Basic Web Site Development & Maintenance / Management

Your organization must have a web site. If anyone suggests that you don't, that your organization can get by with just a blog on a third party platform that you don't own, or a Facebook page, run away from that person immediately.

You don’t control Facebook. You don't control Medium. You don't control LinkedIn. You don't control YouTube. You don't control Instagram. Big companies own those platforms and control who gets to see what on those platforms. Also, any of those platforms could all go away tomorrow. And in addition, not everyone uses those platforms: they are walled gardens, meaning a potential reader has to be a member to interact and, perhaps, even to view the content. More and more people are deleting their Facebook accounts. Many people refuse to use it at all.

Yes, your nonprofit, non-governmental organization, charity, school, government agency or other mission-based initiative should use social media, absolutely. But your agency also must have a web site. The core of an organization's or program's online presence is still a Web site - it's what all of the organization's other online activities point to.

And, yes, an individual program may need an entire web site - and a web address - of its own.

The consequences of not having a web site? You make it hard, even impossible, for people to be able to find official information about your organization or program online: to find your address, your phone number, a list of your events, how to donate, why to donate, what you do, how to volunteer, and more.

Without a web site, your organization also gives the impression that staff have difficulty managing basic communications activities - a negative impression that you probably don't want potential donors, potential volunteers, the media and others to have.

It's NOT cost-prohibitive to have a web site. If your organization already has computers (even old computers), you will not need to purchase additional software to have a basic Web site.

Who is in charge of your web site

A mistake many organizations have made in their Web site development is handing over the entire Web development process, from content creation to regular maintenance, to a consultant, or another company, or to just one employee or volunteer. This leads to many, even most staff, seeing the web site and other online activities as something completely external to what they do - the volunteer manager, the program director, the box office manager, etc., may not feel any ownership of the organization's online activities, even though all of those people are affected by what the organization does - or doesn't do - online.

Instead, everyone in your organization should have continuous opportunities for input into Web site development and maintenance - every staff member, paid or volunteer.

Everyone at your organization, particularly department heads and managers of programs, should feel ownership of influence on some part of the web site; the volunteer manager should have a section that is hers (or his), the program director needs to feel ownership of the part of the web site focused on clients and particular clients, etc. Encourage your organization to integrate Web development and management into the work of ALL employees, not only those who produce content for publications and are involved with any communications or outreach activities, but also your program director, volunteer manager, and anyone who has anything to do with those your serve or the public at large.

Everyone at your organization who works with the public or partners in any way should also have input into all of your organization's other online activities as well, like online social networking, online discussion groups, etc... but those recommendations are on another part of my web site.

Initial web site development

Your focus on your initial Web site development for your nonprofit, NGO, government agency or department, school, or other mission-based initiative should be to get a simple, easy-to-navigate site up quickly, a site that provides the basic, essential information about your organization (physical address, mailing address, contact information, announcements about upcoming events, directions on how to get there, etc.).

Once this basic site is up and regularly maintained, the web site can be expanded and advanced features can be developed and implemented.

Note: old versions of your web site will be available at The Internet Wayback Machine / archive.org. You will be able to achieve at least one iteration of your web site from each year that it's been available on this resource. This is very helpful in retrieving information someone deletes off of the web site and didn't back up. It also helps you create a record of your organization's history. Do NOT let any web designer put coding into your pages so that they will NOT be archived by this resource!

These tip sheets offer advice for the most basic "starter" information for a first web site, and are focused specifically on people who are NOT web designers. These tips are also meant to help those who aren't directly involved in web site development to still feel involved and in control of some or all of the process, and to manage web designers and developers:

• Web Site Construction & Content Suggestions for Nonprofits, NGOs and small government offices.
  Identifying what content should go on your organization's Web site is your first priority in developing a web site. Even if you are using a professional Web designer, there are steps in web site development YOU should control!

• Design Standards and Tips for Nonprofits, NGOs and small government offices.
  Even if you are using a professional Web designer, this is important advice for you to be in control of your Web development! Includes tips for improving search engine optimization (SEO) specifically for nonprofits, NGOs, schools, government programs and other mission-based initiatives that many web designers never think about, layout, graphics, browser compatibility and access for people with disabilities and people using hand held devices (smart phones) to access your web site, as well as links to free HTML tutorials.

• Require that your web designer create an accessible web site (& here's how to direct that person).
  Whether it's an employee, a paid consultant or a volunteer, require that your web site be designed to be accessible. This is a list of the bare minimal your nonprofit, NGO or other mission-based initiative should commit to in creating an accessible web site.
  

• Web Policies for Nonprofits, NGOs and Small Government Offices.
  What will be the process of approving Web site material before it's made public? When should you say "yes" to a "link exchange" -- and when should you say "no"? Who should have access to change files on your Web site? Who is going to answer e-mail from the Web site? These and other questions are critical for you to answer before your Web site goes public.

• Finding and Choosing a Web Site Designer for Nonprofits, NGOs and small government offices.
  What should you look for in a Web site designer? Whether its a volunteer or a paid-professional, here's some tips on how to find and what to look for in such a person.

• Choosing A Web Site Host & URL.
  What should you look for in a Web site host? Should you go with a "free" provider? Where can you find low-cost providers? What should your Web site address be? This tip sheet can help you answer these questions.

• Maintaining Your Nonprofit, NGO or small government office Web Site.
  A Web site is a work-in-progress; here's how to manage that ongoing process easily and cheaply.

• Marketing Your Nonprofit, NGO or small government office Web Site.
  "If you build it, they will come" does not apply to Web marketing. Marketing your Web site is as important as designing it -- how will you get people to visit your marvelous information if they don't know about it? Focuses on no-cost and low-cost methods.

• Considerations When Redesigning Your Web Site.
  When is it time to redesign your web site? And what guidance should you provide your designer? This page offers detailed information that will get you a better web site - not just a different one.

• Monetizing a Web Site - Should Nonprofits, NGOs or Government Agencies Ever Do It?.
  Many nonprofits and NGOs are tempted put ads on their web pages as a way to generate much-needed revenue. But is it appropriate for a nonprofit or NGO to put ads on a web page? This page explores the issue and offers recommendations.

• Demise of a Terrific Web Site.
  While responding to changing situations and circumstances is important, completely changing an organization's web site for the sake of something "new," or because someone from the for-profit sector tells you to, is not. Your mission and program content should drive the mission and content of your web site. Always.

• When is a Web Upgrade Not Really an Upgrade?.
  What a web developer may consider as an upgrade may actually be a major obstacle that will impede the organization in serving its constituencies. Making a web site more "cutting edge" from a designer's point of view may not be easier, quicker or better from a user's point of view or the point of view of the staff.