Maximizing Your Online Impact

Maximizing Your Online Impact

Libby Peterek, Web Director, KLRU

Jesse Overright, Web Developer, KLRU

Problems with old KLRU website

            Resemble a PDF document,

            Difficult to navigate

                        Represented the organizational structure instead of what the viewers want

                        Everyone wants to be on the homepage (gets too cluttered)

            Difficult to Update

                        Mostly static pages

                        No central template

                        Design and site architecture problems

                        Nowhere to promote news, updates, programming

            Common Web Problems

One station had Sarah Terpeny from PBS provided ideas for how to improve their website.

Redevelopment Process

            Cross departmental team

-         brought buy-in

-         each cared about something different

-         addressed key problems and set goal         

-        

Libby developed a content inventory to inform navigation and also made priorities using Google Analytics

Identify main focus

            - Flattened navigation

            - Easier to update

            - Focused promotion

After the first design, the group went back to redesign, regroup, rethink focus

-         Donate functionality on every page

-         Promotion area on homepage

-         View “what’s on” across 3 channels

-         “Fresh” content on every page

Maximizing Your Impact

           

To CMS or not to CMS?

            CMS is a personal choice

                        Static or dynamic content

                        Who and how many will be updating?

            Experience

-         Drupal/Joomla/Wordpress –All are options for CMS

Local Productions

Separate Content from design

           

            RSS Feeds -

            Repurpose Content

-         One input, many outputs

-         Blog contents as news box

-         Blog categories fuel separate pages

-         Mobile schedule

Automate Functionality – set it and forget it, let the computer do the work

            Use a Google Calendar to schedule your promotional  calendar (and it’s free!)

            OpenX – use it to promote upcoming events (and it’s free!)

           

Widgetizing Code

            One-stop editing

                        -Enables quick, site wide changes

                        - Centrally managed menus

            Templates

                        Just copy the template and easily create a new page

Simplify Online Giving

           

            Remove barriers to giving

                        Primetime pledge slides

                        Directed navigation

           

            Don’t be afraid to try a hybrid solution

                        Netcommunity/Convio/Kimbia

            Have ideas and ask for them

                        Donate on every page

18% of KLRU membership gifts were raised online

                        Non-profit average is 11%

                        PBS station average is 7.5%

Leverage PBS Tools

            Get involved, ask for what you want

-         COVE pro

-         PBS Shop

-         Merlin

-         Limelight/Liverail Contract – streaming video/Online monetization

Additional Concerns

                        Accessibility

                                    -Talk to the experts in your community

                                    -WAVE

                        Mobile

                                    -Donation widget

                        Viewer Feedback

                                    -During Development and after

                                    -Survey Monkey

                                    -Building in contact information for broken links

                       

Operation LA

                        Just helped PBS SoCal update their site

                        They were able to change the site in about a week.

What’s Next?

                        Schedule redesign

                        KLRU/PBS strategic plans

                                    -Arts, Public Affairs, KIDS

                                    - Starting to create an Arts portal

                        Analytics/Research

-         Online/On-Air/Outreach

See the finished product at www.KLRU.org

        

E. Seton L. McIlroy

Manager, Online Communications, Education & Outreach | PBS

slmcilroy@pbs.org | 703-739-5199