publication date: Jul 10, 2014
|
author/source: Todd Jamieson
At Envision, we’ve built our fair share of charity and nonprofit websites since 1999. We’ve also analyzed hundreds of others. From what we’re seeing, there’s a lot left undone. Unfortunately, many people underestimate the amount of work required to build and maintain a website.
Here are 5 of the most overlooked elements we’ve come across on charity websites.
- Stop duplicating content - As I previously mentioned in my article about Google Penalties, Google loves original content, and so do site users. That includes an original page title and meta description on every page.
- Don’t forget about a change of address notification - When you launch a new website, it is not uncommon to have new file names (e.g.: old name: mycharity.ca/about-us.aspx vs new name: mycharity.ca/all-about-us.aspx). If a bunch of people are linking to your old name, you need to create a ‘web change of address’ or a 301 redirect. If you don’t, you’ll lose out on visitors to your site.
- Throw out rotten content - We all have a little pack rat in us. When building or updating your site, you need to develop a definition of rotten content in your organization. Is it news if it’s 5+ years old? Is it a certain type of content, like event or job posting, if it’s two weeks past expiry? Once you determine a definition, then it’s time to purge! And hopefully it won’t turn into a crazy TLC episode.
- Test, test, test - It is not uncommon for us to come across a charity’s web site with hundreds of broken links (pages or files that somehow disappeared from your website) and errors. Luckily, tools exist to automate this process and save you hours of insanity. We recommend testing for broken links and other common errors when a new website launches, and then at least a couple of times a year.
- Make it speedy - Google recommends optimizing your site for speed. Besides making it easier and quicker for your visitors, it will also improve your Google ranking. Google even gives you a tool to check your speed online, with recommendations for your web developer.
Here are some other useful tools that might help you:
Once you have made these fixes to your new website, why not add an annual
spring cleaning tradition to your calendar?
A tireless explorer of new developments on the web, Todd Jamieson has been keeping pace with its constant changes since 1996. Through EnvisionUP.com, Todd and his firm have worked with over 100 non-profits and charities. He lives in Ottawa with his wife and two young boys. Follow him via twitter.
