There’s been a quiet shift in how people use the web and it didn’t start with anything your team built or your site runs on.
Since generative AI tools like ChatGPT entered the mainstream, the way people - especially your members - interact with the web has fundamentally changed.
What used to be a quick scan-and-click experience is now a question-and-response conversation. And it’s changing how members think, what they expect, and how they behave when they land on your site.
If your association’s web strategy was built for a pre-AI world, you’re likely already feeling the friction. Visitors are bouncing. “I can’t find it” calls are climbing. Engagement is dipping. And new competitors - some of them the AI tools themselves - are meeting your members’ needs faster, cleaner, and with less effort.
This isn’t just a technology shift. It’s a behavior shift. And it requires a strategic response.
Let’s talk about what’s changed and what your association can do to keep pace.
From Browsers to Askers
We used to browse the web like walking into a library. Quietly. Cautiously. Clicking around like we were hunting for the right book on the right shelf.
AI flipped the model.
Now, your members are used to typing (or speaking) exactly what they want, in full sentences, and getting direct answers. “What are the top upcoming conferences in my industry?” “How do I get certified before September?” “What’s the best membership level for someone early in their career?”
They’re not scanning dropdowns. They’re expecting the digital equivalent of a front-desk concierge who already knows them and their goals.
Your search bar, homepage, and content experience weren’t built for that.
And unless you update them soon, you risk becoming the frustrating experience they avoid, or worse, the organization they leave.
The New Default Web Behavior
Here’s how the generative AI era is reshaping the mental model of a good website:
- Search is full-sentence. Visitors type like they talk. They’re no longer looking for “events calendar,” they’re typing, “Where’s the next event near me, and how do I register?”
- Content is scannable, but expect a summary first. People want a quick TL;DR at the top. If you can’t give them a concise, confidence-building overview of what they’ll find, they’re gone before the scroll.
- Every page is a decision point. Once they land, they expect the next best action to be served up to them automatically. “What should I do next?” should never be a question they ask. Your site should answer it.
Why the Member Wall Matters More Than Ever
Let’s talk about your member wall.
You may know it as the firewall. Or the members-only content section. Or just that page where people have to sign in before they get access to the “good stuff.”
In the AI era, it becomes something more: a value validator.
Here’s why.
As AI reshapes how information is accessed, the value of generic information drops. Fast. Your blog post from 2020 about industry best practices? ChatGPT can summarize that in 5 seconds.
But what AI can’t replicate is the unique value you’ve cultivated: the private forum threads, the member-only benchmarking tools, the on-demand recordings from niche experts, the credentialing pathway that aligns exactly to someone’s career stage.
In short, your member wall becomes the home of your superpower = the thing only your association can offer. And your website should make that obvious, compelling, and frictionless to access.
If your login experience is clunky? If the value behind it is vague? If your content isn’t structured in a way that invites exploration and action?
You’re not just missing out on engagement. You’re failing to protect your differentiator.
What Your Website Needs Now
The good news: you don’t have to rebuild from scratch to stay relevant. But you do need to rethink your approach.
Here are practical, budget-conscious steps associations can start taking now:
1. Add a TL;DR to Key Pages
Your members want clarity, fast. Start each core page with a one-paragraph summary or checklist. Think: “This page will help you ___, ___, and ___.”
2. Rewrite Navigation Around Actions, Not Departments
No more “Workforce Initiatives” and “Member Services.” Try “Get Certified,” “Find an Event,” “Advance My Career.” Think verbs, not org chart.
3. Upgrade Site Search to Handle Natural Language
If your search bar only returns pages titled “Board of Directors,” it’s time to invest in smarter site search. Look for tools that support full-sentence questions and semantic search.
4. Reevaluate the Member Wall Experience
Audit your login process. What do members actually get once they’re in? Is the value obvious before they commit? Consider micro-previews or teaser content to help convert interest into logins.
5. Start Using AI Internally, Too
Even if you’re not ready to integrate AI on your public site, you can use it internally to summarize member surveys, draft emails, or prototype content structure. That’ll free up team time for more strategic work.
Longer-Term Moves (That Are Closer Than You Think)
For associations with more capacity or those planning their next web overhaul, here’s where the road is headed:
- Conversational Interfaces. Think chatbot-powered FAQs, AI-assisted onboarding, and natural-language navigation that learns over time.
- AI-Personalized Content Paths. Using data to suggest the next best article, event, or credential that is tailored to someone’s past behavior and goals.
- Content Strategy That Trains AI, Not Just People. Structuring your content with clear headings, metadata, and modularity doesn’t just help humans, it helps your future AI integrations work better.
These aren’t gimmicks. They’re what your next-generation members will expect as table stakes.
Measuring Progress (So Leadership Listens)
If you’re going to adapt your site, you’ll need to justify the investment. Here are the metrics we recommend tracking and sharing with leadership:
- Search success rate: Are people finding what they came for?
- Time-to-action: How fast does someone land, scan, and register or apply?
- Login conversion: How many people create or use accounts after seeing teaser content?
- Engagement drop-off points: Where are people bouncing—and why?
Don’t just report on visits. Report on value.
The Superpower You Already Have
Here’s the best part: you already have what you need to win in the post-AI world.
Your superpower isn’t buried in tech. It’s in your community.
AI can mimic answers. But it can’t replicate belonging. It can’t convene a committee. It can’t host a live debate or build a certification that’s respected across an industry.
Your association’s role isn’t to compete with AI. It’s to work with it. To free up the mundane, to amplify the essential, and to make your members feel like they’re part of something real.
Don’t Just Keep Up. Leap Forward.
Every association website is going to feel the impact of the AI shift. The question is: will yours fall behind or will it lead?
You don’t need to be bleeding edge. But you do need to be aligned with how people behave today.
It’s not about more content. It’s about smarter content. Not about flashier design. About clearer decisions. Not about chasing trends. About serving people better.
The next version of your website isn’t about digital transformation. It’s about member alignment.
And the time to start is now.
Want help assessing your site through the lens of AI-era expectations? That’s what we do at Steward. We’re not here to sell you buzzwords. We’re here to help your website get found, get used, and get results. Because your mission deserves nothing less.
