|
Get Maximum Results from Your Nonprofit Website
By Paul Weber
As appeared the Jeffrey Byrne & Associates, Inc. Newsletter
The Internet has become an integral part of our lives in commerce
and communications. This is no less true for nonprofits that are
constantly looking to find better ways to communicate with their
constituents. But simply building a website is not enough. You must
make sure people can find you by being search engine savvy.
Whether you are actively engaged in a capital campaign or just
communicating your mission through your website, search engines play
a vital role in reaching your desired audience. While there are many
search engines online today, Google and Yahoo are still the primary
vehicles for searching the web. Understanding what makes a website
search-desirable will help make you site more prominent.
Many nonprofits rely on the generous donations of commercial website
companies or individuals to have their website created. For best
results, it’s important that whoever creates your website
understands search engine optimization and is prepared to help you
create a searchable site.
Search engines are extremely complex and the rules for determining
how search engines locate a site change almost daily. This is due
largely to the constant barrage of web companies trying to beat the
system, to move themselves higher in search engine ranking.
Complexity and nuances aside, there are really two factors that have
the greatest impact on search-ability:
1. The content of your website (in words and phrases) is the number
one factor in generating higher search engine rankings. Key words
and phrases that describe your organization, placed strategically
within the site will help move you up in the rankings on most search
engines. While pictures make a site appealing, it’s these words and
phrases that make a site functional in a search. Carefully crafting
your home page message using these words is the single most
important factor in creating a search-savvy site.
2. The second factor that influences search engine results are
links. Sites that link to you from other websites tell the search
engines that both your site and your content are valued by others.
The more websites that link to your site, the better your search
results will be. A word of caution; the sites that link to your
website must contain relative content. Random links that don’t carry
similar content messages are quickly discounted by the search
engines and in some cases penalized.
So how does a nonprofit’s approach to search-engines differ from
others on the web? The single most important factor is knowledge. By
simply understanding the importance of search engines, you can
insure that whoever creates your website does so with search
optimization in mind. Whether you use a paid web designer or
pro-bono services, search engine optimization should be a required
component of your site.
The greater challenge is creating the words and messages that will
be both compelling to your audience as well as functional for a
search engine. How is this accomplished? Begin by providing your web
developer all the information possible about your organization, your
mission and your capital campaign. Then help them understand your
audience as completely as possible. A good web developer will be
able to assimilate this information and develop key words that will
connect you to your audience through search engines. Without a full
and complete understanding of your mission, a web developer is
simply writing a computer code that won’t help project your message.
It is important to note a word of caution when looking for help with
your website. There is a proliferation of companies that guarantee
search-engine results for a monthly fee. While their claims are
impressive, their guarantees are without merit. Both Google and
Yahoo carefully monitor search practices and are keenly aware of
companies trying to “break the code.” Search engine results cannot
be guaranteed and you should avoid companies that claim to do so.
Websites can help a nonprofit organization expand their message and
reach new donors in a cost effective manner. However, a site alone
will not accomplish this. A new or existing website must be
search-engine savvy to insure that those who want to find you – can
do so.
|