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Getting Ready

Before you meet with our representative, you should gather the following information and materials for inclusion in your web site.

Photographs

Pictures of yourself, your staff, products, buildings, clients, etc. Ensure you have permission to use individuals' photos on the web. Clearly print description of subject on back of photo.

Company logo

Clean copy of logo, preferably oversize or digital image, other graphic art used for organization, maps of office locations, sample of letterhead.

Brochures

Samples of brochures, pamphlets, flyers, posters, etc. used. If edits are needed on any material, they should be done before the meeting. Edits should be clearly printed.

Contact information

Names, addresses, phone and fax numbers, email addresses of all contact people. A brief description of individual responsibilities may be useful. If generic contacts are to be used, indicate the term to be used (e.g. General Enquiries, Order Desk, etc.).

Writing for the web

All text to be included on the web should be updated and checked for accuracy before turning it over to our representative. It can be partly on separate sheets or on disk, and partly from printed brochures.

People browse the web, but don't often read much of the text on the screen unless their curiousity is engaged. Dense text, such as can be seen on the printed page, is only appropriate on the web under special circumstances.

Use simple sentences, and break up your text into short paragraphs. Use headers for sections which hook readers' interest. For an excellent overview on this subject, read Writing for the Web from NOF-digitise Technical Advisory Service. For more detailed information, see Crawford Kilian's "Writing for the Web", Self-Counsel Press, 1999.

Know your audience

Before you start, you should determine who your primary audience is. Is it your customers? Stockholders? Funders? Children? Adults? Special group? Men? Women? Your audience will determine what information will be included in your web.

Here are some questions your web might answer:

  • Who
    • is your audience / primary focus?
    • are you / your organization?
    • are the appropriate people to contact for more information?
    • are your clients?
  • What
    • does your organization do?
    • are your mission / vision / goals?
    • products, services or programs do you offer?
    • can you offer that no other web does?
  • Where
    • are you located?
    • does your organization work?
  • When
    • are your special events?
  • Why
    • should someone hire/use your organization?
    • do you do what you do?
  • How
    • do you do what you do?
    • can people contact you?
  • Related information
    • Are there other organizations / information sources which should be included?

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