What is an All-in-One Club Website?
When we talk about an “all-in-one” club website, we’re referring to a website that’s built on the same software platform as a club’s registration system.
All-in-one club websites do not have to use additional software (such as APIs, iFrames or third-party plugins) to connect to online registration portals. They also don’t need to send club members to a separate third-party website in order to complete their online registration transactions.
Instead, users navigating an all-in-one club website can easily browse between general club information and registration pages in one consistent online experience.
For a current example, you can visit a club website our Uplifter team has just helped launch for Corona School of Gymnastics in Ottawa.
Working with leading sports clubs like Corona School of Gymnastics and associations such as Skate Canada has given our team unique insights into the benefits of a fully integrated club website.
Here are what we consider to be the Top 5 Benefits of an All-in-One Club Website:
1) All-in-One Websites Boost Member Transactions
One of the most important factors in the success of your club website is how quickly your members can navigate through your site. A fast site allows for a more convenient browsing experience while communicating a sense of security.
Has this ever happened to you: You spend hours shopping online to find the right product or service. Then after weighing all of your options, you enter your payment information and click the checkout button. Your screen loads…and loads…and loads, but nothing happens. There’s a sinking feeling in your stomach and you begin to wonder, “is this site secure?”
These days, online shopping is a familiar experience for most people. And yet, many of us are still leery of personal data security issues.
If your club website takes a long time to load from page to page, users may not trust your site. This means your valued customers are going to be less likely to complete an online transaction with your club.
One of the best ways to create a fast site, is to simplify it. This means avoiding building your site on one platform and having your registration software exist on a completely separate one.
When your club website and registration software are on separate platforms, both sites have to communicate to one another and that process can cause delays and potential error alerts. Many customers are also uncomfortable with being taken from a website they trust to a different site operated by a third-party registration or payment processing company.
Using a single platform eliminates transaction delays
When sites are built on the same platform, there’s no delay between the user reading about your new program and registering for it. This allows users of a site like Corona School of Gymnastics to easily click on a home page banner about new summer programs, read about those programs and then proceed to register with no delays.
2) Search Engines Love Simple and Quick Sites
Users and prospective customers aren’t the only ones who appreciate a fast site. As we’ve mentioned in our SEO guide for clubs, Google, Bing and all other major search engines place high value on a website’s speed. That’s because Google wants to provide users with the best possible experience.
First impressions matter online which is why Google wants to avoid sending users to slow sites. If users are repeatedly recommended slow sites in their Google search results, they may switch search engines.
So, if your club registration software needs to plugin to your club website with an API, iFrame or third party plugin, loading these elements could impact your search engine ranking. If you can avoid adding these site elements, your site is more likely to rank well in Google.
3) A More Secure Shopping Experience
Way back in 2014, Google told the world that it wanted to see websites using HTTPS instead of HTTP. Using the HTTPS protocol, websites are able to maintain a higher level of security. And this security is of the utmost importance when handling e-commerce transactions.
If your club website is currently using HTTP, it’s not going to rank as highly as it could in search engines.
Furthermore, if your HTTP club website is pulling in an API or iFrame from HTTPS club software, Google may even flag your domain with a penalty. That’s because they don’t like to see information being passed between non-secure and secure platforms.
Why?
Because passing information between non-secure and secure platforms can expose information to hackers and tracking beacons. Simply put, you don’t want these third-parties seeing your private club member information.
Although potentially quite serious, this security issue can easily be avoided with an all-in-one website built directly on an HTTPS club software platform.
4) A More Cohesive User-friendly Experience
Picture this: you want to register your child at a new sports club in town. You’ve done your research and you’re ready to make your purchase. However, when you click “register” you’re suddenly taken from the club’s regular website to a new system. This new system looks and feels completely different.
You think, why am I suddenly on a different site? Should I trust this new system?
Maybe you’ll give the new system the benefit of the doubt. But, if you’re a club owner, why even risk pushing away a potential customer with a fractured user experience?
When you build your website on a single platform like Uplifter, your website presents a consistent user experience.
If a prospective customer reads about your programs and clicks ‘register’ they’ll be taken to a registration page on the same site that looks and feels the same. This continuity creates a more comfortable and user-friendly experience for customers.
With Uplifter, that experience is the same on desktop, mobile and tablet because we know your club needs to look great and function well on whichever device your customer prefers.
5) A Richer and More Detailed Shopping Experience
Building your club website on a single software platform allows you to offer a more detailed shopping experience. This empowers your customers to make a more informed decision when they’re reviewing your programs.
When customers feel like their decisions are well informed, they feel more confident in their choice and your club.
Consider this example: When clubs add new coaches to their staff, parents and kids will be unfamiliar with that coach’s skillset. For this reason, it can be helpful to link from a program listing, directly to a coaching profile on your site. This will allow parents and students to familiarize themselves with the new coach.
A link like this is especially helpful when running short intensive programs that focus on special skillsets. Knowing that a coach with experience is running an intensive program can help parents understand the value of that program.
Ultimately, when parents are confident, it can help children be more confident too.
The end result? Kids can fully focus on their goals and challenges at your club!
Uplifter’s All-in-one Club Websites
At Uplifter, our Fully Uplifted club software, Association software and Event software all include custom website builder tools. This means each of these plans comes with the ability to create and launch your own website directly through Uplifter. These all-in-one websites are beautiful, fast, secure, and mobile friendly.
It’s easy to build your own website using our easy drag and drop website builder tools. Nonetheless, some clubs and associations may prefer to leverage Uplifter’s website design, SEO and online marketing expertise. That’s why we also offer a competitive website design support package to help clubs launch a site that they love. If you’re interested, you can read more about our Website Design Support here.
