beloved teacher on your block? Has someone on the next street started a new company, launched a second career, welcomed a new addition to their family, or grown a bountiful garden? Is there a palate-pleasing cook who’ll share tips on using spices, creating vegan versions of favorite recipes, or building healthful substitutes for guilty pleasures? Many of these stories satisfy the “I didn’t know that” response with narratives that speak to the desire for excellence in ways that help promote community spirit.

While you’re planning what your HOA website will say and how it will say it, make sure you’re happy with the homeowners association website software provider you’ve selected. Do they specialize in HOAs and understand all the special needs of organizations such as yours, or are they Just Another Website Software company with no particular knowledge of your expectations? If you’re rethinking your provider choice, look to HOA Start for the powerful software and specialized, expert attention you need.