Q: How did you designate members-only content versus public-access content when creating your association's Web site?

Q: How did you designate members-only content versus public-access content when creating your association's Web site?

We have two Web sites: one for the public (www.braces.org) and one for members (www.aaomembers.org). Nonmembers have access to a variety of consumer information, oral health care information, and so forth. The public site was developed and is maintained specifically for consumers. The member site was developed and is maintained to provide member services, ordering, legislative updates, and distance learning programs.

Chris Vranas, CAE Associate Executive Director, American Association of Orthodontists, St. Louis; [e-mail]

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The simple answer is that we don't put anything on the public side that would be helpful to someone in the profession who is not a member. We are very mercenary about our content. Something that would be helpful to a member goes in the members-only area where a password is required.

What is on the public side is information about the profession that may be of interest to consumers and the press. This includes, for example, the listing of our board of directors; our bylaws; a list of services along with the membership application form; our member directory, which allows the public to find one of our members near them; a calendar of events; and information about our trade show. Under password protection are the documents that will help members in their businesses, newsletters and current news items, a legal library, links to state laws, and more.

Bob Benedict, CAE Executive Director, National Pawnbrokers Association, Roanoke, Texas, [e-mail]

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Individuals who make the commitment to join our society should benefit from the intellectual property generated by our volunteers and staff. Therefore, our position papers, newsletter, and analyses of legislative and regulatory issues that help our members in their professional development and practice are maintained in our members-only section. Comment letters to federal agencies, publications that are for sale, and meeting information are maintained in the public section of the site, since this information is in the public domain and we believe that it should be accessible to anyone interested in the issues addressed by our society.

Dale Singer Executive Director, Renal Physicians Association, Rockville, Maryland; [e-mail]

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We had to think through the careful balance of providing information and resources that would attract new members, but also recognize that it is dues-paying members who make it possible for us to offer resources that are costly to the association. Networking is the most valuable aspect of our association, so we entice people to join by making sure they are aware that the online membership directory is available in the members-only section.

Additionally, our job board has proven to be a very valuable resource for members--and a good incentive for new members to join on the spot--so we put that resource in our members-only section after having it publicly available for many years. We are soon going to move the electronic version of the most recent newsletter out from behind the members-only section and post it publicly as a marketing tool to new members. I think the bottom line comes down to what you can afford to give away for free and still be fair to your dues-paying members.

Pamela Strother Executive Director, National Lesbian and Gay Journalists Association, Washington, D.C.; [e-mail]

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The designation of members-only content versus public-access information should be done by assessing what information a member would value and protecting that information by placing it in the members-only section, while enticing nonmembers by sharing snippets of that information.

For example, you could give nonmembers an overview of a report. At the end of the overview, there could be a link to view more, which would prompt the individual to either enter his or her login and password or join the organization.

William D. Pawlucy, CAE Senior Vice President, Association Headquarters, Mt. Laurel, New Jersey; [e-mail]

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