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Learn how to optimize your website for user experience and engagement. Explore key questions, tips, and strategies to improve your web presence and cater to different customer groups effectively.
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Marketing The Media Center: How Does Your Web Site Stack Up? Mary Mehsikomer Region 1 (218) 284-3117 mary@region1.k12.mn.us
A fewbasic questions to ask… • Who is the audience or customer(s)? • What do they need to know? • If you had only two clicks what would you want them to see? • What can you provide that helps them help themselves? • What can you provide of value to each customergroup? • Where are you? • How can people reach you? • When are you open? • What’s the point of the website?
KISS – Keep it simple and straightforward…. • The harder it is to use the less it will be used • Make sure to keep links current • Quality of content is priority • Get rid of the question marks (Steve Krug, “Don’t Make Me Think”) • Put yourself in the users’ shoes • Web users don’t read--they scan • Copy from others • If it makes sense logically it will make sense visually • Test it • Create good will
Organization • Location, phone, e-mail, other contact information • By interest Students Grade Level Teachers Grade Level and/or Subject Parents Administrators • Or by Topic or….
Navigation • Bread crumbs or tracks so they can retrace steps • Site map • Persistence • Sense of direction • Visible • Use wisely depending on page function • Tabs • Home page is key
Services – at a minimum • Access to MnKNOWS resources • Destiny Catalog • Curriculum Resources • Administrator Resources • What else?
Where is… or are… • The contact information for the school library media specialist? • The hours the media center is available to students, teachers, and the rest of the school community? • Other services the media specialist and the media program provide? • ELM resources? • Library catalog? • ?????
Missed Opportunities • Direct link from main school page • Program mission statement • Staff contact • Phone number • Information on media center activities • Book groups • Award winning books • Computer lab availability • Curriculum resources for teaching staff
Try this yourself • Google a school district not your own • Go there and choose a school • From the school web page can you find the media center? • Can you even find the link to the catalog? • How long did it take you? • Is there any information there besides links to data bases or the catalog? • Did you see anything you could use? • What would you do differently?
And make sure to • Link from a page where people can find it • Keep your links current • Update resources • Use your site to ensure your media center is a visible service, not the best kept secret in the school • Use your site to show how vibrant your program really is and not just a link farm