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Tulsa Area United Way
Agencies’Website Assessment & recommendations
September 14, 2009by Matt Galloway
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Motivation & Scope
Motivation: To gain insight into the state and needs of the web presence of agencies that receive funding and support from the Tulsa Area United Way.
Scope: A cursory review was performed for each website of the 64 TAUW agencies with websites*. All reviews were conducted between August 1, 2009, and September 7, 2009.
*As listed on the TAUW website (http://www.tauw.org/tauw/Member_Agencies.asp?SnID=1388822234) on August 1, 2009.
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Included TAUW Agencies2-1-1 Helpline12 & 12, Inc.A New LeafAbility Resources American Heart Association - Tulsa Chapter American Lung Association of the Central States American Red Cross - Tulsa Area Chapter Arthritis Foundation Big Brothers Big Sisters of Oklahoma Boy Scouts of America, Indian Nations Council Bridges Foundation, TheBristow Social Services Broken Arrow Neighbors Broken Arrow SeniorsCamp Fire USA Green Country Council The Center for Individuals with Physical ChallengesChild Care Resource CenterCircle of Care - Frances E. Willard Ministry Center Community Action Project of Tulsa County Community Care, Inc. of SapulpaCommunity Service Council of Greater Tulsa Credit Counseling Centers of Oklahoma Creek County Literacy Programs Crossroads Daily Family YMCA of BixbyDomestic Violence Intervention Services (DVIS)/Call RapeEastern Oklahoma Donated Dental Services (EODDS)Family & Children's Services Girl Scouts of Eastern Oklahoma Goodwill Industries of Tulsa Homelife Association Hospice of Green Country
Legal Aid Services of Oklahoma, Inc.LIFE Senior Services Margaret Hudson Program Mental Health Association in Tulsa Metropolitan Tulsa Urban League Okmulgee County Family Resource Center, Inc.Okmulgee County Homeless ShelterOkmulgee-Okfuskee County Youth ServicesOperation Aware of OklahomaOwasso Community ResourcesPalmer Continuum of Care, Inc.Parent Child Center of Tulsa, TheRARC, Inc. RSVPSalvation Army - Community CentersSalvation Army - Social ServicesSand Springs Community ServicesShow, Inc.Street SchoolTotal Source for Hearing-Loss and Access (TSHA) Tulsa Advocates for the Rights of Citizens with Developmental DisabilitiesTulsa Boys' Home Tulsa C.A.R.E.S. (Center for AIDS Research, Education & Support) Tulsa Court Appointed Special Advocates (CASA) Tulsa Day Center for the Homeless United Community Action Program, Inc. Visiting Nurse Association of Tulsa YMCA of Greater Tulsa Youth at Heart, Inc.Youth Services of Creek County Youth Services of TulsaYWCA Tulsa
Part I: By The Numbers
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Local vs. NationalIs the website locally or nationally managed?
Tulsa Local National Only Tulsa Section on National Site
91% of agencies are either local
to the Tulsa area or have local
websites independent of their national organization.
Local Tulsa Area Websites58 Agencies
91%
4.5% of agencies have sections of their
national organization’s website localized with
for the Tulsa area.
4.5% of agencies have national organization’s site only (i.e., no Tulsa
localization.)
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Mission: PossibleIs the mission clearly communicated by the site?
Yes98%
No2%
Is the mission obvious? (subjective)
Yes72%
No28%
Is the mission explicitly stated or paraphrased on
the home page?
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Phone HomeIs a phone number easily found on the site?
Yes98%
No2%
Is a phone number available on the site?
Yes61%
No39%
Is a phone number displayed on the
home page?
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You’ve Got Mail!Is a contact email easy to find on the site?
Yes77%
No23%
Is a contact email provided somewhere on
the site?
Yes20%
No80%
Is a contact email provided on the home page?
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You Are HereIs a physical address easy to find on the site?
Yes98%
No2%
Is a physical address provided somewhere on
the site?
Yes52%
No48%
Yes31%
No69%
Is a physical address
provided on the home page?
Is a map or a link to a map
provided?
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In Good FormIs there a “contact us” form on the site?
Yes31%
No69%
Is a contact form provided somewhere on
the site?
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It’s Better To Give...Is donation information available on the site?
Yes88%
No13%
Is information on how & what to donate
available on the site?
Yes73%
No27%
Is information on how & what to donate available within
one click of the home page?
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Even Better To Give Right Now...Is online donation available from the site?
Yes66%
No34%
Is online donation available anywhere on
the site?
Yes41%
No59%
Is online donation available within one click of the
home page?
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You & What Army?Is volunteer opportunity information provided?
Yes64%
No36%
Is information on volunteering available anywhere on the site ?
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When & Where?Does the site have a calendar and/or events page?
Yes*78%
No22%
Does the site have a calendar and/or information about
upcoming events?
* “Yes” was given liberally. Many events pages and calendars had no future events listed.
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Take It to the PeopleDoes the site collect addresses for email campaigns?
Yes22%
No78%
Does the site collect email addresses to distribute
newsletters or other email campaigns?
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No Press is Bad PressIs the site journalist-friendly?
Yes17%
No83%
Does the site provide contact information and/or resources
specifically intended for journalists?
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Getting Social?Is social media promoted on the site?
Yes9%
No91%
Blog
Yes14%
No86%
RSS
Yes6%
No94%
Yes16%
No84%
Yes2%
No98%
Yes2%
No98%
NOTE: Numbers reflect links from organizations’ websites to specific social media platforms. Organizations using social media accounts that are not promoted or linked from website, if any, are not included.
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You Scratch My Back...Does the site promote the TAUW?
Yes78%
No22%
Is the TAUW logo displayed anywhere on
the website?
Yes63%
No38%
Is the TAUW logo proudly displayed on the
home page?
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That’s So Last YearDoes something on the site indicate it’s out of date?
Yes41%
No59%
Is there something visible on the site that indicates that the
information may be out of date?
Biggest Offenders:•outdated copyright notice•long past events•no new newsletters
Part II: Setting A Good Example
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✓Anot
her
Donatio
n Link
✓Phone N
umbers
✓Anot
her
Voluntee
r Link✓
Upcoming
Events
✓Consist
ent with
offline
brandin
g
✓ TAUW Logo &
Link
✓ Donatio
n Link
✓ Yet Anot
her
Donatio
n Link
✓Voluntee
r Link
✓Yet
Another
Voluntee
r Link
Collect
ion
✓ 2nd Attem
pt
at Email
Collect
ion
✓ Multiple
links
for the
important
stuff
✓Funny U
mbrella
Picture
✓Show
Me (how you
spend)
The Mone
y!
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✓Addre
ss &
Phone N
umber
✓One Click
to
Online D
onation
✓Socia
l
Network
Link
✓ Paraph
rased
Mission
✓Volu
nteer
Inform
ation
✓Upco
ming
Events
✓Clea
n &
profes
sional
aesthe
tic
✓Unite
d Way
Logo &
Link
✓ I wond
er if
they ta
ke
Diner’s
Club.
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✓Address
&
Phone
Number
✓ Donatio
n
✓ Mission✓Upco
ming
Events
✓Simple
stock l
ayout
with cus
tom
header
✓TAUW
Logo &
Link
✓Pho
ne
Numbers
✓ Is tha
t
sea fo
am
green?
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✓Addre
ss &
Phone N
umber✓
Prominen
t
Donatio
n Link
(one cl
ick to o
nline
donatio
n)
✓Socia
l
Network
Links
& Widge
ts
✓ Paraph
rased
Mission ✓ Volu
nteer
Info
✓Upco
ming
Event
✓Contac
t Email
✓Simple
yet
poignant
ly stark
two colo
r
design
✓Upco
ming
Events
✓ If only
The
Village P
eople
knew.
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Collect
ion
✓One Click
to
Online D
onation
✓Social Netw
ork
Links
✓ Events
✓Upco
ming
Events &
News
✓ Sparse, w
ell
designe
d home
page
✓ TAUW Logo
& Link
✓ Address
✓Pho
ne
Number
✓ Link to
Map
✓Anot
her
Donatio
n Link
✓Dat
eless
copyrig
ht
notice
avoids
looking
out-o
f-
date
✓ Need Earr
ing
Joke H
ere
Part III: Ten Recommendations
for Improvement
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1. Do the most important thing first
There are so many different things a website can do, and so many different people it can serve. Before you
get too deep, ask yourself this question...
If your website could only do one thing and one thing only, what would it be?
That’s the most important thing. Make your website do that thing first. And make certain it does it really, really well. Then be vigilant; never lose sight of it as you add other elements.
If someone you’ve never met, say from Idaho, visits your website for the first time, they should inherently know what your one thing is.
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2. If you’re gonna ask for money, be heard
For Online Donations:•Top half of home page•Big visible button•One click to donation form•Explain why it matters
For Other Donations:•Links from menu •Explain why it matters•Give clear, concise & complete instructions
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3. Ditch the splash page
If your first page isn’t useful to the user then eliminate it.
Useful to the user means that it provides information the user desires. HINT: Cool graphics, TV commercial-esque videos, Flash animation, your awesome logo and talking
points are not useful. Sorry.
(Like right now, before you move on to the next slide.)
Everything you put in front of the page that contains your one thing is a chance for the user to go to another site.
Wouldn’t that be a shame?
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4. Gimme the 411
For the love of Pete, put your phone number and address on your home page. Don’t make me dig.
If having people call your organization or show up at your
office is generally a good thing, then your website should make this as
quick and easy as possible.
For a
good ti
me ca
ll
867-
5309
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5. Be Easyto contact online
Provide an obvious and easy way for folks to contact you online. Don’t make me pick up the phone if I don’t want to.
I may be more comfortable typing than talking.
If you deal with sensitive issues, consider providing ways to communicate
anonymously online.
Provide at least one email address.
If there’s a chance your target audience might not have email access, provide an
online form - and don’t require an email address.
Be certain inboxes are frequently checked and regularly tested.
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6. Don’t Make Me Google
Anytime you present information on your site that may induce the Google-reflex, provide a link that opens another browser
window.
For example, always provide a map link next to your address. This simple gesturehelps the user save time (they were gonna Google it anyway) while ensuring that your browser window stays open a little longer. Win-win.
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7. Collect Email Addresses!!!!!
Email is still the single most effective online communications tool in existence. It’s cheap. It’s easy. Use it.
Email campaigns can be used to:•Distribute newsletters•Find those needing your services•Find volunteers•Solicit donations•Invite folks to join your social media programs•Bring folks back to your website•Advertise special events
uh.hell
o@du
h.co
m
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a.) out-of-businessb.) aloofc.) disinterestedd.) all of the above
Pop Quiz: Online, outdated content can makes an organization seem?
8. Change we needAt a minimum, keep your content current!
If you can’t/won’t keep your content up-to-date, then avoid date related material.
The best strategy, however, is to update your content frequently*. Fresh content gives users a reason to return and it dramatically improves Search Engine Optimization. Blogs are awesome for dynamic content. Added bonus: blogs are cheap and easy**.
* “Frequently” is a relative term. Biweekly, monthly or even bimonthly updates can be very effective.**Way, way easier than a newsletter, or a conversation with your average teenaged boy.
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9. Everything you need; absolutely
nothing else
If your site contains extraneous content that isn’t contributing to your ultimate goal, then it’s detracting from it.
Eliminate it.
The difference between a good site and a great site is often pages of pleasant but unnecessary rambling that prevents the
user from recognizing the one thing.
If it helps, send your well written but extraneous content to me. I’ll read it. I promise.
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10. Do the most important thing first
If your website could only do one thing and one thing only, what would it be?
Yes, I
did
already
mention
this, bu
t it’s
that im
portan
t.
It’s m
y one
thing.
Questions & Comments • Please use this report in whatever way you’d like. While
I’d appreciate it if you’d attribute my work to me where appropriate we both know that nothing (but bad karma) awaits if you don’t. Meh.
• Contact info for questions or comments:Matt GallowayEmail: [email protected]: 918-808-3072Twitter: @mattgallowayBlog: http://thebasement.com
• I’m available to present or discuss this report, and/or your specific web efforts with your organization. Drop me a line if you’re interested.