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Website essentials:key ingredients and how to get started

How to create an engaging web presence (The Windermere Centre, February 2014)

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The History of the Internet in 3 minutes!

Macintosh 128 vector: http://vector.me/browse/214898/apple_macintosh_128k

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Web 1.0 (1991-2003) A ‘noticeboard in cyberspace’ Read-only ‘Look but don’t touch’ Expanding the ‘broadcasting

range’

+Web 2.0 (2004 onwards): Playtime!Interactive; Collaborative; Social; User-driven

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Web 3.0 (as we speak)

Connections and relationships

Recognises connections (eg my email, FaceBook, Twitter, website)

Focus on building relationships

Being human, online

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Local Churches and the Web

Source: http://wp.patheos.com.s3.amazonaws.com/blogs/christianpiatt/files/2012/08/whippersnappers.jpg

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What ingredients make a good website?

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Design

Usability and functionality

Understanding your audience

Visual appeal

Less is more

Search Engine Optimisation (SEO)

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Content

Understanding your audience

Open to conversation

Tone

Less is more

SEO

+Design“Design is not just what it looks and feels like. Design is how it works.”

– Steve Jobs

+Usability and functionality

Source: http://www.usability.gov/what-and-why/user-experience.html

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Source: http://standrewsmonkseaton.urc.org.uk

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Source: http://www.woodbrooke.org.uk/

+Understanding your audience

Site Owner

Who are we building the site for?

What do we think the site is for?

What do we want to tell them?

Site User

Who is actually using the site?

What are they using the site for?

What do they want to find out?

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Source: http://www.urc.org.uk/

+Visual Appeal

Make use of white space to draw the eye

Avoid unneccesary gimmicks and widgets

Use colours & typography wisely: either harmonise or contrast

Prefer clarity over cleverness

Make the layout and the look logical

Consistent: build your own box

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Source: https://hillsong.com/en/

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Source: http://www.hiswordoftruth.com/

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Source: http://dokimos.org/home.html

+Less is more

Source: http://www.baptist.org.uk/

+Search Engine Optimisation

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Content

+Understanding your audience

Use language that resonates with them

Make your content relevant to them

Targeting to ensure maximum receptivity and engagement

+Their top 5 priorities (probably):

“Where do you meet?”

“When do you meet?”

“What happens to my kids?”

“Are you weird?”

“What are you really like?”

Source: http://www.churchinsight.com/Articles/356675/5_Things_stopping_visitors_coming.aspx

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Source: http://www.churchofengland.org/our-faith.aspx

+Conversation

Source: http://fleet.urc.org.uk/?p=7329&cpage=1#comment-166

+Tone

Don’t be afraid!

Writing for the web is a different genre

Make space for conversation

Prefer shorter words and shorter sentences

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Source: http://wallaseyvillage.urc.org.uk/new-visitor/

+Less is more

Keep content relevant

Avoid bloat

Archive things that are out of date

Conversation space vs. library

“Be church, online” – create spaces for God

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Source: http://fleetwood.urc.org.uk

+SEO

Be authentic

Search engines now read ‘human speak’

If your content is engaging, and is active (eg people are clicking on things) search engines will recognise this and rank your site higher

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Source: http://windermere.urc.org.uk/conferences-and-meetings/

+Website Essentials

1. Easy to maintain and update

2. Easy to navigate

3. Provides a good user experience

4. Responsive (can be displayed on different sized devices)

5. Customisable

6. Interactive

7. Search Engine friendly

8. Attractive

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Website EssentialsThe Windermere Centrehttp://windermere.urc.org.uk