Creating a Chapter Website with Blogging Technology

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Creating a Chapter Website with Blogging
Technology
Summer Institute 2009
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Do you have a chapter website?

• If so, improve it! If not, CREATE one!
• BUT, you must really WANT to do it
• Creating and maintaining a chapter website takes
  time and dedication and money (if you want
  gadgets gizmos)

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Best practice no. 1

• Know your sites purpose up front
• Meet with leaders
• List your goals
• Solicit support

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Best practice no. 2

• Make sure your sites purpose is immediately
  apparent
• Mission statement
• Link to About page

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Best practice no. 3

• Make sure your content takes center stage
• Design is nice, but content is king
• Consider multi-media elements

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Best practice no. 4

• Make your site volunteer-friendly and
  action-oriented
• Easy to get involved
• Step by step directions

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Best practice no. 5

• Make your site media-friendly
• Make it easy for local media (and bloggers) to
  find info on your site

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Best practice no. 6

• Include a news section or blog
• Gives people reason to come back
• Offer RSS feed

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Best practice no. 7

• Make sure your website is consistent with your
  other promotional materials
• Logos
• Print materials

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Its easy! You can use blogging technology!

• For the quick and dirty try
• WordPress online download
• Blogger online
• TypePad download
• MovableType download

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Whats in a ( domain ) name?

• For the CTA website, its www.cta.org (short,
  easy to remember acronyms are good)
• Get registered (or not) -- internic.net
  networksolutions.com

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Now try this to get ideas for your website

• Explore the CTA website
• Examine the home page
• Drill into the various sections of the site

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Next

• Look at other websites try CTA Local Chapters
  for ideas
• Review these sites (and others)
• Sweetwater Education Association
• http//www.seacta.org/website/index.php
• United Educators of San Francisco
• www.uesf.org

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Desired elements for every local website

• Be sure your Association name
• and logo are prominently displayed
• Have symmetrical elements / compartments
• Use graphical elements

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And have links to

• Who We Are / Contacts
• Local chapter / district news
• Links to local newsletters
• Calendar of events
• Tips for parents

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Additional items for your site

• Bargaining information and negotiations updates
• Membership information and benefits
• Politics and legislation
• But use caution this is a
• public site!

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Optional Items

• Discussion boards / chat rooms
• Members only sections
• E-commerce sites
• Advertising banners

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Tips for success

• Articles should be capsulated, bulleted
• Update your website frequently
• Proofread, proofread, proofread

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Offer conveniences

• From the Government Action section,teachers and
  the public canwrite to their lawmakers
• And be
• CREATIVE

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Recent creative touches

• Read Across America Photo Album
• Day of the Teacher Materials
• Teachers Voice Radio Campaign
• TV Commercials
• David A. Sanchez School Site Visits

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Things to keep in mind

• Keep your website on your hard drive
• Keep it current

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Always promote your website

• In your newsletter
• With give-aways
• By word of mouth
• On bulletin boards

www.cta.org
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Sneak Peek at the NEW cta.org!