AI Trends for Associations and Nonprofits: Search, Chat, and Personalization
How Associations & Nonprofits are using AI with Search, Chat, and Personalization
SUMMARY
Many associations and nonprofits have been testing, piloting, and in many cases, fully integrating AI tools into their day-to-day work and gaining efficiency, speed, and improved ideation. But where are leading associations and nonprofits implementing AI on their websites? The biggest trends we are seeing are with intent-based search, AI-driven chat and personalization.
1. Intent-Based AI Search: Delivering Relevant, Refined Results
Traditional search engines rely on precise keyword matching, where users sift through a list of search results and fine-tune their search criteria (or leave and Google it instead). AI-powered search understands user intent, suggesting contextually relevant results rather than just keyword matches – all while improving the overall UX of your site.
For example: If a user is searching for “food safety,” AI-powered search can identify content, research, news, articles, blogs, etc. related to that specific topic across an entire digital ecosystem including other websites, web apps, CRM, LMS, journals, discussion threads, research repository, etc.
AI Search results may include:
- Related research papers
- Upcoming events and webinars
- Member discussions and expert insights
- Best practices and regulatory updates
Buy vs Build?
We’re big believers in building when it makes good business sense. There are enterprise search providers who focus solely on search and have been enhancing and improving their platforms to offer AI-based search. Options range from paid search to open source, and some solutions are tailored specifically to the association industry.
For this reason, we typically recommend leveraging a proven, enterprise search solution, unless client requirements determine we need a more custom solution. Here’s a short list of leading third-party AI solutions that can be integrated into an existing website or web app to get you started:
2. AI-Driven Chat: Driving Member Engagement and Support
Associations and nonprofits often have high volumes of repetitive inquiries (FAQ’s anyone?), from membership renewal questions to how to verify my CE to event registration questions. An AI-powered chatbot can provide instant responses and give your member services team the time they need to provide support to more complex inquiries.
Plus, no one really wants to pick up the phone anyway. Users would much rather find the information online or interface with a chatbot to get the answer. How many times have you exhausted every possible option online before begrudgingly having to talk to someone?
Through Natural Language Processing (NLP), AI chatbots can:
- Answer FAQs about membership benefits, renewal processes, and eligibility
- Assist with online event registrations and related details
- Provide tailored responses based on users’ past interactions
- Offer multi-channel support via websites, mobile and web apps, and messaging platforms
Buy vs Build?
There are plenty of third-party AI chatbot solutions, ranging from plug-ins to industry-specific offerings, or more custom-built models that can be trained and tailored specifically to each organization’s needs.
We’ve worked with clients who have implemented more off-the-shelf, however, this is an area that has lent itself to more custom solutions, based on complexity, integration requirements, overall control, and budget. If you’re interested in exploring some third-party platforms, you may want to consider these:
3. AI Personalization: Creating High-Value User Experiences that Drive Conversion
Given the advances in the CMS/DXP landscape, organizations are in a much better position to leverage AI to deliver relevant content and hyper-personalized recommendations based on user behavior, preferences, and engagement history. AI analyzes user behavior, preferences, and past interactions to recommend relevant articles, events, courses, or resources.
For example: If a member frequently reads leadership content, your site can prioritize and recommend similar content, upcoming events, networking opportunities, courses, journals, discussion threads, etc. AI personalization can also guide users to personalized membership benefits, renewals, or event sign-ups.
Buy vs Build?
Sandstorm builds many sites on open source CMS/DXP platforms, particularly Drupal, which has made significant investments via its large development community to offer a robust set of AI-driven personalization capabilities.
Through contributed modules like Smart Content, which enables real-time, anonymous website personalization in combination with a CDP (customer data platform) to track visitor behavior and then drive the display of differentiated content on the website, email marketing, and digital marketing.
Drupal offers AI-powered solutions to automate the site building and management process including:
- Drupal Agent Chatbot: Automating interactions with intelligent AI-driven responses.
- Content Automation: AI can assist in generating and tagging content, automating tasks like adding image fields, alt text, and structuring web pages or forms.
- Taxonomy Management: AI can refine content classification by generating new taxonomy terms and improving metadata.
- Content Migration Automation: AI streamlines the migration of large content repositories, reducing manual effort and ensuring seamless transitions.
By leveraging these AI capabilities, associations and nonprofits can foster much deeper engagement, increase user, member, and donor satisfaction, and create much stickier experiences that drive value.
Embracing AI for a Better User Experience
AI has delivered incredible opportunities, in how associations and nonprofits increase efficiency but also how they interact with their users. With smarter search capabilities, AI-driven chat solutions, and hyper-personalized experiences, organizations can deliver real value to their members while being the domain authority in their space.
Are you considering AI opportunities for your organization? Let’s discuss your strategy and explore the right solutions to help you deliver smart, human-centered digital experiences!
