This pro-torial covers the following:
- General functions of a website
- The efficacy of your website
- Rules of great web design
Websites can and do function in a variety of ways for organizations/agencies like yours.
Here are three general functions.
- Promotes your organization, its services and mission
- Facilitates the intake of new clients and supports your goals
- Delivers administrative information, both internal and external
Guiding Questions to Consider
- How are you using the web to enhance your service?
- Is your website an extension of your organization or merely an online brochure/menu listing?
- Does your website reflect the culture of your workplace: what you value as a team, what your hopes are for your clients?
- What can you do to add authenticity to your website? E.g. blog, photos of the staff, personal welcome and invitations to use the service.
- Is the purpose of your site clear when people visit for the first time?
- Is your website consistent with other promotional materials?
Basic Design. How effective is your website?
Go into a store, and something will catch your eye or you leave quickly.
Same with a website. You'll scan until something catches your eye , making you want to stay and explore.
Not only appealing, web site design should make it easy for the user to find
- what they want and are looking for
- what you want them to find
Three rules to great web design.
- Don't make users work too hard. The web-page should be obvious and self-explanatory.
- Like a reception area, when people land on your home page, they should easily know where to go or find a guide (menu/navigation).
- It's always a great idea to list common tasks on the homepage e.g. Donate online, become a volunteer.
- A search box on every page enables users to find what they need quickly.
- Content is king. Writing for the web is different than other writing.
- Too much text puts off readers.
- Write short sentences. Write shorter paragraphs. Remember, less is more!
- Use images.
- Use headings and bulleted lists. Organized content makes or breaks a site.
- Create a blog on your site or offer news about your organization and your cause, to create reader interest and traffic.
- Bring an authentic voice to the site. More than just giving information, invite interest.
- Test, test and test again
- Test the navigation and layout.
- Do users like it? Areas for improvement?
- Engage clients as advisors. Listen to and act on feedback.
In preparation for our next pro-torial, consider the following:
What's your social technology profile?
Do you publish a blog, maintain a webpage, or upload to YouTube?
You are a Creator.
Do you post online comments, ratings or reviews?
You are a Critic.
Do you use RSS feeds, or tags on social-bookmarking services?
You are a Collector.
Do you maintain a profile on social networking sites?
You are a Joiner.
Do you consume what the other groups produce (blogs, online videos, podcasts, forums and reviews).
You are a Spectator.
Are you not participating at all?
You are an Inactive.
Source: Li, C. & Bernoff, J. (2008) Groundswell. Harvard Business Press, Boston, Massachusetts