Telling the World Where You Are

Marketing Your Conservation Web Site

You have to register with the search engines - it's not automatic.

If nobody knows you exist - don't expect results!

 
 

How Do Search Engines Work?

Search Engines and Search Directories all operate slightly different from one another. They use computer programs called spiders and robots to visit each site address submitted to them. These programs collect information from certain sections of each web page, then index and rank the pages according to the rules of the their engine or directory.

Most directories rely on meta tag information like keywords and descriptions. In WYSIWYG editors, the meta tag element is usually handled through the new page wizard. When a page wizard asks for a description, or a list of keywords, it is building the meta tag portion of the HTML.

Spend some time deciding how you want to describe your site and what keywords you think people will use to find the information your are publishing before you start building the web page. This is especially important in WYSIWYG editors since it is harder to change those details once you have entered the basic information.

You have to guess what information Search engines are seeking and provide it on your page in order to get a higher percentage-of-match ranking during a search. Consequently you should use phrases common to your subject or topic in your description, and early text.

Your title is important, too. If you don't have a title (which appears in the very top portion of the browser when viewed) then the search engines show your page as [not title] which does not inspire visitors.

Some directories rely on the title of the page, and the first 200 characters of the body content on the page. If you have an image-heavy page, you can make use of the image alternative text feature to include keywords or phrases that search robots will look for.

For complete details on how search engines work and how to improve your web site visibility to search engines and directories visit Search Engine Watch

AND YOU STILL HAVE TO REGISTER !!!

You can simplify this task by using a free service like SubmitNow!, a Free Web Site Promotion Services or you can pick the major search engines and directories that you wish to appear in and add your URL information. Allow 2 to 4 weeks to begin to appear in the listings.

 
 

The Need for Commitment to Your Web Site:

• Understand the Internet time curve.
  Using a web site productively is a long term program for any conservation effort. You can create your place in space fairly quickly, but once you have "published to the web" your job is NOT done. Now you are visible, but you still don't have visitors.

• Other web sites link to you as you promote your web site, and build traffic (which is a good reason NOT to change your location or the name of your files). This occurs over time.

• Incorporating the District web site into your Outreach Program is not optional, it is vital.

• Promote, Promote, Promote your site! Publish your web address anywhere you would give out your phone number or your office address.
  • Business Cards

  • All Office correspondence

  • In every email signature

  • Every event flyer

  • All publications

  • Any advertising that you do

• Like a small town, people tell other people about your web site and your impact in online conservation builds.After you are showing up on the search engines, you become part of the web world. Your site traffic will build up slowly over time. You are gradually discovered by people who need your information.

It starts slow, then builds momentum. And it lasts a very long time. That is why it is important to keep your original categories and file names for as long as possible. If you rename a file, you may need to put in a redirection page to get people who bookmarked your original page to the new location. Government agencies are notorious for renaming and relocating their web files. You can plan better and avoid losing your repeat visitors when you update your site.

 
 

Evaluating Results

Your District will want to evaluate your web site results. There are several ways you can do this:

• Site Statistics
  If you have a domain, you probably can get site statistics. This will help you evaluate what parts of your web site are interesting to visitors as well as where your visitors are coming from, who is linking to your site, what browsers people are using. It won't give you details on individuals, but it will give you useful information for future planning.

• Questionnaires
  You can incorporate questionnaires at your site, which can give you a whole different kind of input from your constituents.

• Inquiries for Assistance
  By filing and tracking your email inquiries, you can begin to see patterns in requests for assistance that my help you in District planning.

• Newsletters by email
  You can invite people to receive a newsletter by email - which can give you a contact list for promotion of future events and activities.

A web site is a long-term commitment. Plan on at least 1 year before evaluating ROI (return on investment) results. Your web site is a tool. If it is to justify it's purchase, then you have to use it.

The tractor doesn't do much if just kept in the barn. So build your site, promote it, and harvest the results.

 
 

NACD Workshop 2: Web Design
created by Cyber-Sierra

Your Internet Presence	How Web Sites Work	Say What?	Design Basics	Navigation
Get Repeat Visits	Edit your Pages	Need a Pro?	Need a Domain?	Market your Site

 

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The beginning of the workshop is at: http://nacdnet.org/workshops/intro.htm