Association for Corporate Growth

Website and Content Strategies

OVERVIEW

The Association for Corporate Growth (ACG) is the global community for middle-market M&A dealmakers and business leaders dedicated to driving growth. Established in 1954, ACG has grown to 58 chapters worldwide, representing 90,000 professionals, including 14,500 members who serve as investors, lenders, executives, and advisors to middle-market companies. To better support its expansive network, ACG required a website that offered a personalized, seamless experience while reducing the administrative burden for global and chapter staff. 

The challenge

ACG faced the complex challenge of creating a unified digital ecosystem that catered to both global and chapter-specific needs:

  • Unified Yet Flexible Structure: The website needed to present cohesive global content while empowering chapters to manage localized updates.
  • Personalized User Experience: Users required a seamless experience across all chapter sites, with personalized content and unified logins.
  • Administrative Efficiency: With over 50 chapters and more than 100 administrative users, ACG required a platform that simplified content management and supported global and chapter-level operations.

Given the complexity of these needs, ACG needed a partner to guide them through strategy development, vendor selection, and implementation.

The Solution

CG partnered with .orgSource to develop a comprehensive approach to their website redesign. Key contributions from .orgSource included:

  • Needs Assessment and Strategy: Identified and prioritized ACG’s content, design, and functionality needs through user feedback, stakeholder interviews, and content audits.
  • Vendor Selection and Knowledge Transfer: Facilitated the selection process and ensured that all insights gathered during the strategy phase were seamlessly handed off to the selected website developer.
  • Content Organization: Assisted with content audits, restructuring, and migration to ensure a streamlined web presence.

Partnering with Sandstorm: .orgSource’s selection process led ACG to choose Sandstorm as their web development partner. Together, they created a scalable digital ecosystem, encompassing ACG’s core site and 58-chapter sites. Sandstorm conducted a four-part, hands-on training series for chapter administrators, equipping non-technical users with the skills needed to manage their sites confidently.

The Results

The new ACG website went live in May 2017, delivering impressive results:

  • Increased Traffic: Website traffic increased by one-third, with bounce rates reduced by the same margin.
  • Improved User Experience: Users now benefit from a cohesive, familiar experience across all sites with a single unified login.
  • Enhanced Chapter Autonomy: Chapter administrators gained greater flexibility to manage events, news, and content, while still integrating structured data from the global platform.
  • Operational Efficiency: The new platform empowered chapters to independently manage over 1,200 annual events, reducing the need for centralized support.

Key Takeways

ACG’s collaboration with .orgSource exemplifies how a thoughtful and strategic approach to website redesign can enhance engagement, improve operations, and strengthen an organization’s global brand.

This case study underscores the importance of:

  • Comprehensive Planning: Conducting thorough needs assessments ensures that the final product supports diverse user needs.
  • Effective Vendor Coordination: Knowledge transfer and clear communication between stakeholders and vendors keep complex projects on track.
  • User-Focused Solutions: Equipping administrators with the right tools and training fosters independence and efficiency.

The result? A user-friendly, scalable digital platform that supports ACG’s global network and empowers its chapters to drive growth and engagement.

“.orgSource had a clear project plan and timeline to guide us to the right website developer,” said Shannon Buenik, ACG’s senior director of strategic planning and governance. “They anticipated potential project missteps we hadn’t considered.”

Are You Ready to Elevate Your Association to New Heights with a Future-Ready Partner?

Contact .orgSource today to learn how they can help you unlock growth, build resilience, and achieve excellence for your organization.