Building & Branding Your Group Online

Post date: Sep 14, 2017 1:37:26 AM

Building & Branding Your Group or Organization Online

Whether you are working as a volunteer for a nonprofit, running a small business, or trying to raise funds for a good cause, you need to establish yourself in the community. For many people, that means creating a Facebook page or Twitter feed: for others, it means creating a website. I retired a year ago, wanting to focus on writing: today, I am a busy volunteer, updating several Facebook pages and maintaining several websites. What do you need to do to create a website? Let’s take a look.

First, while there are a number of great tools, consider using Google Sites. It’s free, easy to use, and easy to maintain. Many web site tools require you to pay a monthly fee to host your website; however, all you need to get started is a free Google account. Then you can select from the many templates, making it easy to design a website, whether it is for your soccer team, book club or another group. Before you start clicking, however, you should do some planning: what content do you need to include? Are there specific colors, logos, slogans or other things that distinguish your group? Do you want to include a calendar? Google calendar is another free Application that you can embed into your website.

After selecting a template, you will be asked to name your website and you will want to think this choice through before you enter a name. The URL of your Google Sites website will include that name without spaces. Once named, you can get to work! Notice that most templates generate a set of pages, and you will see the navigation menu at the left (the list of pages). You can also add pages by selecting the add page tool (a box with a plus sign) on the home page. Most websites include a page for contact information as well as a page, “About Us,” that explains your group’s purpose or philosophy. You can embed the calendar on your home page or create a page called Events that includes photos and a narrative about recent events as well as the Google calendar.

To edit the individual pages, you will first click on the pencil at the top right. You can then type text, copy and paste text, insert pictures, insert hyperlinks, and insert tables, as well as insert a Google Calendar. (You will need to add your dates to the actual Calendar, however). Tables are a great way to have text and a picture side by side. Any images must be uploaded to the website and then you can decide what size you want to use.

Remember, to “brand” your organization, think about colors, logos, and slogans. You can add the logo to each page; you might not find a perfect color scheme but it is better to keep it clean and simple than to use an overly busy design.

One of the features of Google Sites is that you can select from several types of web pages:

• One is like a file cabinet, where you can upload a series of documents, photos or links. It works well for archiving meeting minutes, agendas, or reports.
• Another web page style is announcements, which is a place to create very brief blog posts or announcements.
• The default web page is a blank page, allowing you to add text, tables or images.
• The final type of page is called Lists and gives you the options of creating short lists (their categories include actions, units, issues, or create your own).

Google Sites has a great HELP section and there are numerous videos and cheat sheets for beginning webmasters. Later, you can buy a domain name from Google or a number of other providers for as little as $1 a month: you will be given a list of choices, and some cost more than others. For example, one of my websites is www.cfauthorsfestival.org. Keep the name simple, short, and don’t make people guess about your website’s name and purpose.

Even a simple website can help build awareness of your organization or group. However, to help build your online presence, you will want to create a Facebook page and use it to drive people back to your website. When you have a special event coming up, create a Facebook event. Link back to your website at every opportunity. If you are part of a state wide or even national organization, you probably receive periodic email messages, newsletters, or other communications. Use these for ideas about things to post: upcoming dates significant to your organization, special events, legislation that affects your group, or people in the news who are members of your group. Some groups will add a link to a YouTube channel, and this is a great idea. We are drawn to pictures and videos. Make sure your website and Facebook page includes visuals.

Of course, if you create a very simple website and never update it, people will stop looking at it! You should enlist some help to watch Facebook to find and “like” similar pages, sharing their posts on your own organization’s Facebook page. Ask other group members to like and share your posts, as a way to build your online presence and establish your brand. Do not underestimate the power of social media: a recent post that introduced the new President of a local group had over 488 views while another post with dates of upcoming Forums had nearly 600 views and 11 shares.

In a previous era, people wanting to tell others about their organization created a brochure: now, increasingly, we all turn to the web. If your group does not have a presence online with a website or Facebook page, you are invisible to much of the world. If you need help getting started, there are numerous videos on YouTube as well as tutorials and help from Google. You can also find workshops on Social Media through Hawkeye Community College’s Business & Community Education.

My Google Sites Websites

Writer, Blogger, Geek & Family Historian -- www.geekygrandma.org

Ruth Suckow Webmaster -- www.ruthsuckow.org

Cedar Falls Authors Festival Webmaster -- http://www.cfauthorsfestival.org/

League of Women Voters of Black Hawk/Bremer Counties webmaster (with Mike Dargan) http://www.lwvbhb.org/

Last updated September 13, 2017