Report of the MCAA MasonrySystems.org Committee

Words: Imani Brodie

Goals from 2012

  • Settle on a new design scheme for the existing MasonrySystems.org website
  • Create a budget based off of that design scheme
  • Have an improved version of the site ready for use by the Mid-Year Meeting

Progress Report

Website Design

When our committee set up goals in March 2012, we aimed to have a new and improved website ready for use by the 2012 Mid-Year Meeting with a demonstration during the summer of 2012. In July and August 2012, our committee was able to give a free webinar featuring the outer shell of the newly designed MasonrySystems.org. More feedback was received on the website’s new design when we again presented it at the 2012 Mid Year Meeting. As of the 2013 MCAA Convention, the improved version of MasonrySystems.org will be live and ready for use!

The original website had everything we hoped to have in MasonrySystems.org. Finding that valuable information, however, was a challenge due to a disjointed design. The website has been completely redesigned in house with regards to our target audiences. Overall, the idea was to create an aesthetically pleasing and user-friendly website that people would feel comfortable referring to for masonry information. The new design has accomplished this.

It is now possible for a user to navigate through each tab and sub-topic straight from the Homepage: no more wandering around and doing a webpage search just to find a specific subject! Within each section of the website, topics are linked and referenced to each other to ensure easy navigation for the user throughout the website.

Budget

We have successfully developed a workable budget for the site. Through strategic advertising and sponsorships, our website will not only be self-sustaining but will bring in a profit over the next year! In order to make money on this site however, we have to increase the traffic to the site. The way we plan to increase traffic on the site is to promote the site through advertisements. The goal is to increase our website traffic from a few thousand unique visitors per month to a few thousand unique visitors per DAY!

Marketing and Sponsorship

We plan to advertise the new website in Masonry Magazine as well as association newsletters and publications. Instead of focusing solely on national advertisement, we plan to utilize the newsletters and publications of regional masonry contracting associations, AIA chapters, and business journals. Advertising on a smaller local level through association publications keeps our costs down while marketing to a larger range of people.

Sponsorship opportunities are being made available to accommodate any budget. These sponsorships and fees will be the primary revenue for this website.
  • Membership Fees per State Association = $1,000.00/ year
    • Each state association is encouraged to pay this fee once per year to help offset costs.
  • Banner Advertisements = $500.00/ year
    • To any supplier, contractor, or other affiliate who may be interested in a banner ad placed throughout the website.
  • Online Sponsorship = $250.00/ year
    • The more economical choice for contractors and affiliates who want to contribute on a smaller level. Names of these sponsors will be featured on the “Sponsorship” page with links to that company’s website.
This sponsorship scheme will be advertised extensively now that the redesign of the site is complete.

Goals for 2013

As a committee, we have goals set for 2013 that have been inherited from the 2012 year.
  • Start selling advertising and sponsorship packages
  • Form new alliances with different Masonry Associations to improve the site
  • Maintain partnerships with previous contributors to the website’s development
  • Continually update website information
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