TOPIC:

Our website has been revamped to promote Member engagement (on the Members Only side), so it's not content heavy on the Main page.

We are currently working to make it more engaging to visitor, without overloading them with info already available on TMI's main website.

We also wanted to make it more mobile-friendly, since more people will see it on their mobile devices nowadays.

How are we doing? What can we improve?

Thanks, in advance, for the help.

- GL
Club #2945
networkexpress.toastmastersclubs.org

Hello Giovanni;

I really like what you did with TI Logo in Welcome... :0)

1. Try putting links going to other pages, such as a club officers page, the members photo page in main menu... Maybe even a link for newsletters that are written.

2. If you have a Facebook or Twitter page, you can have links going there on Main menu and a link going to the District website.

3. You do not have much to entice guests to go further. Think about what you want... I gave you some suggestions...

If you want more, please ask...

Linda

Giovanni,

I am not sure that using the logo as a replacement for the letter O is in compliance with the brand standards, maybe someone else knows.

Try to get some club specific pictures on the home page in addition to or to replace the stock images from TI.

I agree with Linda and RogerM... Like the Welcome, but not sure about brand standards.

Like:

1. Using floater with link.

2. You home page "Developing Strong Leaders and Great Speakers, in Falls Church, VA, since 1994" shows longevity... a good thing.

3. Use of color.

4. Using hit counter.

5. Have a google map -- Good! Have exterior photo of meeting venue! Great!

6. Your calendar is clearly maintained well... very good!

Opportunities for Improvement:

7. Home page is sparse. Need elevator pitch / value proposition. (what is unique about your club that would be of value to a prospective member) Need member photos. Need links to supporting pages / auxiliary content. Any awards DCP level to brag about on home page?

8. "Our club meets weekly at Thomas Jefferson Library, in Falls Church, VA on Fridays at 11:45 AM, and is open to all. " I would link this to your Meeting Info page. Put Advisory Title for link as "Click here for Directions".

9. Could use some supporting pages. FAQs, Club Founder's page, A Typical Meeting, etc. Club Tour page is good, but could use some more pages, also.

10. No public downloads? What about an electronic visitor packet for download?

Overall, you are off to a good start, you just need to get some more content.

Thanks, everyone, for the feedback. I hope to respond to each one individually.

I've attached* page 36 of the TI Brand Manual PDF. I think we're in the clear on the logo in the word welcome.

...or am I reading it wrong?


* I think attaching the file was done correctly. I'm new at this.

LindaMann wrote:

Hello Giovanni;

I really like what you did with TI Logo in Welcome... :0)

1. Try putting links going to other pages, such as a club officers page, the members photo page in main menu... Maybe even a link for newsletters that are written.

2. If you have a Facebook or Twitter page, you can have links going there on Main menu and a link going to the District website.

3. You do not have much to entice guests to go further. Think about what you want... I gave you some suggestions...

If you want more, please ask...

Linda

Thanks for the suggestions, Linda.

Our revamped website is 2 months old.

The main focus was to encourage club members to login and use some of the Member Only sections.

As the year unfolds and we look toward next year, I will make sure our VPPR comes up with useful updates for the public section of our page.

I will have them reference yours and other suggestions made in this forum. As a rule of thumb, though, the initial strategy is "less is more", and keeping it mobile-friendly.

One of the most recent changes was implementing the accordion tabs for the menus. It helped cut down the clutter, IMO.

I agree with you about the tabbed style... much simpler...

Linda

RogerM wrote:

Try to get some club specific pictures on the home page in addition to or to replace the stock images from TI.

Working on it.

Some of our members are shy about their photos being up on the net, so we've kept the directory private.

While we work on getting people more comfortable with their profiles being public, we will keep the stock images up.

Plus, we're better-looking than those stock-image folks.

SteveTheTechie wrote:

Opportunities for Improvement:

7. Home page is sparse. Need elevator pitch / value proposition. (what is unique about your club that would be of value to a prospective member) Need member photos. Need links to supporting pages / auxiliary content. Any awards DCP level to brag about on home page?

8. "Our club meets weekly at Thomas Jefferson Library, in Falls Church, VA on Fridays at 11:45 AM, and is open to all. " I would link this to your Meeting Info page. Put Advisory Title for link as "Click here for Directions".

9. Could use some supporting pages. FAQs, Club Founder's page, A Typical Meeting, etc. Club Tour page is good, but could use some more pages, also.

10. No public downloads? What about an electronic visitor packet for download?

Overall, you are off to a good start, you just need to get some more content.

First, thank you for the "Like" section. Much appreciated.

Re: Improvements, also, thank you.

Before the "welcome" graphic, we had the attached graphic up and way more text to go with it.

By TM-year's end, I want to upgrade the Club Tour section to include more pages, without filling the main menu bar with too many links. Do the "unlisted access" pages create links that people can click on to view "hidden" pages, or are they only good for sharing via email and such? (Those types of links are new to me.)

In the works, we have a News & Notes Section, and an FAQ could help, but I'd rather link them to the TI.org page to get those FAQs.

Gotta run, but thanks, again! - GL

Giovanni,

In order to continue to have this forum section be useful into the future, we need to request that everyone contribute to it.

Therefore, we are implementing "Get an evaluation, give an evaluation." . Basically, we are requesting those who have received a website evaluation give a Toastmasters style website evaluation for at least one other club that has requested an evaluation in this forum section. (You get to choose which club website to do the website evaluation for.) Just post your impressions: things you like about the website, and areas for improvement. Everyone has something to offer... just trust your instincts.

SteveTheTechie wrote:

Giovanni,

In order to continue to have this forum section be useful into the future, we need to request that everyone contribute to it.

Therefore, we are implementing "Get an evaluation, give an evaluation." . Basically, we are requesting those who have received a website evaluation give a Toastmasters style website evaluation for at least one other club that has requested an evaluation in this forum section. (You get to choose which club website to do the website evaluation for.) Just post your impressions: things you like about the website, and areas for improvement. Everyone has something to offer... just trust your instincts.

I promise to pay it forward. Thanks for all the help and feedback. - GL

Giovanni,

In short, I love it. I like that you use the colors of the banner to create continuity on the whole page. Your home page does need some beefing up, but Rome wasn't built in day. Consider an "action photo" of someone (a local member) delivering a speech.

I have never been a fan of those floating (flying?) panels at the bottom of the front page. If you are still in the process of overhauling the site... you won't need them. I think they just confuse the visitor's navigation any way.

You, or someone in your club, is really good with graphics. I REALLY like your Facebook page! There are some powerful pictures and graphics there. If that is the direction you are going for your site, keep at it! I'll want to check it out again in a month or two.

Blaine Little, ACB
V.P. of PR, TM 1757

Blaine67@gmail.com wrote:

Giovanni,

In short, I love it. I like that you use the colors of the banner to create continuity on the whole page. Your home page does need some beefing up, but Rome wasn't built in day. Consider an "action photo" of someone (a local member) delivering a speech.

I have never been a fan of those floating (flying?) panels at the bottom of the front page. If you are still in the process of overhauling the site... you won't need them. I think they just confuse the visitor's navigation any way.

You, or someone in your club, is really good with graphics. I REALLY like your Facebook page! There are some powerful pictures and graphics there. If that is the direction you are going for your site, keep at it! I'll want to check it out again in a month or two.

Blaine Little, ACB
V.P. of PR, TM 1757

Thanks, Blaine!

Were 18 months into a period of significant changes to our club culture, primarily focused on aligning with DCP requirements. We'v had to replace a lot of old habits with new ones that have helped us grow into a vibrant club.

The website changes are yet another step in that direction, and, as we become more used to using it (and, hopefully, Facebook), it will begin to take shape and reflect who we are as a club.

...and believe me, ALL the recommendations given in this forum will be strongly considered. Everyone has provided some great takeaways.

My first impression is a clean professional look to the site.

I like that I learn immediately where your club is and when it meets.

I would center the set of six photographs rather than have them left-aligned.

I like the idea of asking a visitor to RSVP his attendance. But the way you have it set up, it will take me two clicks to make that happen. I find that cumbersome. I think in the end I would eliminate that process.

I like the club tour page. It helps a prospective member to know what to expect. Again, I would center the photograph.

You ask the prospective member to contact the VPE about joining, but you do not name who that is. I know I like to e-mail a specific person.

Meeting Information/Directions
I like this page (and particularly the image) a lot! Perhaps the photograph at the top of the page would look nice.

I'm not a big fan of the club calendar, but I commend you for making the most of it. I like that you highlight member anniversaries on it. What a nice touch!

Facebook
There was a huge gap between posts (September to February). If you are going to use FB, it like your web site, needs to have fresh content.

I am not a fan of the welcome. It cleverly uses the logo, but it takes up important space on the page. Like hit counters, it is a relic of the early days of the web.

While others have pointed out things you could add, I rather like the cleanliness of the short menus.

Hit Counter
I find hit counters a relic from the early days of the web. I do not think they add to the look of a web site.

Instead, using Google Analytics provides far better information about the traffic at your site and is invisible to the visitor.

Good job!

Like:
1. Welcome logo and picture on the the homepage, but I'm not sure Toastmasters will allow that use of their logo.

2. The picture of the Library meeting place on the meeting information/directions page

3. The club tour and RSVP for a meeting page. I've not seen that on other club websites

Don't Like:
Menu is too dark blue making the links hard to read