Best Ways to Engage People on the COA Website

 

 

There are certain pathways that we would like to see visitors to the COA website take.  This process model shows, from left to right, that we want visitors to bring certain inputs when they visit the website and take one of three potential paths.  We have identified these paths as the most valuable based on our research.  Once visitors go through those website paths, we can achieve our goal of attracting a younger more engaged demographic that is more concerned with environmental issues.

 

How to Turn Concern into Action

 

 

The process on leading individuals to the COA website is to engage our desired demographic through off-line events, paid social and organic tactics and paid search and display campaigns.  Our primary goal is to engage those that are interested in the environment and open to our available channels.  We believe that making these individuals into followers will help to assist converting those that are outside the target demographic.

 

Potential Audience

 

 

Target Market: NJ Population Trends

Target Market: Social Media Trends

Target Market: Volunteer Trends

COA Strategies for Greater Engagement

Changes in Demographics Necessitate a Change in Focus for COA

 

 

There are three key areas in demographics that COA should focus on: younger Millenial and Generation Z environmentalists that make up the age group of 18 to 34 in the Tri-State Area.  The majority of the audience is from New Jersey.  COA’s current difficulty can be attributed to changing demographics, habits, and digital assets.

Exhibit 1: Millennials and Generation-Z are Growing, while Generation-X and Baby Boomers are Decreasing

Exhibit 1 was created through census data collected for the greater Tri-State area.  Over the 9 year period of time depicted, you can clearly see that the 18 to 34 age population is growing year over year, while the 34 to 64 age demographics are decreasing.  Please note that the 35 to 64 age population is nearly double the size of the younger 18 to 34.  As the younger age group continues to grow; they are not having as many children, leading to the Word-of-Mouth being significantly less powerful.  The older age group continues to decline, it is going to be even more important for COA to reach their demographic where they consume content.  The 35 to 64-year-old population is more likely to consume their news through traditional media such as Television, Newspapers, and Magazines.  On the other hand, the 18 to 34-year-old population today is more likely to consume their news through their mobile phones on social media and mobile applications.

Exhibit 2: Adults with or without children in the Tri-State area

The age population difference becomes an even more significant issue when you take a look at the number of adults having children in the Tri-Sate Area.  Exhibit 2 shows how the margin between adults without children is significantly outpacing the adults that have children.  As stated earlier, COA’s primary form of advertisement is through the older generation getting their children and/or grandchildren involved in COA through Word-of-Mouth.  In the Tri-State area’s current environment, it is going to be increasingly difficult to use this strategy to grow COA’s base, as the older generation is decreasing and at the same time, they are not having as many children, leading to the Word-of-Mouth being significantly less powerful.

Exhibit 3: Minority Growth vs Caucasian Growth in the Tri-State Area 

Furthermore, as seen in Exhibit 3, the Tri-State area is increasingly becoming more diverse year-over-year.  COA’s current marketing strategies are clearly effective with the Caucasian demographic, but it’s unclear if it also resonates with the minority population.  To ensure the future success of COA, it is crucial that they implement a marketing strategy that attracts this growing minority population, as it is already outpacing the Caucasian demographic with no signs of slowing down.

Affinity Diagram for COA based on Usability Tests

Usability Tests

Usability Tests for Current COA Website

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Usability Tests for Current Surfrider Website