We live in a digital-first world, and if you don’t offer a website for your homeowner’s association, you may be missing out on one of the most effective tools to help manage your HOA.

An HOA website is a great way to keep members informed about events, news, and announcements. Use it to post meeting minutes, collect dues, and even provide access to digital documents—among many other ways it helps you connect with your community.

But far too many HOA websites are outdated, poorly designed, and challenging to navigate. If you’re thinking about developing a website for your HOA, read on to learn about the dos and don’ts of HOA website development that you should keep in mind.

 

 

Why build a website for my HOA?

Digital access to information has become paramount in our fast-paced, always-connected world.

If your HOA doesn’t have a website, you’re missing out on a critical opportunity to engage with members and provide them with the information they need, when they need it.

You can use an HOA website to:

• Post meeting minutes and agendas
• Collect dues and HOA fees
• Share news, announcements, and events
• Provide access to digital documents
• Reserve amenities

With a well-designed website, your HOA can improve communication, increase transparency, and make it easier for members to stay up to date on what’s going on.

What makes a good HOA website today?

When it comes to HOA website development, understand current trends and best practices so you can create a website that members actually will want to use. Remember these essentials as you develop your HOA website.

1. Keep it simple

A good HOA website builder should be easy to navigate and understand. Members should be able to find the information they need without difficulty, and the overall design should be clean and uncluttered.

DO: Use clear, concise language, and organize information in an intuitive way.

DON’T: Use jargon or include too much information on a single page. This will make your site difficult to navigate and understand.

2. Make it responsive

Today, it’s more important than ever to build a responsive website design that looks great on all devices, from desktop computers to mobile phones. This means using an HOA website builder that offers responsive templates or working with a web developer to create a custom responsive design.

DO: Make sure visitors with all types of devices can access and use your website.

DON’T: Use a website builder that doesn’t offer responsive templates and lacks any design that’s mobile friendly.

3. Keep it up to date

One of the main reasons residents don’t use their HOA website is that the information has grown stale and needs an update.

If members can’t rely on your website for accurate, up-to-the-minute information, they’re likely to give up and find another source. When building and maintaining your website, be sure to keep the following up to date.

• News and announcements
• Calendar of events
• Meeting minutes and agendas
• List of board members
• Community documents

DO: Set up a system to make regular updates to your website content. This might mean you assign someone to be responsible for updates or use a content management system that makes it easy to make changes.

DON’T: Let your website become outdated. This will frustrate members and make them less likely to use your site in the future.

4. Keep it secure

With hacking and cybercrime on the rise, it’s essential to make sure your HOA website is secure.

When you develop your website, be sure to include protective security features. This is especially critical if you intend to use your website to collect dues or HOA fees.

DO: Include security features such as SSL encryption and two-factor authentication.

DON’T: Skimp on security in a misguided effort to save money. This could cost you more in the long run if your website is hacked.

5. Keep it user friendly

The best HOA websites are easy for members to use. You want to design a simple, straightforward site with clear calls to action, one that requires as few clicks as possible to reach essential information.

A difficult-to-use website quickly frustrates members, who give up using it. As you design, imagine how you would want to engage with the site. If you find something confusing or difficult to use, chances are other members will feel the same way.

DO: Use clear and concise language, design intuitive navigation, and include calls to action on every page.

DON’T: Use jargon, bury important information, or make visitors search for what they need.

Choose the right HOA website development platform for your community

You need to invest time and effort to build and maintain a powerful HOA website. With HOA Start, you can quickly and easily create a beautiful, responsive site packed with all the features you need to keep your homeowners association organized and connected.

Choose one of our engaging and effective responsive templates, or work with our team of experts to create a custom design. HOA Start makes it easy to keep your website up to date, secure, and user-friendly—everything you need to engage and connect with your members.

Get started today and see how HOA Start can help you build the ultimate HOA website for your community.