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Make the most of your website

As more and more people turn to the Internet as their main source of information, your charity's website is a key tool for getting people involved and interested in volunteering for your charity. That doesn't mean you have to spend a fortune creating an all singing, all dancing website. It just needs to be clear, simple to use and welcoming.

If your starting from scratch with no budget, you can buy a very simple to use "build your own website" service for around £35.00. Have a look at Mr Site's Takeaway website. 

How to welcome potential volunteers

  • Make it easy for people to find out about how to volunteer on your website's homepage.
  • Explain clearly what volunteers do for your charity. Explain why volunteers are so important to your charity/ the community.
  • Have some case studies on the site. Tell the story of volunteers who've worked for your charity. Include photos.
  • Make it easy to volunteer. Make online forms short and simple to use. If you're asking people to register their interest, make sure you respond quickly to any calls or emails.
  • Make sure your phone numbers and contact details are up-to-date and easy to find.

Have a look at how Samaritans welcome volunteers through their website. Breast Cancer Care has a short film called Win's Story on their website. It's a brilliant short film about one of their volunteer fundraisers which they hope will help inspire visitors to their website to get involved with their charity.

TheSite.org has created a virtual volunteering centre on their website. 

See how icount.org.uk uses text messaging to encourage their volunteer campaigners to stay active after they've visited the website.

How to welcome journalists

55% of journalists use the Internet as their main method of research. Most journalists will check an organisation's website when they're writing a story about them. You can find out more in How can the PR inductry communicate better? A survey of journalists conducted by Benchmark Research.

  • List a contact number (and mobile) for journalists who may want to contact you. Make sure this is easy to find on the site. Have a look at TimeBank's online media centre and the Scout Association's website.
  • Give journalists an email address to contact you directly (which isn't info@...).
  • Journalist's want to access key information about your organisation easily.
  • Post a fact sheet or media pack for journalists about your current campaign. Have a look at the Billion Minutes fact sheet.
  • Give case study examples on your website (with photos) to inspire journalists.
  • Keep a list of recent press releases and media coverage on your website. 
  • Ask them to join your mailing list - so that you can email them next time you've got a story or campaign.

Inspiration

Have a look at some of these volunteering websites: 

Simple rules for a good website

  • Keep the content simple, concise and easy to read.
  • Use easy to understand language. No jargon. 
  • Make sure all contacts and facts are correct.
  • Maintain your site and refresh the content regularly.
  • Be consistent in the style and layout you use on the site. For example, have a look at the Arts Council's house style guide.
  • Check that your links work.
  • Think about who your audience is and build the style and tone of your website to meet their needs and tastes.
  • Use bold to highlight important information or instructions.

To learn more have a look at Chambers' Writing for the Web (published by Chambers £6.99).

The Media Trust also produces a guide to Maintaining your site.

For more information and support contact the ICT Hub, www.internet4charities.org.uk and the Charity Technology Trust. Other useful sites: www.itforcharities.co.uk and www.techsoup.org.  

For inspiration have a look at Ellipsis Media, a web design and development company who've created lots of charity's sites.  

How to get people to visit your website

  • Make the most of other people's websites. Ask other relevant websites to post links to your site (and vice versa).
  • Post information and links to your site on relevant online messageboards and forums. Find out more in Social networking and online communities.
  • Send out emails to your contacts introducing and promoting your site.
  • Be creative. Come up with a funny or eye-catching marketing campaign persuading people to look at your website.
  • Make sure your site appears in Google (and other search engines) results. Find out all about this in the Media Trust's guide to Getting your site noticed. Big Mouth Media are a marketing agency who specialise in "search engine optimisation".

  

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