Is your website from 1995? Do you get frequent comments that your site is old, unattractive, difficult to use, or out of date? Are you frustrated because you don’t know how to update your website and you have to call your tech volunteer or contractor every time you want any changes? Do you want a website that is "dynamic"? In this webinar, Tierney Smith, Community Manager at TechSoup Canada, will give you the background you need to know to prepare for a successful website redesign. We will cover, at a high level: 1) What is a Content Management System (CMS) and how building your website in a CMS will allow you to update it easily in the future (without needing to call your IT person!) 2) What is the process of designing and developing a website - what are the different stages you need to go through and what to expect

1. Preparing for a Website Redesign
May 9, 2012

2. reminders
 You can hear us, but we can’t hear you
 Slides will be available on www.mycharityconnects.org
 For the best webinar experience, close all other
applications
 Turn up your computer’s volume
 Have questions? Type questions in the Questions Log

3. What is CanadaHelps?
A public charitable foundation that provides accessible and affordable
online technology to both donors and charities.
For Charities
A cost-effective means of raising funds online.
For Donors
A one-stop-shop for giving.
CanadaHelps is a charity helping charities.
CanadaHelps is giving made simple.
MyCharityConnects is a initiative of CanadaHelps.

4. PREPARING FOR A WEBSITE
REDESIGN
Tierney Smith

5. ABOUT ME
Tierney Smith
 Manager of Learning & Special
Projects
 In the past I’ve done software &
website development
 Current focus is on building tech
capacity in nonprofits

6. TECHSOUP CANADA
We help nonprofits use
technology to achieve their
full potential.
Register your organization today, to be eligible to
request over 300 products from 25 donor partners!
www.TechSoupCanada.ca/getting_started

7. DONATIONS PROGRAM
300+ products from 28 corporate donors
Available to registered Canadian charities, nonprofits & libraries

8. Learn About Technology
Get Products
Register your organization today, to be eligible to
request over 300 products from 28 donor partners!
www.TechSoupCanada.ca/getting_started

9. AGENDA
 What is a CMS?
 Website design process
 Identifying your needs
 Choosing a consultant
 CMS Options

10. “Have nothing in your design that
you do not know to be useful or
believe to be beautiful.”
- William Morris

11. WHAT IS A CMS
 CMS = Content Management System
 Which means…
YOU can update content on your website

12. What does your organization
do – really?

13. WEBSITE DESIGN PROCESS
Design
Launch
& Build

14. WEBSITE DESIGN PROCESS
Identify Design & Launch & Maintain
Needs Build Training & Update

15. BE CLEAR ABOUT WHAT YOU WANT

16. WEBSITE DESIGN PROCESS
Identify Design & Launch & Maintain
Needs Build Training & Update

17. IDENTIFY NEEDS

18. IDENTIFY NEEDS: 4 KEY QUESTIONS
1) Who will visit your website?
• Potential donors, current donors, volunteers,
etc.
2) Why? What do they want to do?
• Donate, look up your phone number, apply to
be a volunteer, adopt animals, etc.

19. It’s not about you!

20. IDENTIFY NEEDS: 4 KEY QUESTIONS
3) How do you make it simple?
• Donating: visible “donate now” button, simple
donation form
• Volunteer: visible call to action, clear
opportunities, simple way to contact you
4) What will get people to come back?
• Dynamic content – events, information
• Or should you bring the info to them?

21. IDENTIFY NEEDS – THINGS TO CONSIDER
 Whatother systems would you like your
website to integrate with?
• Other websites, CRM/database, etc.
 Do you want a mobile version?

22. MOBILE WEBSITE – BIG CHARITY

23. MOBILE WEBSITE – SMALL CHARITY
handsinservice.ca

24. RESOURCES YOU ALREADY HAVE
 Staff with relevant skills
 HTML, CSS, graphic design, copy writing
 Branding materials
 Logo, print materials
 Current website
 Analytics

25. BUDGET
 Money & time
 60% guideline

26. PRIORITIZE
 What do you need the website to do now?
 In 6 months?
 In 1 year?
 In 2 years?
 What are the 2-3 main purposes of your
site?

27. CHOOSE CONSULTANT(S)
 Key skills: designer & geek
 Ask for recommendations
 Avoid custom solutions
 Partner who will be around long-term

28. ROLES & RESPONSIBILITIES
 Whowill drive the project? You or your
consultant?
 How often will you check in?
 Set expectations up front
 Roles in a website project:
http://www.nten.org/blog/2011/02/22/defining-your-it-roles-project-management-process

29. TIMELINE
 Don’t
tie your website to the release of your
annual report in 3 weeks!

30. DESIGN & BUILD

31. CMS OPTIONS
 Commercial/proprietary
 Open source
 Custom
Credit: Julian Egelstaff

34. CMS OPTIONS
 Commercial/proprietary
 Open source
 Custom

36. CMS OPTIONS
 Commercial/proprietary
 Open source
 Custom

37. WHAT EVERYONE WANTS

38. WORDPRESS
 Easy to use
 Especially good for blog-like websites
 Not as well suited to community-oriented
websites with lots of interactive features
 Has some modules (plugins) that add
features

39. JOOMLA
 Pretty easy to use
 Designed for standard, public-facing
websites
 Has modules (components) that add
features
 Commercial culture mixed into an open
source platform

40. DRUPAL
 Somewhat easy to use, but considerably
harder than the other two
 Designed as a flexible platform for all kinds
of websites
 Has many modules that extend the existing
website and other modules

41. DESIGN WEBSITE
 Beautiful AND Useful
 Focuson your AUDIENCE: why are people
coming to your site?
(Don’t ask: what info do we want to share?)

42. BEAUTIFUL… BUT NOT USEFUL

43. DESIGN WEBSITE
 Ifit doesn’t have a pulse, it shouldn’t be on
your home page
 Choose images of people or animals if possible
 Paper prototype and user testing

44. SIMPLICITY IS KEY
 Make it easy to:
 Understand what you do
 Donate
 Sign up for your newsletter
 Connect on social media
 Sign up for an event

45. SEARCH ENGINE OPTIMIZATION (SEO)
 A.k.a. be found on Google
 Keywords = words & phrases people type
into a search engine
 Keyword tool:
https://adwords.google.com/o/Targeting/Explorer?__c=10000000
00&__u=1000000000&__o=kt&ideaRequestType=KEYWORD_ID
EAS#search.none
 Learn more about SEO
http://www.techsoupcanada.ca/community/blog/toronto_net_tuesday/seo

46. ANALYTICS
 Install Google Analytics (google.com/analytics)

47. LAUNCH & TRAINING

48. TRAINING
 AT LEAST 2 staff
 Including staff responsible for updating
content
 Learn by doing
 Ask for/create a training manual

49. MAINTAIN & UPDATE

50. MAINTENANCE, UPGRADES & PATCHES
 Make a plan before launching site
 1 hour of developer time per month
 Opensource systems need regular updates &
patches

51. CONTENT UPDATES
 Make a plan before you launch
 Who will update your website?
 How often?
 Whatcontent will you use & where does it
come from?

52. RESOURCES
 Login Template
http://bit.ly/pCTMM1
 Get Ready for CMS handout
http://www.techsoupcanada.ca/sites/default/files/Handout_-_Get_Ready_for_CMS.pdf
 Toronto Net Tuesday Recap & Resources
http://www.techsoupcanada.ca/community/blog/toronto_net_tuesday/preparing_for_website_
redesign
 TechSoup Canada website articles & blogs
http://techsoupcanada.ca/taxonomy/term/274

53. MORE RESOURCES
 CMSs Compared: http://www.goodwebpractices.com/other/wordpress-
vs-joomla-vs-drupal.html
And
http://www.platformation.ca/content-management-system.html
 Website planning tips:
http://www.frogloop.com/care2blog/2011/7/11/best-web-design-planning-tips.html
 Julian’s blog on roles & responsibilities:
http://www.nten.org/blog/2011/02/22/defining-your-it-roles-project-management-process
 Redesigning websites for nonprofits:
http://www.techsoupcanada.ca/learning_centre/articles/tips_for_designing_nonprofit_web
site

54. CREDITS
 Thanks to…
• Ana Matic (maticadesign.com)
• Julian Egelstaff (www.freeformsolutions.ca)
• Chad Mohr (chadmohr@mac.com)
 Images:
• Kansas Sebastien
• Jennifer (interpunct)
• Xerones
• Randy (el neato)

55. STAY IN TOUCH
 E-newsletter
• Sign up at www.techsoupcanada.ca
 Facebook
• http://www.facebook.com/techsoupcanada
 Twitter
• http://www.twitter.com/techsoupcanada
 Blog
• http://www.techsoupcanada.ca/rss.xml

56. QUESTIONS?

57. ABOUT MYCHARITYCONNECTS

58. www.mycharityconnects.org
free online resources
 Information about
technology and social media
 Webinars
 Past webinar slides
 Learning opportunities
 Events across the country

59. Upcoming Webinars
www.mycharityconnects.org
• May 23 - Editorial Calendar Essentials: Organize and
Plan Your Online Communications
• June 27 - Elements of a Great YouTube Video

60. MyCharityConnects Conference 2012
JUNE 12 – 13 | Allstream Centre, Toronto
Collaborate to build a stronger sector.
Innovate to solve complex problems.
Celebrate our work and the difference we’re making.
Join non-profits from across Canada and social
media experts for the premier social media and
online fundraising learning opportunity of the
year
www.mycharityconnects.org/conference

61. for more great resources…

62. Keep in touch!
info@canadahelps.org
www.twitter.com/canadahelps
www.slideshare.net/MyCharityConnects
www.facebook.com/canadahelps
www.youtube.com/canadahelps