Website Basics
When it comes to marketing your organisation, a website is no longer a nice-to-have, it should be an integral part of your marketing strategy. Potential clients, supporters and volunteers expect you to have an online presence, and if you don’t, it’s very easy for them to search for an organisation that does.
The Top 5 reasons for having a website are:
1. Exposure
Every day there are literally thousands of New Zealanders searching the internet for information about your cause. They may be potential clients, members, supporters or sponsors, but if your organisation is not on the net, it’s almost like you don’t exist. Even a basic website is better than no website at all. At the very least it gives you a presence on the internet and says ‘Yes we do exist’ to the world.
2. Discreet Inquiry
For organisations dealing with sensitive issues, a website gives people the opportunity to get to know you and build some sort of understanding and rapport before getting in touch. For those unable (for whatever reason) to make physical contact with your organisation, a website provides a safe place to access information and support.
3. Credibility for Potential Sponsors
Having a website gives you some degree of credibility, especially for potential sponsors who will look to your website for background and big picture information about what you do. If you don’t have a website, they will question how professional and therefore ‘valuable’ you really are.
4. Community Engagement
Providing services to your community is a 2 way street and it’s all about engagement. A website allows you to share information with anyone and everyone who is interested, and it lets them feel like they are a part of the team.
Depending on your organisation, you can share photographs, project updates, how-to advice, and information about your programmes and services. You can even add links to short videos of your events, or perhaps personal stories of how your organisation has made a difference.
5. Online Donations
Online donations is the fastest growing avenue for charitable giving. If your organisation does not have a website, you are not only missing out on exposure, you are missing out on money.
Websites don’t have to be expensive
There are all sorts of ways to create a useable website and not all of them are expensive – you just need to know where to go. Here are some of our favourite ways to create a great website with very little cost.
digiCreative
digiCeative has a great package specifically for non-profit groups. They set it all up for you and then teach you how to manage everything yourself. They provide amazing support for absolute beginners and the cost is just $39 a month. Visit: www.digicreative.co.nz/free-charity-website
Simons Web Training
Simon’s Web Training offers a great hands-on workshop for people wanting to set up their own website from scratch. You bring along your laptop and literally create your website during the day. You don’t have to know anything about websites – it is a really small group, with plenty of one-on-one support. Visit: www.simonswebtraining.com/courses-available/the-beginners-workshop
Schoolground and Sportsground
Schools and sports clubs can create their own free website using the schoolground and sportsground templates and hosting. You can have up to 100 pages on your site and it is completely managed by you. There is also the facility to sell advertising on your site, as a way of raising funds. Visit: www.schoolground.co.nz or www.sportsground.co.nz
Is your website any good?
If you want to know if your website is working well, you first need to identify what you want it to do - otherwise how can you tell? Once you’ve identified that, it’s useful to get some outside eyes to have a look.
Zeald.com is a nationwide website company which offers 100% free website audits. That means they go through your website page by page, and give you some ideas about how you can make your website better and more effective. Sometimes it’s just tiny things that are letting your website down, and they’re the guys who will pick it up. To book your free website audit visit: www.zeald.com/Services/Professional+Website+Audit.html