Lost in cyberspace

If you build it, they will come. But if your club’s or district’s Web site leaves visitors confused, frustrated, or uninformed, will they return? To keep Rotarians – and potential club members – coming back for more, your Web site has to educate, motivate, and perform useful work in an appealing and easy-to-navigate format.

Companies that offer templates for laying out and managing Web sites, such as ClubRunner and Simplified Solutions, can help. But even they can’t detect erroneous, missing, or out-of-date information. So how do you keep your audience from logging off unsatisfied?

Mixed messages

Look at your club’s Web site. Does it tell a story, or is it just a statement of facts about events, meetings, and officers? If the latter is true, you’re not taking full advantage of the Internet and its ability to promote the goals of your club and of Rotary International.

Your Web site will have greater appeal and deliver a stronger message if it focuses on a central area. Make a list of your club’s goals and prioritize them to determine what your site’s theme should be. If it’s promoting literacy, then include news articles, photos, and events with a literacy focus. You can also add links to literacy-related Web sites.

Want to strengthen membership? Make those efforts the centerpiece by featuring stories on your home page about the benefits of Rotary, photos of club members working and playing together, and links to membership development information on the RI Web site.

“Have a story to tell, and tell it in a way that makes sense,” says David Schober, manager of RI’s Web Department. During the recent redesign of the RI Web site, Schober says, his team brought the Object of Rotary into every element, “from About Us to news stories, service opportunities, and fellowships.”

Keep it fresh

Does your club’s Web site still name Bill Boyd as president of RI? Does it smartly display last year’s theme and logo? If your Web site is stuck in the past – and a quick Google search reveals several that are – then maybe it’s time to make it a club priority.

Keeping your site fresh and interesting shouldn’t be the sole responsibility of one tech-savvy club member. Though you want a Web editor or manager who understands the site’s overall focus and has the computer skills to implement it effectively, the entire club – especially the committee chairs – should be held accountable for its content. Make sure they’re submitting stories, photos, and event information on a regular basis.

An easy and inexpensive way to keep your readers up-to-date is to use Rotary International’s RSS feed. RSS, or Really Simple Syndication, is a basic type of Web page that sends news headlines and other content to subscribers. Lost in cyberspace?

Your Web site can have the best information in the world, but if your audience gets lost looking for it, your efforts are in vain. For it to be easy to use, visitors have to know where they are, how they got there, and how to get somewhere else.

“Navigation is key,” says Thea Holdevici, founder, president, and CEO of Eyedoodle, a Canadian-based Web site design firm. Holdevici, of the Rotary Club of Kitchener-Grand River, Ont., believes a navigation system should be intuitive. A simple way to make your site effective is to place links to major sections in the same location on every page.

You can also lead visitors to information by setting up links within your copy. For the new RI Web site, Schober and his staff used these embedded links to guide readers to the logical next step. “We wanted our audience to read a news story about an earthquake, then quickly link to a page that tells them how to help.”

You look mahvelous

It’s not enough that your Web site delivers gripping content and time-saving tools; it also needs to look good. Flashing graphics and daring color combinations may be tempting, but such visual effects will only detract from your site’s message.

Strive for a consistent, clean layout on every page. The site will look more professional and, even more important, it will help your audience quickly grasp your club’s purpose. Improving the design is easy too. If the community service committee’s page shows meeting minutes on a side menu and describes projects down the center, then the international service committee’s page should do the same.

Err on the side of simplicity. Though it is possible to have a Web page that’s too plain or bare, it’s far more common to see one too crammed full of information. As with any communication tool, a little white space – or beige or pastel green – helps the eye focus on your message.

The outside world

Your Web site may be designed for current members, but as part of the World Wide Web, it’s also your club’s most public face. Why not take advantage of this social media tool to connect with your community?

One way to draw visitors is to set up reciprocal links with other sites. Area Rotary clubs and chambers of commerce are obvious choices, but also consider links to and from organizations and businesses that are relevant to your club’s focus, activities, and fundraisers.

Another way to reach the outside world is through interactive features. Templated sites make it easy to e-mail news stories and information about fundraising events and service projects. Try using this tool to inform friends and colleagues about your club’s work.

First impressions count, especially on the Internet. With a little effort, you can be sure that your club is making a good one.