TOPIC:

Any suggestions to improve will be appreciated. Thank you.

Aida,

My initial response to the colors was that it hurt my eyes, especially the blue on green lettering. I would consider different color options on the pages and menus.


Personally, I wouldn't have my meeting minutes as part of the main menu, I would move them to members only. I also would change the name of Board to Club Officers. To me Board is Corporate, while Club Officers brings it down to a local level.

Thank you Roger, good point, I diminished the brightness, and changed Board to Club Officers. I have been publishing the "Minutes" for the last 4 or more years, we have over 40 members, and only half show up, we make it easy for the ones who want to read them by sending them the link. Aida

Aida,

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.

Aida,

Regarding the color, I think a good analogy is that putting color in websites is kind of like adding spices to food.

Everyone has different preferences for the right amount of spices/color, there are regional preferences, you can have too much or too little, and there are good mixes and bad mixes (of spices and colors).

Because of that, I tend to recommend websites be a bit in the middle, not too white and not too intense with the color, even though personally I tend to like more color. That does not mean my color sensibilities are the "right ones", they are just my sensibilities.

It might be that more color is appropriate for Miami... just remember you are asking the opinion of people who are not in Miami.

Maybe that is why I thought it was bright. People in Miami wear sunglasses 24/7 don't they?

Aida, I do think you need to brag a bit though Give the other members a ball park number for your age.

Hello!

I don't want to speak for Roger, but I THINK he was suggesting posting you minutes in the MEMBERS menu. That's probably a good idea since minutes are a bit more internal than say, an news letter.

Before I read the other comments, I searched your page to see where the club was, and sure enough... MIAMI!
Which may completely fine for the local audience. It probably is. In terms of the brightness, you may want to experiment with coloring you BACKGROUND. This will not change the portion of the page which holds your content. The colors may not contrast as much if they are not bouncing off of white. Try a light cream color, beige, taupe, and a (VERY) light gray. I really like the color you used in your advanced club's members directory. It's rich, but not too bright.

I didn't see any social media.

I love you AWARDS page. Great idea!

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

OK Roger I will...
I probably could be the grandmother to all of you! I was 23 when John F. Kennedy was elected President, I started going to Toastmasters when I was 68. I never had a lesson in Computers and now I manage 2 websites both of which I developed with a lot of help from FreeToastHost. It takes me twice as much time to read and understand instructions because English is my second language! Thanks to all who have helped me! I manage the Websites because I feel without them there is no “free” advertising for Toastmaster Clubs. I believe 80 % of our members saw our Club's websites on the Internet.

Blaine, thank you for taking the time and looking a my club's websites! I was looking at one of them when my son "Rich" came to visit me, and he told me that you and the rest are right. So I will try to coordinate the colors, he thinks that there should be a contrast, he noticed I have red on pink, and dark blue on light blue... About social media, I will try to find out how to use them, could you tell me a little more? Aida.

Blaine, thank you for taking the time and looking a my club's websites! I was looking at one of them when my son "Rich" came to visit me, and he told me that you and the rest are right. So I will try to coordinate the colors, he thinks that there should be a contrast, he noticed I have red on pink, and dark blue on light blue... About social media, I will try to find out how to use them, could you tell me a little more? Aida.

I like seeing clearly when the next meeting is. That immediately tells me the site is current.

The photograph captures the visitor. The caption tells the story. The only thing is there are two women shown; I gather Denni is with the trophy. That begs the question, who is the other lady?

I agree with the comments about the color choices. I try to select colors that will complement the Toastmasters colors.

One Toastmaster-y thing about the homepage. I do not believe any clubs are considered distinguished yet as in order to be so, April dues need to be submitted. Also, I believe the correct wording is "Presidents Distinguished Club".

Meeting Information/Directions
I like this page (and the color works!).

Meet the Members
You have many members listed and most with a profile. Good job!

I would place the DCP reports link in the members section. A prospective member is likely not to undertstand that plus it takes him off your site.

I like the Club Officers page. If continued, it will serve as a nice history of the club.

I like the Minutes of the last meeting being available. It's good advertising and a nice way of documenting the club's work. The link employs all capital letters. It doesn't look good with the other links in the menu.

Dues
Link is in all capital letters.
"prorrated" is misspelt.

Member Awards 2013
Link is in all capital letters.
The first several photographs are from 2014. Perhaps the link should be "Member Awards". As a visitor, I wonder where the 2015 awards are. Perhaps too early in the year.

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.

Overall, the site is serving up valuable information.

Just think that if you had a Facebook and Twitter page, your website would be that much out there, especially if you have someone managing the pages and go there regularly to post about the club.

Linda

Hi Aida!

I'm very impressed with all you have done with just a little instruction! Rome wasn't built in a day, just keep "fine tuning" until you get things where you want them.

I agree with RD on the hit counter, some view them as obnoxious. However, I recently activated ours, mainly as an webmaster tool, since I am also trying to "beef things up". But it's way down at the bottom anyway. Years ago, people would put them at the top.

In terms of social media, I promise you, at least half your membership (irrespective of age) already have facebook or twitter. you can ask them for advice to get you going. TWO huge positives about social media for an administrator;
1) They're way easier to set up than FTH!
2) Once you get the accounts set up, (IDEALLY) your members will begin posting to add a lot of the content, so it takes on a life of it's own, and you don't have to constantly "feed" it all the time.

Don't be afraid of social media, it will actually help you drive people to your site! One thing to consider, if you get a unique email address from G-mail (google) for the club, you will automatically set up a G+ account, which is google's social network.

You're doing a little at a time, and that's probably smart! Just hold on to some of these ideas to work on when you get a little "down time".

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

RDOwens, Lilnda and Blaine I will copy and use your evaluations! Thank you. Also, I will send a copy to all our members, it would have been nice it someone had told me I had misspelled some words! Maybe some think I will quit if I am told. Aida