1. How to Develop a
Genealogical Website
R. Kent Stuetz
New York State Archives
Central New York Family History Conference 2006
Copyright © 2006

2. Agenda
• Purpose
• Hosting
• Building
• Marketing
• Tracking

3. Purpose of Your Website?
• Provide instructional information
• Market products & services
• Share genealogical data
• Coordinate research
• Combination

4. Purpose Drives Website
• Dictates content
– What information
– How it is presented
• Influences format & features
• Determines who . . .
– Will develop site
– Will host it
• Impacts costs

5. Who Will Host Your Site?
• Internet service provider
• Free websites
• Fee-based hosting

6. Internet Service Providers
• America Online
• Verizon
• Cable
• Satellite

7. Sample Internet Provider

8. Free Website Hosting
• Internet companies
– Yahoo
• Genealogical software
– Ancestry.com
• Online genealogy services
– RootsWeb.com
– USGenealogy.net

9. Sample Search Free Hosting

10. Sample Free Website

11. To Pay or Not to Pay?
• Advantages to cheap hosting
– Little if any expense
– No software to purchase & learn
– Simple means to limited Internet presence
• Disadvantages
– Limited functionality & space
– Cookie cutter designs
– Not your own site with distinctive URL
– Advertising other’s products & services

12. Fee-based Hosting
• Who is out there?
• How much will it cost?
• What functions are supported?
• Selecting a URL
• Getting an account set up

13. Web Host Example 1

14. Web Host Example 2

15. Web Host Example 3

16. Web Hosting Comparison Sites

17. What is it Going to Cost?
• Annual fee for domain name (URL)
• Functions & features drive costs
– Bargain basement - $5 month
– Respectable entry level - $9 month
– eCommerce basics - $15 month
– Professional functionality - $30 month

18. Basic Features & Functions
• Disk space & data transfer
• Email boxes, storage & services
• Virus & spam protection
• Site management tools
– FrontPage extensions
– Counters & statistics
– Message boards & guest books
– Backups & restore

19. Advanced Features & Functions
• Server & platform selections
• Security
– Hardware
– Software
• Development features
• Applications & database options
• Marketing tools
• Customer support

20. Hosting Decision
• Evaluate current & anticipated needs
• Identify desired functionality
• Investigate host websites
• Interview host representatives
• Comparison chart . . .
http://www.networksolutions.com/web-
hosting/compare.jsp;jsessionid=85010587026dd452141d9e38e96:aQTt

21. Deciding on Your URL
• Keep it simple
• Be short (if possible)
• Catchy is good
• Make it descriptive
• Use proper extension

22. Set Up Your Account
• Do it online or . . .
• Call account representative
• Have credit card ready
• Now the hard work begins!

23. Building a Website
• Basic web concepts
• Development software
• Publishing genealogical data
• Design Resources

24. Concept Prior to Content
• Map out website on paper
– Determine a structure
– How will visitors move through site?
• How will it look & feel?
– Graphics
– Fonts & formatting
– Themes & style sheets

25. Strive for Usability
• Visual Coherence
• Graphics
• Accessibility
• Navigation
• Content

26. Visual Coherence
• Be consistent with . . .
– Color schemes
– Formatting conventions
• Fonts (selection, sizes & styles)
• Page layout
• Graphics
• Avoid clutter & cutesy
• Limit animation

27. Proper Use of Fonts
• Fonts set the tone
• Use common & accessible fonts
Verdana Arial
Times New Roman Georgia
MS Serif MS Sans Serif
Trebuchet Book Antiqua
http://webmonkey.com/webmonkey/design/fonts/tutorials/tutorial3.html

28. Purpose of Graphics
• Use graphics to show content
• Gratuitous graphics distract
• Don’t use to decorate web site
• Make connection obvious
• Utilize descriptive attributes

29. Use Images Effectively
• Avoid Clutter
• Graphics take longer to load
• Many using dial-up connections
• Resize images prior to inserting
– Shrinks file size for faster download
– Restricts image size on screen

30. Resizing Images
• Use image program to resize
– Microsoft Picture Manager
– Adobe Photoshop Elements
• Specify width & height in pixels
• Picture properties settings don’t help
• Must resize prior to insertion

31. Resizing with MS Picture Manager

32. Resizing with Picture Properties

33. How Big is Too Big?
• Target screen resolutions in pixels
– 20% Using 800 x 600 or smaller (11”)
– 80% Using 1024 x 768 or greater (14”)
– 30% Using 1280 x 1024 or greater (17”)
– 1600 x 1200 higher end (20”)
– 1920 x 1200 (24” LCD)

36. Access for Visually Impaired
• Provide captioning
• Hyperlink text makes sense
• Include “longdesc” graphics attribute
• Use CSS for layout & style – no frames
• Complete guidelines & checklist . . .
– Web Accessibility Initiative
– www.w3.org/WAI

37. Navigation Tips
• Users look at content not navigation
• Navigation must be . . .
– Intuitive & self evident
– Purposeful
– Not overdone or distracting
• Enhance user convenience
• Make important content accessible

38. Think Before You Link
• Carefully evaluate prior to linking
• Provides your “seal of approval”
• Link only to reliable sources
• Focus on links that enhance your site
• Avoid too numerous links
• Use “New Window” target frame

39. Content Content Content
• Emphasize what your site offers
– What is of value to your users?
– How does your site or services differ?
– Explain your purpose
• Visitors will evaluate in seconds
• Provide logical information flow
• Make important content accessible

40. Keep Site Dynamic
• Changing content . . .
– Creates excitement
– Encourages return visits
– Develops following
• Post new material to home page
– Images, links, announcements, etc.
• Develop content in stages
• Update regularly & stay relevant

41. Publishing Genealogical Data
• Personal Ancestral File (PAF)
• PHpGedView
• GedHTree
• Family Tree Maker
• RootsMagic

42. Sample Data Publication - PAF

43. Sample Publication – PHpGedView

44. Publishing Your Data
• Based on your purposes . . .
– Choose best data display format
– How much information to share?
• Do you want to give away the store?
– Downloadable GEDCOM files
• Privacy concerns
• Consider other database options

45. Publishing Guidelines

46. Web Development Software
• Microsoft FrontPage
– Excellent basic functionality
– Integrates with Microsoft Office Suite
– Familiar environment
– Fairly inexpensive
• Adobe (Macromedia) Dreamweaver
– Cutting edge multimedia tools
– Integrates with Adobe Suite
– Foreign working environment
– Pricier than all get out

47. Can I Design a Website?
• Of course you can, but . . .
• It takes . . .
– Loads of time
– Trial & error
– A lot of learning
• It is rather frustrating
• If you can afford it, pay someone

48. Web Design Resources
• Publications
• Classes
– CompUSA
– BOCES
• Work or organization
• Online resources
– SkillSoft http://www.skillsoft.com/
– Hosting sites & other online pubs

49. Sample Construction Kit
http://www.cyndislist.com/construc.htm

50. Online Host Instruction
http://www.networksolutions.com/home.jsp;jsessionid=b35e14a1bcbf39ffffffffda
824b82fad04d2:OhhC?layoutIdIndex=4

51. Uploading Your Website
• How do I transfer files to my host?
– Development software built in options
– FTP software
– Host transfer capabilities

52. Sample FTP Software

53. Marketing Your Website
• Who cares how great your site is . . .
If no one sees it!
• Search engine visibility
– Superior cheap Internet marketing
– Use all descriptive tools
• “Heading” format
• Web page descriptions
• Image descriptors
– Repeat searchable vocabulary

54. Shamelessly Promote Site
• Submit info to all search engines
• Request links from related sites
• Use site promotion services
• Keep track of your marketing
• Be relentless – contacts each day

55. Tracking Site Visits
• Simple Counters
• Invisible web trackers
– Collects statistics
• Visitor paths
• Search engines & browsers
• Viewer system stats
• Visit lengths & return visits
• Keyword search data
– Free or paid services

56. Sample Data Miner

57. Sample Statistical Detail

58. Who is Observing You?
• Download free software
• Ad-Aware se
http://www.lavasoft.de/news/product/info/

59. Questions?

60. The End
Thank You!