Is Your Wild Apricot Site Stuck in the Past?

Why Modernizing an Outdated Membership Website Matters More Than Ever

When was the last time you updated your Wild Apricot website’s design? If it’s been a while, you may be losing members and visitors without even realizing it. In today’s digital-first world, your website isn’t just a digital brochure—it’s the face of your organization. And if it looks like it hasn’t been touched in years, people will notice.

First Impressions Happen in Less Than a Second

You only have 0.05 seconds to make a first impression online—and 94% of that impression is driven by design alone (source). That means if your Wild Apricot site is cluttered, outdated, or not mobile-friendly, most visitors won’t even give it a second glance. They’ll bounce and likely never return.

Outdated Design = Lost Members

Research shows that 38.5% of people will stop engaging with a website if it looks outdated or unattractive (source). Worse yet, 88% of users say they won’t come back after a poor experience (source). For membership-based organizations, that’s a major risk. Whether you’re a nonprofit, alumni group, or professional association—if your site looks stale, your credibility suffers.

Mobile Matters More Than Ever

More than 73% of people will leave a site that isn’t mobile-optimized (source). Many older Wild Apricot themes weren’t built with mobile responsiveness in mind. If your site requires pinch-zooming, tiny text, or awkward menus on phones or tablets, it’s time for an upgrade.

How to Tell If Your Site Needs a Refresh

Ask yourself:

• Is your homepage cluttered or text-heavy?

• Are you using outdated fonts, buttons, or colors?

• Does your site display poorly on smartphones?

• Is it hard for users to find key information like events or member logins?

If you answered “yes” to any of these, you’re overdue for a redesign.

How Wild Apricot Helps—When Done Right

Wild Apricot is still one of the best platforms for membership organizations. But its design flexibility can be a double-edged sword: many users end up with DIY sites that look dated fast. The key is pairing Wild Apricot’s powerful backend with a custom-designed, modern theme tailored to your needs.

At Nicasio Design, we specialize in building sleek, user-friendly Wild Apricot websites that:

• Work beautifully on all devices

• Align with your organization’s brand

• Use streamlined layouts for better engagement

• Support clear calls to action (donate, join, register)

Ready for a Modern Makeover?

If your Wild Apricot website is holding you back, we can help. We offer free consultations and site audits to identify what’s working—and what’s not.

Contact us today for a Wild Apricot website review and find out how a modern design can help you attract and retain more members.