How to create a Senior Center Website

1. How to create a Senior Center Website Ben Faver Robin Freeman

2. 7 Steps in Web Development • Find a Web Host • Choose a Domain Name • Plan Your Website • Build Your Website page by page • Publish your Website • Promote Your Website • Maintain Your Website

3. Hosting - In Simple Terms • Hosting is like a storage unit • It holds all of your information • Monthly fee is required • You can get different size storage units • Someone else owns the building, you just pay rent

4. 1. Hosting: Find a web host • What does a Host do? • Stores your files, pictures, and other website information on their server (computer). • Backs up your website data. • Secures your website. • Provide bandwidth (access to your data)

5. Bandwidth - In Simple Terms • Bandwidth is how fast is your data provided • How much data can be sent at the same time? • Good bandwidth is like a freeway compared to a one-lane road. • Slow bandwidth is like a freeway after a wreck and everyone slows down and stops.

6. 1. Hosting: Find a web host • Which web host is best? • Choose based on: • Cost – monthly fees • Dependability – Does the server stop working often? • Bandwidth – is it fast or slow? • Storage space – How much data can be stored? • Customer service – Do they have 24 by 7 telephone support? Or is their support like the Peggy commercial?

7. 1. Hosting: Find a web host • Example: • Bluehost • FatCow • GoDaddy • HostGator • Or search the web for web hosts

8. Domain – In Simple Terms • Domain name is like an address • There’s only 1 address per location. • No two websites can have the same Domain. • Your Domain tells the internet browser how to get to your website. 123 Main St Benton, AR

9. 2. Add a Domain name • Example: www.salinecounty.org, www.salinecountyrswmd.com, www.cadc.com • Extensions - .com, .gov, .org, .edu, .net • Keep the name short and simple • Has to be Unique • You can check to see if someone already has the Domain you want

10. Website Design – In Simple Terms • It’s important to keep your website organized Bad Example Good Example

11. Build the website - In Simple Terms • Danger Will Robinson Danger – Techno speak on next few slides. • It’s complicated. • But, there are easier solutions too.

12. 3. Build your website page by page • Learn HTML • Learn CSS • Use Web page Editors – • Adobe Dreamweaver, Microsoft Web Expression 4, WordPress, etc… • Or, use text editor (wordpad or notepad) but you will need to know HTML well • Other Web development languages/tools • HTML, CSS, PHP, PYTHON, JAVASCRIPT, AJAX

13. 4. Plan your website • Content – • Pictures • Logo • Map • Hours of Operation • Contact information • Links to other websites • Event Calendar

14. 4. Plan your website • Design – • Using templates • Background colors • Fonts (colors, and size) • Pictures should be gif or jpeg format • Pictures should not be too large • Design Multiple pages (pictures, detail information) • Page size (not too big)

15. Using Templates – In Simple Terms • Header • Navigation • Background • Content • Footer

16. 4. Plan your website • Navigation – • home, • contact us • calendar

17. Publish the website - In Simple Terms • Publishing is like sending your Novel to the book publisher. • You need to review, edit, proofread, and make final adjustments before publishing. • Your website will be made available to the world!

18. 5. Publish your Website • Preview and test the website on local pc before publishing to host • Test with different web browsers (Internet Explorer, Firefox, Chrome, Safari, Opera) • After testing Publish it using FTP software provided by the Host (FTP software sends data to the Host)

19. Promote the website - In Simple Terms • Ways to let people know you have a website.

20. 6. Promote Your Website • Get your site linked to other sites • Area development council • County Website • City Website • Chamber of Commerce • Include a “like” button for Facebook on your website • Add a page view counter (optional) • Add your website address to mailings, brochures, flyers, email signatures

21. Maintain the website - In Simple Terms Oh boy! They are dyeing Easter Eggs at the center tomorrow! • Old news is not good news. • Take out the trash before it starts to stink. • Keep it current.

22. 7. Maintain Your Website • Preview web pages before publishing • Review on a periodic basis to keep it current • Specific dates for events • Make it interesting • Let the world know what’s going on at your center!

23. Social network sites (SNSs) • Present Organization to the World (750 million +) • Articulate social networks • Establish or Maintain Connections With Others • Interact with people you already know • Meet new people • Present information in an online profile • Accumulate "friends“ • Join virtual groups based on common interests

24. Great Opportunity to Let Your Product Be Known • Lower Cost • Trust and Credibility • Privacy Settings • Enable you to block personal information to prevent infringement • Create Business Profile

25. Create an Account

26. Create a Profile • From your Facebook profile page, click the Pages header in the left-side navigation. Next, click the Create a Page button, and select the type of page--Local Business or Place, for example, or Brand or Product. You'll see a number of fields to fill out, such as your business category, name, and address. • Next, click the Get Started button, and Facebook will guide you through the rest of the setup process, step by step. If you skip any of those steps, you can fill them out later. • Facebook will request information about your business--a logo for the page avatar, details for the About section, contact information and hours, and the URL of your website.

27. Twitter • Social Networking Site – millions of users • Free & Efficient (140 characters) • Enables Networking All Over the World • Follow influential people • Get latest trends and news in your field • Tweet about a topic while it's popular.

28. Twitter • Include link on your website • Twitter is effective marketing tool, but social media is about engaging in conversation and providing value • Make your tweets entertaining and witty, and say something unique. Position yourself as an expert in your field and offer free advice

29. Twitter Accounts • Go to http://twitter.com • Need Email & Password • Create a Username • Start Connecting • # = hash tags (#seniorcenter) • @ before username = public reply to comments (@benfaver) • d before username = private reply

30. Online Social Networking • No shortcuts or miracles. • Daily work. • Be patient. • Provide value. • Build a community. • Let the content and success of that community be the force that drives your success.

31. Questions?

32. How to Create Senior Center Websites Ben Faver, Website Designer Independent Contractor 501-570-6236 benjfaver@aol.com Robin Freeman, Planning Director Central Arkansas Development Council 501-778-1133 rfreeman@cadc.com