Three elements of a great non-profit website

Posted by: Michael Reynolds, President/CEO in General on Tuesday, April 5, 2011

At SpinWeb, we love providing non-profit website design services. The non-profit community is full of amazing people who are working toward making the world a better place. Just like corporations, non-profits need to communicate online and tell a story. For this reason, a non-profit's website is one of the most important components of its PR and communications strategy.

So what elements go into a great non-profit website? Here are a few things that we think are significant.

1. A blog. Non-profits have stories to tell. A blog is a great way to tell that story. Blogs can be written by volunteers and board members within the organization, but it can be even more interesting when blog are written by the people who have been impacted by the non-profit. Imagine how powerful a story can be when it is told by someone whose life has been changed by the work done by the organization.

2. Video stories. Just like blogs, video can be a powerful way to tell a story. I would love to see more non-profits posting video interviews on their websites that help donors understand how their funding helps make the world a better place. Interviews with volunteers are good, but interviews with the recipients of the help provided by a non-profit are even more powerful.

3. Online giving. This is a must-have for every non-profit. Any organization that relies on mail-in or other offline donation mechanisms is leaving money on the table. This is money that could be going toward a worthy cause. Today's world is one made up of short attention spans and busy schedules. If your website is not providing a quick, easy way to donate online, you are effectively placing a brick wall between willing donors and the people you are trying to help.

Though non-profits are right to be careful about how they spend money, it's important that they understand when and where to make good investments of time and money. By helping your website visitors understand how your organization changes lives, how it impacts real people, and then how they can support your cause through online giving, you are doing a great service to your constituents.

Internet marketing in 90 minutes a week

Posted by: Michael Reynolds, President/CEO in General on Monday, March 28, 2011

What is a Twitter hashtag?

Posted by: Michael Reynolds, President/CEO in General on Monday, March 21, 2011

As one of the "big three" social networks, Twitter enjoys a user base of around 200 Million users as of 2011. It is a very useful network to be a part of and is frequented by professionals, celebrities, and public figures and has many uses in the business world. As an Internet Marketing Speaker, I have used Twitter for business in a number of ways including research, promotion, and communication.

However, Twitter is still a bit strange and foreign to some people due to the odd terminology and syntax that goes with it. Terms like "tweet", "follow", "DM", and "hashtag" are thrown around on Twitter and can easily confuse people. One of the most confusing aspects of this network is the hashtag. So what is a Twitter hashtag?

A hashtag is a single keyword (or words strung together) that communicates the context of the tweet. The "#" (or "hash") symbol is used to note that the text following it is a hashtag. Anyone can make up a hashtag on the spot and start using it simply by typing a "#" and then a word after it with no spaces.

Here are some exaples of hashtags and how they are used:

#Indy - This hashtag denotes a tweet that is about Indianapolis or somehow relates to Indy. Many people search on this hashtag so that they can stay informed about conversations related to Indianapolis. Local business can also use it to target their messages to a local audience. Here is an example of someone using #Indy in a tweet:

#snowpocalypse - This hashtag is often used when blizzards strike. People tend to post all sorts of updates about the snow and how it's affecting their areas. Here is an example of someone using this hashtag:

#geekpickuplines - This is an example of a humorous hashtag that denotes a running joke about "geeks" picking up members of the opposite sex using less-than-smooth lines. Here is an example of this in use:

#w2e - This is one of the more practical ways to use a Twitter hashtag. The Web 2.0 Expo is a technology conference and it is used to group tweets about the conference together into one context. Those responsible for promoting the conference use it to send a signal that a particular tweet is conference-related, while interested parties can use it simply to talk about the Web 2.0 Expo. The hashtag allows people to filter tweets into a single view in order to see everything being posted about this event in one place. Here is an example:

As you can see, hashtags have a number of uses but the bottom line is that they are used to signal context and to group content together into a single topic. Hashtags can be used for promotion, communication, humor, and clarification and can be made up by anyone.

So how can you use hashtags to promote your organization?

• Event planners can promote an event hashtag before and during an event in order to create buzz and track chatter
• Businesses can search on hashtags that are specific to their target markets and open conversations on Twitter
• Non-profits can create hashtags tied to fundrasing campaigns in order to strengthen their branding and make it easier for others to join in on promotion

Whether you are a business owner, a marketing professional, and event planner, or a non-profit professional, Twitter hashtags can be used to augment your communication efforts online and may help you get your content in front of new audiences.

How are you using hashtags? Please post your feedback below.

Web page content: the key to a successful website launch

Posted by: Michael Reynolds, President/CEO in General on Monday, March 14, 2011

We see it all the time at SpinWeb... we are about to launch a beautiful new website with all the latest technology and then everything grinds to a halt. Why? Lack of web page content throughout the site.

This happens for a number of reasons, but usually it's because the business owner or organization leader has not made content a priority in the process.

Along with professional photography, content is the most important component of your website and sadly, the piece most often overlooked. Quality web page content gives your visitors the information they need and gives search engines something to index and integrate into their results.

Good content also makes the design better. Without content, a website designer must guess what will be contained in the spaces inside the pages. With content already provided, however, a website designer has concepts and themes to draw from and can create a much better design because the web page content is driving the messaging.

A website without professionally-written content is like setting the table for a gourmet seven-course meal but then serving fast food as the main course.

For this reason, your web page content should be planned out early on in the design and development process. Their are usually two approaches to content writing for the web: do it yourself (DIY) and hire a professional.

1. Do it yourself.

This is what most people choose because it is perceived as cheaper. There is nothing wrong with this approach as long as your organization has someone on staff who is a good writer and who has the time to get it done. Keys to success when creating your own content include:

• Make sure the writer understand how to write content for the web
• Make sure the writer has firm deadlines
• Make sure the writer finishes the content before the website design actually starts

Following these guidelines will maximize your chances of successfully launching on time.

2. Hire a professional.

This is my preferred approach. Hiring a professional to write your content is typically the best way to go. It is more expensive, but when compared against the hassle and time spent on trying to create content on your own, it's a very high-value investment. Whether website content services are provided by your website design and development company or an outside consultant, it will be well worth it. Some guidelines for choosing a good content writer include:

• Look for someone that specializes in web page content (not just print)
• Make sure your writer understands SEO
• Make sure your writer understands your industry

A good professional content writer will ensure that your web page content delivers the message that is appropriate for your visitors.

Want to make sure your website launches on time? Content is the key. Make sure you have a plan for getting it done. If you do, your chances of launching on schedule with a high-quality website improve dramatically.

Mobile websites: what's the benefit?

Posted by: Michael Reynolds, President/CEO in General on Monday, March 7, 2011

Everyone is talking about mobile websites. A mobile website is a specific version of your website that is designed to fit nicely on a mobile device, like an iPhone or a Droid. Mobile websites are still not very common but are gaining popularity slowly but surely.

Mobile websites are an important area to pay attention to because the number of Internet users who access websites via a mobile device is growing every year.

While most websites look fine on a modern mobile device, they can also be more difficult to use. Mobile screens are much smaller than desktops or iPads which means viewers must do lots of zooming and scrolling to navigate the website.

Mobile websites are optimized for smaller screens and serve up a much more lightweight experience to the viewer. A well-designed mobile website will typically show a nice, clean navigation menu and will only display the most important information. It will often leave out much of the design and focus mostly on text content. This make it much easier to navigate on a mobile device and improves usability for the viewer.

Typically, the website will automatically detect the device being used by the viewer and will serve up the correct version. If someone views your website from a normal computer or an iPad, the standard version will be displayed. If someone views your website on a mobile device, the mobile version will automatically be displayed.

Some ways mobile websites can be used include:

• Businesses can display basic services and contact information in a clearer way so viewers can load the website very quickly and "click-to-call" you
• News and publication websites can display articles in an easy-to-read mobile format so that people on the go can easily enjoy content
• Non-profit websites can allow donors to easily give online (imagine how great it would be to invite people to pull our their phones and donate online at an event!)
• Product companies can give their customers online knowledge bases and searchable documentation that can be accessed from a mobile device in the field 

Many organizations can benefit from a mobile website. If you feel that a mobile website might benefit you, please feel free to contact us.

What other applications do you see for mobile websites? Please post your comments below.