Getting the Most from your website

1. Getting the Most from your website Not just “brochureware”

2. Overview • Websites • What are they really for? • Who is my audience? • Starting from Scratch on a new site • How does a website fit in with Facebook, Twitter & YouTube? • Google • Useful tips & tricks • Effective Newsletters • Memberships • Online entries • Questions Getting the Most from your Website

3. What are they really for? • Websites are a fantastic source of information for: • Immediate future information • “What time does the race start on Saturday?” • Immediate past information • Race Results • Historical information • Can store vast amounts of information, results, photos, etc • Information for potential newcomers to the sport • “My son wants to get into the sport, but I have no idea where to start” Getting the Most from your Website

4. Who is my audience? • Potential newcomers • Single biggest omission for most sites • “Paddling for All” is an excellent initiative • Need only be a single page on your website • Don’t just say “we do this …”, but list the activities that would be appropriate for each demographic at your club • The “regulars” • What time is today’s race • How do I enter for xxx? • What is the latest news? • Did someone put a photo of me on the website? Getting the Most from your Website

5. Starting from Scratch • Don’t form a Committee! • Ask forgiveness, not permission • Any more than 2 people is a problem • Don’t get too hung up on graphics • Requires a minimum standard, but after the first few visits, people tend not to see the graphics • Draw a structure chart of the final(ish) product, then mark the minimum required to launch. 20 pages is the maximum • Set a deadline for release and stick to it • Design from the top down, but build from the button up • Collect club documents (Constitution, Club Rules etc) to pad out your website • And finally …… Don’t form a Committee! Getting the Most from your Website

6. Structure Chart Getting the Most from your Website

7. How does a website fit in with Facebook, Twitter & Youtube? • Facebook • The place where a younger audience gets all their information • Fulfils much of the same role as a website, but also has “push” capabilities • Twitter • Great for events with quick updates • Information can be input by multiple people at an event, and display can be duplicated on the event website • Doubles as an email “push” • Generally links back to more information on the website • Youtube • A website for storing and streaming videos • Can be embedded in your website • Can easily setup a “group” of videos Getting the Most from your Website

8. Overview • Improving your Google ranking • Make your content relevant • Regular updates to your website • Links from other similar, well respected sites • Google Analytics • A measurement tool to evaluate the effectiveness of your website • How does it work? Getting the Most from your Website

9. Tips and Tricks • Uploading multiple images • EventID • Changing the type of news on the front page • Shortcuts • Including Team lists in your web page • Cutting and Pasting from Word • Sharing menus Getting the Most from your Website

10. Newsletters • The single most effective tool to • Drive members to your website • Increase event participation • However, Newsletters must be: • Informative • Regular, but not too frequent • Summarised, so users can skim over and drill down for more information where it suits • Available to ALL, not just paid up members • If people see an active club, they will eventually join • If they don’t fulfil these first three points, people will soon tune out and unsubscribe Getting the Most from your Website

11. Memberships • Two methods of taking online memberships • Invoice to existing members • Direct website entry Getting the Most from your Website

12. Online Entry • Online entry through BvIT • Not just for events • Attendance at a Committee meeting • Social function pre-purchase Getting the Most from your Website

13. Questions Getting the Most from your Website