Template Library - Blog , Content MarketingTemplate Library - Blog , Content Marketinghttps://templates.membershipmarketingschool.com/blogs/content-marketingTue, 05 May 2026 15:18:51 -0700http://zoho.com/sites/<![CDATA[How to Create a Social Media Plan in Less Than 10 Minutes]]>https://templates.membershipmarketingschool.com/blogs/post/How-to-Create-a-Social-Media-Plan-in-Less-Than-10-Minutes
Social media planning sometimes feels overwhelming for association marketers. 

You might find yourself struggling with two common challenges:
  1. You don’t know what to post as you don't have content, time to create the content or ideas on what to post.
  2. You have too much to post but don’t want to overwhelm your audience.

Sound familiar? If so, you’re not alone. Many associations fall into the trap of sporadic posting with a heavy focus on event promotions—"Last chance to register!" or "New program announcement!" While these posts are important, they don’t create an engaging online presence. The truth is, the most engaging social media content is not promotions—it’s member stories. Social media is about being social, and people connect with real experiences, success stories, and engaging discussions more than just event reminders.

That’s why we created the MMS 30-Day Social Media Content Calendar—a simple framework to help associations post consistent, engaging, and balanced content. Whether you feel stuck or overloaded, this structured approach ensures that you always have relevant and valuable content to share.

Step 1: Set Aside One Day a Month

The key to consistent social media is planning ahead. Instead of starting your every morning wondering “What should we post today?”—plan it all in advance.


Block time in your calendar.
Choose a dedicated day each month for content planning. At Membership Marketing School, we do this on the 3rd Thursday of each month. You’ll need 2-4 hours, and trust me, this small investment of time will save you hours of stress later.


Pause for a moment and put this in your calendar right now.

By doing this, you’ll never be stuck staring at a blank screen, wondering what to post.

Step 2: Identify Your Content Pillars

To maintain a balanced and engaging feed, your content shouldn’t just be promotion-heavy. You need a mix of:

  • Selling – Membership benefits, events, programs
  • Informing – Industry updates, insights, resources
  • Storytelling – Member highlights, testimonials

In our MMS 30-Day Social Media Content Calendar, we identified seven key content pillars that help associations maintain a balanced and engaging social media presence. These pillars ensure that your content isn't just about event promotions but includes a mix of storytelling, engagement, and value-driven posts that build relationships with your audience. By incorporating these pillars into your strategy, you'll create a more dynamic and engaging feed that keeps members interested and involved.

Download Our 30-Day Social Media Content Calendar Template

The 7 Content Pillars for Associations

Here’s a breakdown of the 7 Content Pillars and how they can transform your association’s social media strategy:

1️⃣ Lead – Share insights, industry trends, and establish your association as a thought leader.

2️⃣ Promote – Highlight upcoming events, training, and valuable resources. 

3️⃣ Grow – Expand your reach by attracting new followers and growing your email list. You need new people in your audience before you can convert them into members.

4️⃣ Convert – Turn engaged followers into members by showcasing exclusive benefits and creating FOMO (fear of missing out).

5️⃣ Tell a Story – Feature real member experiences, case studies, and event highlights. This is your most powerful content for engagement!

6️⃣ Engage – Get people talking! Use polls, quizzes, and interactive posts to invite conversations and encourage participation.

7️⃣ Spotlight – Recognise sponsors, partners, and collaborations. It’s important to show gratitude and highlight the people supporting your association.


Not every association will need all these pillars, so choose the ones most relevant to you and build your calendar around them.

Step 3: Plan and Schedule Your Content

In the video above, we demonstrate how you can pre-plan and pre-schedule your social media content to ensure a balanced and consistent presence across all seven content pillars. This approach helps you stay organised, save time, and reduce the stress of last-minute posting.


By mapping out your content in advance, you can:
✅ Ensure variety – Cover all key content pillars, not just promotions.
✅ Stay consistent – Maintain a steady posting schedule without scrambling for ideas.
✅ Maximise engagement – Space out posts effectively to avoid overwhelming your audience.
✅ Collaborate more easily – Work with different departments to gather content ahead of time.
✅ Stay flexible – Leave room for timely updates while keeping your core content planned.


With the right planning and scheduling tools, social media becomes less of a daily task and more of a streamlined process—allowing you to focus on meaningful engagement with your members.

Stay flexible.
We recommend scheduling 2-3 posts per week, allowing room during the month for urgent updates, industry news, and last-minute promotions. This flexibility ensures your content remains relevant and timely without overwhelming your audience. If you don’t have any urgent updates, simply fill the gaps with more engaging content, such as member stories, testimonials, or interactive posts. You can also use this space to boost high-performing promotional or lead generation posts, ensuring they reach a wider audience.


💡 A smart tip to save time:Pre-schedule content that doesn’t change often.

For example:

  • Pre-schedule posts, introducing your association, its purpose and values.
  • If you have 12 key member benefits, highlight one each month.
  • Schedule testimonial posts well in advance.
  • Create recurring posts for thanking sponsors or invitation to subscribe to your newsletter.

Step 4: Track, Adjust, and Improve

Once your content is live, monitor its performance to see what resonates with your audience.

Check engagement levels:

  • Which posts are getting the most likes, comments, and shares?
  • What type of content brings in new followers?
  • Are people clicking on your links and signing up?


Get Started Today!


🔔 Remember: Consistency is key.

The more you post, the more engagement you’ll build. Start planning today!

Drop a comment below if you have questions! 

]]>Fri, 21 Feb 2025 11:36:00 +1100<![CDATA[10 Questions That Will Transform Your Association's Content Strategy]]>https://templates.membershipmarketingschool.com/blogs/post/10-questions-that-will-transform-your-associations-content-strategy
Content marketing is the backbone of association marketing, driving member engagement, industry influence, and sustained growth. From in-depth industry reports to regular webinars, compelling content keeps your association relevant and valuable. However, creating a successful content strategy takes more than just posting a few blogs or social media updates—it requires a clear plan and consistent effort.

A robust content strategy includes:

  • Clear goals and purpose (why are you doing this?)
  • Tying it all back to your association’s vision, mission, and values
  • Knowing your audience with detailed member personas
  • Defining your voice and tone so you sound like you
  • Planning content types, frequency, and themes (content pillars)
  • Crafting key messages and calls to action
  • Distribution strategy (channels)
  • Figuring out how repurpose content (work smarter, not harder!)
  • Funnel strategies to grow, convert, and retain members
  • SEO magic to make sure your content gets found
  • Having the right tools, team, and metrics to measure success

Are you confident in your current strategy, or could it use a little fine-tuning? That’s where our Association Content Marketing Planning Quiz comes in. You might be just starting out or refining a well-established strategy—the quiz offers clear insights and actionable steps to take your content marketing to the next level.

In this article, we’ll guide you through how associations can effectively plan, create, improve, and measure their content marketing to achieve impactful results.

Step 1: Plan with Purpose

Every successful content marketing strategy starts with a plan. Without one, you’re likely to produce content that feels random or disconnected from your goals. Here’s how to start:

  • Set Clear Goals: What do you want your content to achieve? From increasing event registrations to growing your membership base to improving engagement, having clear objectives will guide your strategy.
  • Know Your Audience: Understand your members’ needs and challenges. Create member personas that reflect different segments of your audience so you can tailor content specifically to them.
  • Audit Your Current Content: What’s working? What isn’t? Reviewing your past efforts will help you identify gaps and opportunities.
  • Choose Your Channels Wisely: Instead of trying to be everywhere at once, focus on where your members already spend their time. Are they active on LinkedIn? Do they engage more through email newsletters or your online community? Spreading your resources too thin across multiple platforms can lead to burnout without delivering real impact. Prioritise a few key channels and optimize them for maximum reach and engagement.
  • Create a Content Calendar: Plan your content in advance. Align topics with important dates, such as events or awareness days relevant to your industry.

Don’t know what to post? We’ve created a Canva Template solely for associations to make content planning easier!
Download Canva Template

Step 2: Find the Right Tools

No matter how great your content strategy is, the right tools can make all the difference in executing it smoothly and efficiently. From planning to creation, distribution, and measurement, the right technology can save your team time, reduce stress, and amplify your impact. Here’s how to make the most of them:

  • Planning Tools: Start with tools that help you organise your strategy. Use project management platforms like Trello, Asana, or Monday.com to map out your content calendar, assign tasks, and keep everyone on the same page.
  • Content Creation Tools: Invest in tools that make content creation easier and more professional. Platforms like Canva for design, Grammarly for editing, and Adobe Creative Cloud for advanced visuals ensure your content stands out.
  • Distribution Platforms: Use social media scheduling tools such as Buffer, Hootsuite, or Sprout Social to plan and automate posts across multiple channels. Email marketing platforms like Mailchimp can help you engage directly with your audience.
  • Analytics and Tracking: Measuring the performance of your content is essential. Google Analytics, social media insights, and tools like SEMrush provide valuable data on what’s working and where you can improve.
  • Specialised Tools for Associations: Consider platforms tailored for associations, such as Higher Logic for community engagement. These tools can help you better align your content strategy with your association’s goals.

By using the right tools, your association can ensure that content is not only well-planned but also efficiently executed and continuously optimised. The key is to choose solutions that align with your specific needs and budget while allowing room for growth as your strategy evolves.

Step 3: Create Content That Resonates

Once you have a plan, it’s time to create content that connects with your audience. Remember, your members want value—not just another sales pitch.

  • Be Relevant: Focus on topics that address your members’ pain points or provide solutions. For example, if your members are small business owners, share tips on navigating economic challenges or managing teams.
  • Use a Variety of Formats: Mix it up with blogs, videos, podcasts, infographics, and social media posts. Different people consume content in different ways, so variety is key.
  • Keep It Authentic: Highlight real-life examples, such as member success stories or testimonials. Authenticity builds trust and fosters stronger connections with your audience.
  • Be Consistent: Post regularly and maintain a consistent tone and style across all channels. This reinforces your association’s brand and keeps you top-of-mind for members.

Step 4: Improve Your Content Marketing Game

Good content marketing is never “one and done.” There’s always room for improvement. Here’s how to take things up a notch:

  • Get Feedback: Ask your members what they want to see more of. Use surveys, polls, or even informal social media posts to gather ideas.
  • Leverage Data: Look at what’s performing well. Are certain topics getting more clicks, shares, or comments? Focus on creating more of that type of content.
  • Repurpose Content: Turn a popular webinar into a blog, or compile social media posts into a newsletter. Repurposing saves time and keeps your content fresh.

Step 5: Measure and Learn

To know if your content is working, you need to measure its performance. Metrics give you valuable insights into what’s resonating with your audience—and what needs tweaking.

  • Track Key Metrics: Focus on metrics that align with your goals, such as website traffic, social media engagement, or webinar registrations.
  • Set Benchmarks: Use past performance to set realistic goals and measure progress over time.
  • Experiment: Don’t be afraid to try new things. Test different types of content, headlines, or posting times to see what gets the best results.
  • Adjust Your Strategy: Use the data you collect to refine your content marketing efforts. This iterative process ensures continuous improvement.

Ready to Take Your Content Marketing to the Next Level?

Creating a successful content marketing strategy isn’t just about ticking boxes—it’s about building meaningful connections, delivering real value, and driving results for your association.

It’s time to stop guessing and start planning with purpose. Let the quiz be your first step toward creating content that engages your members, grows your audience, and showcases the unique value of your association.

Need expert guidance? MemberBoat is here to help! Whether you need a content strategy overhaul or just some fine-tuning, we can work with you to create a plan that aligns with your goals.
]]>Thu, 20 Feb 2025 13:31:00 +1100<![CDATA[Evergreen Content Strategies for Associations: How to Create Content That Works Year-Round]]>https://templates.membershipmarketingschool.com/blogs/post/evergreen-content-strategies-for-associations-how-to-create-content-that-works-year-roundCreating fresh content for your association’s marketing can sometimes be stressful. One moment, you're posting about your latest event, and the next, ]]>
Creating fresh content for your association’s marketing can sometimes be stressful. One moment, you're posting about your latest event, and the next, you're scrambling to come up with something new. Sound familiar? Instead of constantly chasing trends, a smarter approach is to invest in evergreen content—valuable, long-lasting content that stays relevant and continues to engage your audience over time.

Evergreen content helps associations stay visible, save time, and provide continuous value to members without the constant pressure of creating something new every day. Let’s explore how you can build an evergreen content strategy that keeps working for you all year long!

What is Evergreen Content?

Evergreen content is content that remains relevant, useful, and engaging long after it's published. Unlike event promotions, seasonal posts, or trending topics that have a short lifespan, evergreen content can be revisited, reshared, and repurposed to maintain engagement over time.

✔️ Example of Evergreen Content: "The Ultimate Guide to Member Retention for Associations" (Timeless, valuable, and always relevant)

❌ Not Evergreen Content: "Join Our 2025 Annual Conference" (Relevant for a short period, but loses value after the event)

When done right, evergreen content positions your association as a trusted resource, helping to attract new members, engage existing ones, and drive long-term success.

Why Evergreen Content Matters for Associations

Saves Time and Effort
Instead of constantly brainstorming new topics, you can create high-quality content once and use it multiple times throughout the year. This reduces the stress of always needing fresh ideas while keeping your audience engaged.

Boosts Member Engagement
Members may not see your content the first time you post it. But by resharing and repurposing evergreen content, you increase visibility and give members multiple opportunities to engage with it.

Improves SEO and Website Traffic
Search engines love evergreen content. Blog posts, resource guides, and FAQs that stay relevant over time can help drive consistent traffic to your website and improve your association’s search rankings.

Provides Long-Term Value
Well-crafted evergreen content continues to educate and support members long after it's published, positioning your association as a go-to resource in your industry.

Types of Evergreen Content That Work for Associations

Now that we know the benefits, let’s talk about the best types of evergreen content associations should create.

1. How-To Guides and Best Practices
Educational content that teaches members something useful never goes out of style.

Example: “How to Build a Strong Member Engagement Strategy”

2. FAQs About Membership Benefits
New and prospective members will always have questions—so give them the answers!

Example: “What Are the Benefits of Joining Our Association?”

3. Resource Libraries and Toolkits
Create downloadable templates, checklists, and guides that members can refer back to any time.

Example: “Event Planning Checklist for Association Professionals”

4. Member Success Stories and Testimonials
Real-life success stories are powerful and timeless. They showcase the impact of your association and encourage others to join.

Example: “How Our Association Helped a Member Secure a Major Career Opportunity”

5. Educational Videos and Webinars
Instead of letting past webinars collect digital dust, turn them into on-demand resources that new members can access anytime.

Example: “Watch Our Webinar: Mastering Marketing Automation for Associations”

How to Repurpose and Refresh Evergreen Content

To keep evergreen content fresh, update it periodically with new statistics, case studies, or examples. You can also repurpose it into different formats:
  • Turn a blog post into an infographic for social media.
  • Break down a webinar into short clips and share them as Reels or LinkedIn posts.
  • Compile multiple blog posts into an eBook or downloadable guide.
By doing this, you extend the lifespan of your content while reaching members across different platforms.

How to Repurpose and Refresh Evergreen Content

We get it—content creation takes time. That’s why we’ve created fully customisable social media templates to help associations grow their membership and stay consistent with their content marketing.

Explore Our Ready-Made Templates to create professional, engaging content in minutes! 

Start Building Your Evergreen Content Strategy Today

Evergreen content is one of the smartest ways to maximise your content marketing efforts without constantly reinventing the wheel. By focusing on timeless, high-value content, associations can boost engagement, attract new members, and position themselves as industry leaders—all with less effort.

With the right approach, your content marketing can work for you all year long!
]]>Wed, 12 Feb 2025 11:49:00 +1100<![CDATA[The Power of Consistency: Why Associations Need a Strong Content Marketing Strategy]]>https://templates.membershipmarketingschool.com/blogs/post/the-power-of-consistency-why-associations-need-a-strong-content-marketing-strategySocial media platforms have become indispensable for associations aiming to foster community, disseminate information, and engage with both current an ]]>
Social media platforms have become indispensable for associations aiming to foster community, disseminate information, and engage with both current and potential members. It’s where your members are hanging out, connecting, and (hopefully) engaging with your content. But just posting here and there isn’t enough. One week, you’re excited about posting, and the next, you’re scrambling for ideas or skipping social media altogether. But here’s the thing: consistency is the secret sauce to making content marketing work for your association.

When done right, consistent content marketing keeps your members engaged, strengthens your brand, and helps your association grow. So, let’s talk about why showing up regularly with valuable content is one of the best things you can do for your association.

Why Consistency in Content Marketing Matters for Associations

1. It Builds Trust and Authority
People join associations because they want to be part of a trusted and valuable community. By consistently sharing insights, industry trends, member stories, and helpful resources, you reinforce your association’s expertise. When members and potential members see your content regularly, they recognise your organisation as a go-to source for information.

An association that shares weekly LinkedIn articles on industry trends will become a trusted thought leader. A competitor that posts once every few months? Not so much.

2. It Keeps Your Members Engaged
Engagement isn’t just about posting—it’s about showing up consistently in your members’ feeds, inboxes, and conversations. When members regularly see your content, they’re more likely to interact, participate in discussions, and attend events.

An association that consistently shares monthly webinars, interactive polls, or behind-the-scenes content will keep members engaged throughout the year—not just during renewal season.

3. It Helps Attract New Members
Think about it—if someone is considering joining your association, but visits your website and sees outdated blog posts or an inactive social media page, what impression will that leave? On the flip side, a vibrant and active content strategy signals that your association is thriving and worth being a part of. Consistently sharing success stories, event highlights, and member benefits keeps you on top of mind for potential members.

An association that regularly shares success stories from members, testimonials, and professional growth tips will naturally attract new members who see the value in joining.

4. It Strengthens Event Promotions
Promoting an event once and expecting a big turnout? That rarely works. Regular event promotion through blogs, social posts, countdowns, and reminders keeps the momentum going and ensures your audience stays excited and informed.

An association that consistently shares weekly event spotlights, speaker interviews, and early-bird discount reminders will see much higher engagement than one that only posts about the event two weeks before.

5. It Makes Your Marketing Efforts More Efficient
When you have a structured content plan, you’re not scrambling for ideas at the last minute. Instead, you have a clear roadmap that saves time, reduces stress, and ensures your messaging is aligned across all platforms.

An association that uses a 30-day social media calendar will never run out of content ideas, making marketing efforts smoother and more strategic. (Psst... we’ve created one just for associations!)


But that’s not all! We know that creating high-quality, engaging content can be time-consuming, which is why we’ve designed fully customisable social media templates to help associations grow their membership. These templates are easy to use, professional-looking, and tailored specifically for associations like yours.

Final Thoughts: Show Up, Stay Consistent, and Watch Your Association Grow

Consistency in content marketing isn’t just about posting regularly—it’s about creating a rhythm that keeps your members engaged, attracts new audiences, and strengthens your association’s brand. If you’re ready to make content marketing easier and more effective, start by using the right tools:


With a little planning and the right resources, your association can stay consistent, visible, and valuable in 2025 and beyond!
]]>Mon, 10 Feb 2025 11:49:00 +1100<![CDATA[Is Digital Clutter Holding Your Association Back? How Associations Can Optimise Their Online Footprint]]>https://templates.membershipmarketingschool.com/blogs/post/is-digital-clutter-holding-your-association-back
Associations often accumulate “digital dust” over time, from outdated website pages to social media profiles that no longer reflect current goals. A digital clean up isn’t just about tidying up; it’s about ensuring your online presence is polished, professional, and aligned with your mission. In this article, we’ll explore why this matters and how to get it done.

What is a Digital Clean Up?

A digital clean up is the process of reviewing, updating, and organising all your digital assets. This includes your website, social media profiles, partner websites, email lists, and any other online tools or platforms your association uses. The goal is to make sure everything is current, user-friendly, and working well together. It’s like giving your digital presence a fresh start, making it easier for your members to find what they need and for you to reach your goals.

Why Does a Digital Clean Up Matter?

Imagine walking into an office filled with piles of paper everywhere—chaotic, right? Now think about your association’s digital footprint. Is it streamlined and current, or is it full of clutter that confuses potential members?

Over time, digital clutter builds up—old pages, outdated information, unused tools, and so on. This can make it harder for members to navigate your website, lead to missed opportunities, and even give a less-than-professional impression. A digital clean-up helps you cut through the noise, keeping things simple, effective, and aligned with your association’s goals. A well-organised digital presence:

  • Improves member experience: A clean and organised digital presence means your members can easily find what they need, when they need it. No more hunting through outdated information—just a smooth, engaging experience that keeps them coming back.
  • Enhances member engagement: Members are more likely to visit your website and social media pages if they know there’s always something new to see. Regular updates and fresh content can lead to higher click-through rates and more interactions.
  • Attracts new members: Prospective members are more likely to be drawn to an association that appears active and engaged. Fresh, relevant content can make your association stand out and demonstrate its value to potential new members.
  • Boosts team productivity: When your online resources are organised and streamlined, your team spends less time searching and more time doing. It’s all about working smarter, not harder!
  • Strengthens relationships: By providing valuable and up-to-date information, you build trust and show that you understand and care about your members’ interests and needs. This can foster a stronger sense of community and loyalty.

How to Get Started

A digital clean-up isn’t about making things perfect—it’s about making them better, step by step. And the best part? You don’t need to be a tech wisard to get started; it’s all about taking small, manageable actions that lead to big improvements! Here are some areas to get you started:
  • Updating your website: Fixing broken links, removing outdated content, and ensuring everything is easy to find.
  • Refreshing social media: Updating your bios, removing unused sub-groups and sub-pages, and making sure your branding is consistent.
  • Streamlining repetitive tasks: Setting up marketing automation to streamline manual tasks like email marketing, social media posting, member engagement campaigns, and more.
  • Updating and managing your partner and third-party websites: Ensuring your association’s details, such as logos, contact information, and descriptions, are accurate on partner sites.
  • Social listening: Tracking conversations around your association and creating a clear plan for responding to feedback to understand your members on a deeper level.

Join Membership Marketing School Digital Clean Up Challenge

Feeling inspired but not sure where to start? We’ve got you covered! Membership Marketing School’s 4-week Digital Clean Up Challenge is designed to guide you through every step of the process.

We will equip you with simple, step-by-step action plans that make digital makeovers easy, manageable, and even a little fun. Each week, we’ll focus on a different aspect of your digital presence, guiding you through tasks that will leave your platforms organised and optimised.

This challenge is more than just a clean-up; it’s an opportunity to enhance your association’s digital strategy and ensure that your online platforms are performing at their best. 

So, are you ready to transform your digital space and make a lasting impact? Sign up for Membership Marketing School’s 4-week Digital Clean-Up Challenge today and let’s get started on this exciting journey together!
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