Presentation on improving your Web site usability and performance - discusses content, search engine optimization, navigation and interaction

1. Creating & Managing
Exceptional Web sites
Katie Paffhouse
Senior Manager, Affiliates
07/10/09

2. Using GoToWebinar
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3. Steps for Web Design
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4. Strategy Development
1. What are the overall organization’s goals that my Web strategy will
contribute to?
3. What are the categories of customers using your Web site?
5. What are the top 10 questions visitors will ask when they reach your
Web site? How will you answer these?
7. What will you consider a successful visit on your site?
9. What reason will a visitor have to tell others about your Web site?
11. How will I attract my target customers to our Web site?
13. What are my competitors doing?
15. How will we maintain the Web site?
17. If you currently have a Web site, what works well? What doesn’t?

5. Additional Resource
Web Strategy Recording
• Developing strategy
• Page development
• Defining layout
• Selecting provider
On www.eatright.org/affiliate-resources
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6. Web site Example

7. What’s Exceptional?
•Current, easy-to-understand information
•Search engine optimized
•Easy-to-navigate/view
•Interactive
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8. Content
07/10/09

9. Common Mistakes
•Complicated Headlines
•Under Construction Image
•Coming Soon!
•Never-ending Scroll Bar
•Last Updated/Outdated News
•Dead Links

10. Write for Your Reader
•Scannable
•Written at
audience’s
level
•What your
user-wants

11. Design for Your Reader
Headlines
Bulleted Lists
Bolded Text
Links
http://www.provenanceunknown.com/edit/style.html

12. Design Standards
Web site? Website? Web Site?
Visit www.provenanceunknown.com/edit/style.html
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13. How to Help Your Webmaster
Provide
 Content update schedule
 Text in preferred format
 Design standards
 Clarify authority
 Ask his/her opinion
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14. Search Engine
Optimization
07/10/09

15. Search Engine Optimization

16. Search Engine Optimization
#1: Keywords
•Dietetics
•Eat Healthy
•Nutrition advice
•ADA newsletter
•Volunteer positions

17. Search Engine Optimization
#2: URLs/Links
Instead Of… Try ….
www.website.org/218_2381d www.website.org/newsletters
www.website.org/juneconferenc32009registration www.website.org/conference
opportunity
www.website.org/career1 www.website.org/careers

18. Search Engine Optimization
#3: Metatags
<meta> keyword, description, title</meta>

19. Search Engine Optimization
#4: Links from outside sites

20. How to Help Your Webmaster
Provide
Keywords
Requested link text (2-3 options)
Meta tag details
When to expect updates
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21. Easy-to-Navigate
07/10/09

22. Breadcrumbs
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23. Search Field
Free Resource: Google Custom Search: http://www.google.com/coop/cse/
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24. Menus
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25. Error Page
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26. Members-Only
PROS CONS
Adds perception of greater Can be difficult to login/adds
member benefits additional steps
If content is needed to succeed Won’t appear in search engines
in job, will encourage members
to join/renew
Allows for member-to-member Content may be available for
networking free elsewhere

27. Members-Only Considerations
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28. Evaluate
On a monthly basis:
1. Unique visitors
2. Time on site
3. Most visited pages
4. Keyword phrases
5. Download
Free Resource:
Google Analytics: www.google.com/analytics/
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29. How to Help Your Webmaster
Provide
What should be members-only
Identified teaser-text (with formatting!)
Error page content and contact details
Ask
For a quote on members-only support,
breadcrumb creation, search box additions.
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30. Interactive
07/10/09

31. Poll: Interactive Tools
• Blogs
• Discussion Forums
• Processing Payments/Registration
• RSS Feeds
• Widgets

32. Interactive Tools
1. Consider
• Your target audience
• Where they are/What they need
2. Plan Approach
• Objectives
• Guideline development
• Success metrics
3. Act
4. Evaluate
• How many subscribe
• How many view

33. Interactive Tools: Blogs
Tips
• TEST!
• Several bloggers
• Planted responders
• Web site embedding
• Targeted topics (annual mtg)
Links
• Example: blogs.asaecenter.org/Acronym
• Compare free blogging software:
http://ezinearticles.com/?Comparing-Free-Blogging-Software&id=41365

34. Interactive Tools: Discussion Forums
Tips Links
• TEST! • www.bloggeries.com/forum/
• Planted threads •www.healthboards.com/boards/forumdisplay.php
• Identify experts
• Web site embedding

35. Processing Information
Tips
• TEST!
• Determine rebate procedure
• Determine complimentary
registration procedure
Links
•Processing payment: Paypal/Google
Shopping Cart
•Online reg/payment: Cvent
•Online reg/payment: regonline
•Registration: Surveymonkey

36. Interactive Tools: RSS Feeds
Tips
• Determine Web site traffic
• Identify location on Web site
• BOD and Key Leaders sign up
• TEST!
Links
• http://www.whatisrss.com/
• http://www.feedzilla.com/rss.asp
• Example: cnn.com (scroll down)

37. Interactive Tools: Widgets
Tips
• TEST!
• Place in easy-to-access location
• Key leaders subscribe
• Link to new window
Links
• Examples/Create Widget: http://widgets.yahoo.com/
• Create: http://automattic.com/code/widgets/
• Words of Advice: Business Week Article

38. How to Help Your Webmaster
Provide
Specific location on Web site (include url)
Identified teaser-text
Several testers
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39. Questions?
07/10/09

40. Additional Resources
• http://www.stylishdesign.com/
• www.searchengineoptimizationjournal.com/
• Web Editing/Web Style Guide:
http://www.provenanceunknown.com/edit/style.html
• Web Developer’s Blog:
http://blog.case.edu/webdev/2007/04/02/links.html
• What is good hypertext writing? by Jutta Degener:
http://kbs.cs.tu-berlin.de/~jutta/ht/writing.html
• Building an RSS Feed: http://www.xul.fr/en-xml-rss.html
And one of the best ways to learn what not to do -
http://www.webpagesthatsuck.com/

41. We are here for you!
Katie Paffhouse
Harold J. Holler, RD, LDN Senior Manager, Affiliates
Vice President, Governance and Chicago, IL
Practice TEL: 312-899-4870
Chicago, IL e-mail: kpaffhouse@eatright.org
e-mail: hholler@eatright.org
Diane Juskelis, MS, RD, CSP, LDN
Director - Practice, Member Interest Anne Czeropski
and Affiliate Relations Manager, MIGs/Affiliates
Chicago, IL Chicago, IL
TEL: 312-899-4811 TEL: 312-899-4852
e-mail: djuskelis@eatright.org e-mail: aczeropski@eatright.org
Dana Whitley
Juliana Smith
Member Advocacy Coordinator
Director, State Government Relations
Washington, D.C.
Washington, D.C.
TEL: 202-775-8277
TEL: 202-775-6001
e-mail: dwhitley@eatright.org
email: jsmith@eatright.org