@bbcon presentation by Kelley Jarrett @keljar

1. TOP TEN WEBSITE BEST PRACTICES EVERY
SCHOOL SHOULD EMPLOY
Kelley Jarrett, Market Manager – Guide Creative
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2. @kelar
#bbdesign
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3. WHERE ARE YOU TODAY?
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4. TEN BEST PRACTICES
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5. RESONATE WITH YOUR AUDIENCE
“Your website does not exist as a boutique
just to show off information about your
organization. Instead, it’s actually a tool
to mobilize your audience...”
- Raheel Gauba
“Design for Good: 4 (More) Nonprofit Design Principles” Netwits Think Tank, 10
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6. RESONATE WITH YOUR AUDIENCES
Focus on your audience needs
- Who are your audience groups and who is most
important?
- What do they care about – need, goals and
aspirations?
- How do they interact with you on and off your
website?
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7. RESONATE WITH YOUR AUDIENCES
Speak the right language
- Discuss, decide and use your key
messages consistently
- Listen for feedback on what’s working
and what’s not through social
media, blogs and surveys
- Know that writing is an art…AND a
science
- Avoid jargon, too little or too much
content
- Test!
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8. RESONATE WITH YOUR AUDIENCES
Meet users where they are
- In less than three years mobile will be the #1 way your audience will access
your website … Are you ready?
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9. HAVE A FOCUSED HOMEPAGE
“The Web is a world of first
impressions, and quick ones at that. Users
form an opinion of a website within the first
few seconds of loading it.”
- Jason Gross
“The Role of Design in The Kingdome of Content, www.smashingmagazine.com
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10. HAVE A FOCUSED HOMEPAGE
Prioritize Content
- Wireframes are key for visual hierarchy
- Remember YOUR goals
- Remember your AUDIENCE’S goals
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11. HAVE A FOCUSED HOMEPAGE
Pass the 3-second test
- Is your homepage scannable, understandable, intuitive
in 3 seconds?
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12. “Design your website around your school’s
actions and purpose. Make the mission
statement clear as day.”
- Blake McCreary
“Non-Profit Web Design.”
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13. SHARE YOUR MISSION
Tell your story clearly &
succinctly and make it
actionable
- Most prospectives check out
your website as a first step to
engagement
- 60% of all donors check out an
organization’s website before
donating - tell them why they
should give…quickly before
they change their mind
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14. SHARE YOUR MISSION
Show your story … visually
- Infographics, typography, links,
video, imagery, photography
- The style should fit your voice
and brand
- Prospective families want to be
“wowed”!
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15. USE COMPELLING AND ENGAGING IMAGERY
“Regardless of what your content actually
says, the design around it controls what the
users see first and how their eyes move
across the sections of the page.”
- Jason Gross
“The Role of Design in The Kingdome of Content, www.smashingmagazine.com
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16. USE COMPELLING IMAGERY
Engage with eye contact … Make a personal connection
Show real stories of impact to gain credibility
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17. USE COMPELLING IMAGERY
Match Imagery with your brand, mood and voice
- Does quality, composition and candor of your imagery jive
with your user experience?
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18. ENSURE EASE IN NAVIGATION
“User-centric design has become a
standard approach for successful and web
design. After all, if users can’t use a
feature, it might as well not exist.”
- Vitaly Friedman
“10 Principles of Effective Web Design”, www.smashingmagazine.com
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19. ENSURE EASE IN NAVIGATION
Navigation Systems should be intuitive and precise
- Provide multiple interaction paths
- Ensure context for users who come in through search or links
- Does it take two-click or less for key tasks?
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20. INCLUDE CLEAR, BOLD CALLS-TO-ACTION
“Assuming that you’ve written a brilliantly
persuasive page, it’s still next to worthless
without a strong call to action…”
- Brad Shorr
“Five Copywriting Errors That Can Ruin a Company’s Website,”
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21. INCLUDE CLEAR, BOLD CALLS TO ACTION
Remove all obstacles to
action from anywhere
“Apply Now” should take
them directly to application.
Calls to action should be
clear and compelling
Never say “click here”
Say for example “visit us“
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22. SHOW STEWARDSHIP
“Stewardship comes down to being able to
show donors how their dollars were used
and what impact their contributions had…”
- Cynthia Gomez
“What Is Stewardship for a Non-Profit?” www.eHow.com
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23. SHOWCASE YOUR STEWARDSHIP
60% of donors visit a nonprofit’s website before making a gift.
- Show the impact (eg. stats, infographics)
- Be transparent (eg. share your annual report)
- Say “Thank you”
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25. KEEP CONTENT FRESH
“…You need to remember that the Internet
is a dynamic place, and make sure your
site is constantly changing as well.”
- Randall Mains
“Good Non Profit Website Design Principles #5 of 5,” blog.pathmakermarketing.com May 21, 2009
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26. KEEP YOUR CONTENT FRESH
Always have something
new to offer to your
students, parents, alumni
- Utilize automatic feeds
- Add dates to content
posted to the homepage
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27. KEEP YOUR CONTENT FRESH
Gather user-generated content
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28. BE SOCIAL
“Integrating the social experience into your
organization’s web site will help promote
the channel, engage supporters, and
provide a constant source of dynamic
content …”
- Melanie Mathos
& Chad Norman
“101 Social Media Tactics for Nonprofits: A Field Guide.” John Wiley & Sons, Inc.
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29. BE SOCIAL
Social media and viral sharing
are highly valuable tools in
contributing to web site traffic
and brand exposure
- Make it easy to
connect, interact and contribute
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30. BE SOCIAL
Showcase all social activities everywhere
- Encourage viral sharing
- Integrate social activities everywhere
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31. PROVIDE A PERSONAL TOUCH THROUGH MULTIMEDIA
“Many of today’s most successful websites
are interactive, meaning they allow people
to participate in the content in some way.
- Randall Mains
Randall Mains, Strategic Web Communication Principle #4: Interactivity” blog.pathmakermarketing.com
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32. PROVIDE A PERSONAL TOUCH THROUGH
INTERACTIVE MEDIA
Allow users to consume information in multiple ways
- Your audiences’ preferences for consuming content varies, just
as their browsing and navigation styles do. Users want to
consume information in various media channels and formats.
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33. TEN BEST PRACTICES
1. Resonate with Your Audiences
2. Have a Focused Homepage
3. Share Your Mission
4. Use Compelling Imagery
5. Ensure Ease in Navigation
6. Include Clear, Bold Calls to Action
7. Showcase Your Stewardship
8. Keep Your Content Fresh
9. Be Social
10. Provide a Personal Touch Through Interactive
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34. Kelley.jarrett@guidecreative.com
@keljar
QUESTIONS?
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36. @kelar
#bbdesign
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