Primary Aliases & Consistent Linking

1. Primary Aliases & Consistent Linking John Shirey OEI/Office of Information Analysis & Access Web Workgroup Conference Research Triangle Park, NC April 15, 2010

2. Primary Aliases & Consistent Linking – the questions • Where did this problem come from? • Have you indicated the primary alias for your TSSMS and topical areas? • Why not? • Are you linking to a single URL for each page in your area? • Do you know? • Why does it matter? Who cares? WWG Conference – RTP, NC Primary Aliases & Consistent Linking

3. Where did this problem come from? • Overcoming the 8-character TSSMS directory name • Legacy convenience need – no longer needed WWG Conference – RTP, NC Primary Aliases & Consistent Linking

4. Primary Aliases & Consistent Linking – the rules • Choose a primary alias for each TSSMS • Link to that URL exclusively • Communicate that URL exclusively • Consider removing secondary / “convenience” aliases WWG Conference – RTP, NC Primary Aliases & Consistent Linking

5. Consistent Linking @www.epa.gov John Shirey Office of Information Analysis & Access Web Workgroup Conference New York City August 22, 2007

6. What is an alias? WWG Conference – RTP, NC Primary Aliases & Consistent Linking

7. Web root Root directory subdirectory Primary alias Root alias www.epa.gov/green... www.epa.gov/pickfive www.epa.gov/Administrator www.epa.gov/blog www.epa.gov/lpj www.epa.gov/lisajackson www.epa.gov/pick5 www.epa.gov/administrator www.epa.gov www.epa.gov/adminweb adminweb/pick5 adminweb/greenversations adminweb/administrator www.epa.gov/lisa WWG Conference – RTP, NC Primary Aliases & Consistent Linking

8. In the WebCMS – no TSSMS WWG Conference – RTP, NC Primary Aliases & Consistent Linking

9. WWG Conference – RTP, NC Primary Aliases & Consistent Linking

10. Creating an alias WWG Conference – RTP, NC Primary Aliases & Consistent Linking

11. Tools WWG Conference – RTP, NC Primary Aliases & Consistent Linking

12. That’s “primary alias” • Now let’s look at consistent linking and the effects of not… WWG Conference – RTP, NC Primary Aliases & Consistent Linking

13. 4 different URLs – same page WWG Conference – RTP, NC Primary Aliases & Consistent Linking

14. Referenced Aliases WWG Conference – RTP, NC Primary Aliases & Consistent Linking

15. Consistent Linking & Statistics Relative Fully Qualified = Different WWG Conference – RTP, NC Primary Aliases & Consistent Linking

16. WWG Conference – RTP, NC Primary Aliases & Consistent Linking

17. So what (again)? • Remember these rules • Designate a primary alias – from the Web Guide (www.epa.gov/webguide) • Use that primary alias in all your page links • Communicate that link in all written materials • DON’T use any other alias - EVER • Secondary aliases still work – but think about getting rid of them – the fewer the better. WWG Conference – RTP, NC Primary Aliases & Consistent Linking

18. Primary Alias Campaign • We’re helping you! • Nicholas Weekes – contacting TSSMS “owners” • Need your help with your constituents WWG Conference – RTP, NC Primary Aliases & Consistent Linking