ten tips to improve your website
DESCRIPTION
Get your website working - for you! Find out how your website can become a powerful tool to market your foundation. Learn about best practices and common mistakes in this practical look at what makes, and breaks, good web communication.Presentation by: Amy Huynh, Marketing & Communications Coordinator, CanadaHelpsThe 2011 MyCharityConnects webinar series is generously supported by Direct Energy.TRANSCRIPT
10 Tips for Improving your Website
May 25, 2011
The 2011 MyCharityConnects Webinar Series is generously supported by Direct Energy.
Today’s Presenter
Amy Huynh
Marketing & Communications Coordinator
reminders You can hear us, but we can’t hear you
Presentation slides will be available on www.mycharityconnects.org/pastwebinars
For the best webinar experience, close all other applications
Turn up your computer’s volume
Have questions? Type questions in the Questions Log
What is CanadaHelps?
A public charitable foundation that provides accessible and affordable online technology to both donors and charities.
For Charities
A cost-effective means of raising funds online.
For Donors
A one-stop-shop for giving.
CanadaHelps is a charity helping charities.
CanadaHelps is giving made simple.
Your website is one of your most important communications tools
How much thoughtful attention is your website getting on a regular basis?
Growth in Online Giving
Online Giving Statistics
72 % of Canadians plan to donate online this year
Website Users
They don’t read
They poke at information
They’re busy, and in a hurry
They’re impatient
They will leave as quickly as they came They’re easily frustrated
#1 PUT YOUR AUDIENCE FIRST
Define Your Target Audiences
Solve Problems • What you do
• How you do it
• How you spend your money
• How to get in touch
#2 GET ORGANIZED
Site Structure & Navigation
Plan a clear, easy-to-understand menu & content structure
Menu Choices
• Don’t use ambiguous headings
• Give your visitors clear choices
Menu Food Menu Cuisine Options Culinary Delights
Jobs Job Openings Employment Opportunities Career Services
About Us More Information About Us Organization Information
Volunteer Volunteer Opportunities How to Volunteer With Us
Donate How to Make a Donation How to Make a Gift to Your Community
Don’t hide your stories
#3 DESIGN WITH YOUR AUDIENCE IN MIND
Make Text Easy to Read
• Use a standard font and proper size
• Use proper contrast
• Best readability is dark on light (like black on white)
Can you read this?
How about this one?
cAn yOu rEaD tHiS??
This is more like it.
White Space
• Empty space
• Too many things may look intimidating
Website Conventions Are Your Friends
• There are patterns that have become conventions
Navigatio
n
Navigation
Content Body
Banner
Contact & Misc Information
Follow Website Conventions
Navigatio
n
Navigation
Content Body
Banner
Contact and Misc. Information
Calls to Action
• Make use of prime real
estate
• Put calls to action “above the fold”
Use graphics thoughtfully
#4 GOOD WEBSITE CONTENT
Concise text
Scannable layout
Avoid jargon
#5 MAKE IT EASY TO CONTACT & CONNECT
#6 KEEP UP TO DATE
• Avoid having out of date information on your site
#7 DRIVE TRAFFIC TO YOUR SITE
Good search engine rank results from:
• Good content
• Clear site structure
• External links
SEO 201
• Create a list of desired keywords
• Use a keyword search tool to verify
– Number of monthly searches
– Competition
• Add keywords to your html files
• Create better content to correspond to those keywords
WARNING: You can’t fake it!
Search Engine Marketing (SEM)
#8 TRACK YOUR STATS
Traffic Sources
• Direct traffic: typed your address in a browser
• Referring sites:
– Know your top referring sites
– Are your ads working?
• Search Engines
– Keywords
Why Are Web Stats Important?
• Understand your users
• Know what people do on your site
• Tangible feedback about your site
• Leaves the guessing out of what works
Visitors
Gain insights about the visitors of your website
• Unique visitors
• First time vs. repeat visitors
• Browsers & devices
• Geographic profile & language
Content
• Top content
• Top landing pages
• Top exit pages
#9 USABILITY TESTING
http://www.cadfanatic.com/2009/08/solidworks-usability-testing/
Testing Questions
1. Is it obvious what this site is about?
2. Is it easy to find what I need?
3. Are the most important things visible when I arrive?
DIY Usability Testing Step 1: Find Testers
• Find 3-5 people who have some time to have a look at your website
• Testers should not already be familiar with your site
Step 2: Using your site
• Ask testers to comment as they navigate your site (to give you insight about their choices)
• Ask testers to accomplish your main calls of action
Sign up for your newsletter
Click your Donate Now! Button
Find and apply for volunteer opportunities
Other ways they can get involved (buy tickets, buy products, join a group etc…)
Find general information about your organization’s mission and mandate
Contact your organization
Step 3: Observe
• Take note of:
• How long each step takes to complete
• Tester confusion at any point
• Frustration
• Ease of use
#10 DON’T WAIT FOR A REDESIGN
BONUS TIP: INTEGRATE
ABOUT MYCHARITYCONNECTS
free online resources Information about technology
Video demonstrations
More webinars
Past webinar recordings & slides
Learning opportunities
Events across the country
www.mycharityconnects.org
• Join us for thought-provoking keynotes, practical how-to workshops and plenty of chances to learn from other non-profits about what works online… and what doesn’t!
• A partner in Net Change Week
MyCharityConnects Conference 2011
JUNE 6 – 7 | MaRS Centre, Toronto
www.mycharityconnects.org/2011Conference
Upcoming Webinars
• June 15 – Getting the Most From your MyCharity Account & Reports
• June 29 – Know Your Website: An Intro to Google Analytics
• July 20 – YouTube’s NonProfit Program & The Fundamentals of Video Storytelling
• August 17 – Orientation for Newly Registered Charities with CanadaHelps
www.mycharityconnects.org/webinars
Keep in touch!
www.twitter.com/canadahelps
www.slideshare.net/MyCharityConnects
www.facebook.com/canadahelps
www.youtube.com/canadahelps