A web apprentice class for LqP EDA.

1. Planning & Preparing
for a Website
Ann Treacy
atreacy@treacyinfo.com
www.byteoftheweek.com
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2. The Day’s Work
• Define the Goals
• Learn the Industry
• Architect the Site
• Search Engine Optimization
• Create the Content
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3. Define Goals
• Why do you want a
website?
• Who do you want to reach?
• Finish this sentence: I
know my site was
successful because…
• Get specific, get
measurable
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4. Sample Goals
• Reach more people
• Sell more to the customers you have
• Move transactions online
• Spend less on ads or brochures
• Introduce a new product or service
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5. Mini-Lesson: Stats
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6. Visitor Info
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7. Traffic Sources
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8. Content Overview
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9. Other Stats
• Sales, RFPs, Inquiries
• More calls – or – fewer, better calls
• Email newsletter subscriptions
• More foot traffic
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10. Make the goals measurable and
focus the web site towards
reaching those goals
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11. Learn from the Industry
• Check out
competitors’ sites
• Find the regular way
to do things
• Find the best way to
do things
• Find the gaps
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12. What to look for?
• What sites do well on Google?
• What terms do they use?
• How are sites organized?
• What colors, images, service terms are
standard?
• Which sites do you like?
• What would you like to emulate?
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13. Architect the Site
• Organize the
information
• Create a site map
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14. Keep Organized Tools to Use
• Use industry standards • Paper and pencil
• Think like a visitor • Post-its
• Don’t make me think! • Colored cards
• Lists
• Org charts
• Visio
This will create the roadmap for your web site.
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15. Organization Tips
• Long lists are OK when people know the
vocabulary
• Short lists are better when terms are new
• Make choices clear
• You may present “utility links” differently
from links that get to core content
• There is room to call out info outside of
sitemap
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16. Mini-Lesson: SEO
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17. Search Engines Like:
1. Lots of repeated
keywords on web
page
2. Lots of good links to
your web site
3. Regular updates
4. Quick download
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18. What search engines don’t like
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19. Focus on Keywords
• Come up with 10
keyword phrases
– Your name
– Program names
– Terms people use to
find someone like you
– Location if appropriate
• Check popularity of
terms
http://www.keywordspy.com/
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20. Use the Keywords
• TITLES!
• Graphics don’t count
• Use text on pages
• Have good 10-20
word description of
yourself to share
• Use the footer!
http://www.webconfs.com/search-engine-spider-simulator.php
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21. Look at the Links
• See who links to you
www.linkpopularity.com
• See who links to the
competition
• Make sure your partners
link to you (And you link
to donors!)
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22. Fresh Content
• Making even small changes will help
• Making small changes that build your
content are even better
• Real Time Search?!
– Same rules apply (keywords, links/followers,
freshness)
– Getting hotter!
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23. Creating the Content
• Text
• Images
• Video
• Audio
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24. Tips
• The Sitemap is your roadmap
• Use keywords for SEO
• Use bullet points
• Write for your key audience
• Use images for your key audience
• Make sure the homepage says what you
do
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25. Doing It
• Gather all existing collateral
• Borrow text/ideas from competitors
• Let the content dictate length of “page”
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26. Choosing a Platform
WordPress.com WordPress.org
• Free • More themes available
• Automatic updates • Plugins available
• Easier to get into code
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27. Questions
Thank you!
Ann Treacy
atreacy@treacyinfo.com
www.treacyinfo.com