Introduction

Welcome to your Member Essentials Public Website!

Your new website provides your League with a WordPress-based public site that integrates with Member Essentials. As your League prepares to transition from its current website, this guide will help you understand the migration process, organize your team, and prepare your content for your new site.

Website migration is more than simply copying every page from your current website to a new platform. This is an opportunity to review your existing content, remove outdated information, and determine what your League wants visitors to see on your new website.


Getting Started

Your League will receive access to its new Member Essentials Public Website, which includes a standard website structure and templated content to help you get started.

The templated language is designed to serve as a guide and starting point for your League. You are not required to keep it exactly as written.

Your League may choose to:

  • Keep the existing templated language.

  • Edit the language to better reflect your League.

  • Replace the language with content from your current website.

  • Create completely new content.

The purpose of the templated content is to provide guidance for Leagues that may not have a dedicated communications or marketing team or may be unsure where to begin.


Review Your Current Website

Before moving content to your new website, take time to review your current site.

You do not need to recreate every page.

Instead, consider the following:

  • Is this information still accurate?

  • Is this page still relevant?

  • Does this content need to be updated?

  • Can multiple pages be combined?

  • Is this information important to your members or the public?

  • Does this content fit within the structure of the new website?

Use your current website as a reference, but think of the migration as an opportunity to simplify and improve your content.


Build a Website Team

We strongly recommend that your League identify a small team to support the website migration.

Because Junior League positions and volunteer responsibilities may change from year to year, relying on one person to complete the entire migration can make it more difficult to maintain continuity.

A website team allows responsibilities to be shared and helps ensure that knowledge about the website remains within your League.

Depending on your League's structure, your team may include individuals responsible for:

  • Website management

  • Communications or marketing

  • Membership

  • Community or community impact

  • Fundraising or events

  • Public affairs

  • Other areas represented on your website

Not everyone on the team needs to know how to use WordPress. Responsibilities can be divided between individuals who gather or write content and those responsible for adding the content to the website.


Estimated Project Timelines

The amount of time needed to complete your migration will depend on the size and complexity of your current website, the amount of content you plan to move, and the number of people working on the project.

As a general guideline:

  • One person: Approximately 6 months or longer

  • Two people: Approximately 90 days to 6 months

  • Three or more people: Approximately 30–45 days

These are estimates, and every League's project will be different. Delegating responsibilities and involving multiple team members can help your League move through the migration process more efficiently.


Update Your Standard Website Pages

Your new website includes the standard pages and structure used across the Member Essentials Public Website platform.

Begin by reviewing the existing content on your site.

For each page, decide whether you would like to:

  • Keep the templated content.

  • Edit the existing content.

  • Replace it with content from your current website.

  • Add new information specific to your League.

Focus first on ensuring that your primary website information accurately represents your League.


Add Additional Pages and Content

Once your League has reviewed the standard website pages, you can begin adding any additional content you would like to include.

Depending on your League, this may include:

  • Signature events

  • Community programs

  • Membership information

  • Public affairs

  • League history

  • Frequently asked questions

  • Volunteer opportunities

  • News and announcements

  • Press releases

  • Community partnerships

  • Media coverage

Before creating a new page, consider whether the information belongs on an existing page or whether it should have its own section.

Keeping your website organized and easy to navigate will make it easier for visitors to find information.


Understand Pages and Posts

WordPress uses both Pages and Posts to organize content.

Pages

Pages are generally used for information that is more permanent or does not change frequently.

Examples may include:

  • About Your League

  • Community Impact

  • Membership Information

  • Signature Events

  • League History

Posts

Posts are generally used for timely or ongoing content.

Your League can use Posts for traditional blog content, but you can also use them to share:

  • League announcements

  • Press releases

  • Public relations updates

  • Media coverage

  • Community partnerships

  • Public statements

  • Other timely news

Posts can be organized by category and published over time, making them useful for maintaining an ongoing collection of League news and updates.


Review Your Website Structure and Navigation

As you add pages and content, review how visitors will navigate your website.

Consider:

  • Does the menu clearly organize your content?

  • Are related pages grouped together?

  • Are there pages that should be combined?

  • Is important information easy to find?

  • Does the navigation make sense for someone who is unfamiliar with your League?

When adding a new page, remember that creating the page does not always automatically add it to your website's navigation menu.

You may need to add and organize the page within the appropriate menu.


Prepare for Launch

Before your League transitions to the new website, review the entire site carefully.

We recommend checking:

  • Website content for accuracy

  • Spelling and grammar

  • Contact information

  • Links

  • Images

  • Navigation menus

  • Page organization

  • Event information

  • Additional pages and subpages

You should also review your website on both desktop and mobile devices.


Website Access and Ongoing Management

Your League will receive access to manage its website through WordPress.

We recommend ensuring that more than one appropriate League representative has access to the website. This can help maintain continuity when volunteer positions or responsibilities change.

After your website launches, your League can continue to:

  • Update existing content.

  • Create new pages.

  • Add and organize Posts.

  • Update images.

  • Manage website navigation.

  • Keep information current.

Your website is designed to evolve with your League.


Support and Resources

AJLI provides resources and support to help your League manage its Member Essentials Public Website.

The Knowledge Base includes support articles and guidance for common website tasks. Training and support are also available to help your website team become more comfortable managing the platform.

If your League needs assistance, please submit a website support request.


Final Thoughts

Your new website does not need to include everything from your previous site, and it does not need to be perfect immediately. Start by focusing on the information that is most important to your League and your website visitors. Use the templated content as a starting point where helpful, involve multiple people when possible, and build your website over time. The goal is to create a website that is accurate, organized, and manageable for your League—both now and as volunteer leadership changes in the future.