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Starting A Website

A website is a communication tool. Having a website can strengthen your local group by:

  • Providing the public with up-to-date information about your activities, goals and ways people can assist your work.
  • Providing a virtual meeting room.
  • Acting as a bulletin board.
  • Displaying latest news and campaign. developments.
  • Acting as a library for old documents.

Before constructing your website, make sure you've worked out what you want to say to the community and the sort of image you want to display.


Public Speaking
Letter Writing
Writing Submissions
Using The Law
Lobbying Politicians
Lobbying Corporations
Working With The Media
Get The Message Right
Tell The World
Non-Violent Direct Action
Planning Actions
Running A NVDA Workshop
NVDA and The Law
Starting A Website
     
 

Site Considerations

To communicate effectively your website will need a consistent navigation system. Because the web is image based, you need to use 'continuity'. Make sure headings and links look the same.

Your navigation system will need:

  • A go to home page link.
  • A site map (a thorough and up-to-date index of everything on the site).
  • A search function (you can download these for free off the web).
  • Return options so that a user can return to the last page they were on.
  • A global navigation bar (that pops up on every screen).
  • Simple headings and images.

Content Considerations

Defining your audience will allow you to write your content accordingly. Your website should be concise and easy to read: aim for a reading age of about 14 years (the standard for most papers). Make sure you include:

  • Campaign information.
  • Your mission statement.
  • Contact postal address and phone number.
  • A donations section.
  • Cyber petitions and letters.

Try to keep your information current and up-to-date - there's nothing worse than logging on to out-of-date websites. You can separate your information between the 'static' unchanging information and the 'dynamic' news breaking information.

Things To Avoid

  • Communication can be hampered by coloured backgrounds - so beware.
  • Blink tags\bad navigation systems.
  • Any images over 30k are too big for most people to down load. The same goes for big files.
  • Avoid the endlessly scrolling page if you can.
  • Broken links.
  • Spinning logos.
  • Gimmicks.
  • Don't make your page too wide - it might not print out properly. Try to stick to a 500 pixels width.

Cyberactivism Works

Every email message received by a politician counts for ten votes. You can successfully use the web to motivate people.

Take Action

Related Links

Converge Free Hosting
http://www.converge.org.nz
Offers free hosting to not for profit organisations in New Zealand.

The Virtual Activist
http://www.netaction.org/training/
An online manual for using the web to campaign.

Association For Progressive Communications http://www.apc.org/english/ngos/training/index.htm
Provides communication tools to NGO's and activists. Also has a page on 'How To Manage Your NGO'.

Cybersociology: Issue 5 - Grassroots Political Activism Online
http://www.socio.demon.co.uk/magazine/5/issue5.html
Cybersociology is a non-profit multi-disciplinary web magzine dedicated to discussion of the internet, cyberspace, cyberculture and life online.

Best Practices Toolkit: Organizing & Advocacy
http://www.benton.org/Practice/Toolkit/advocacy.html
This site demonstrates and promotes the use of digital media to engage, equip and connect people to solve social problems.

Web-Wise Fundraising
http://www.sover.net/~paulven/workshop/wwf2.html
A paper by Paul G. Ventura, President of the Civil Society Advocates on fundraising using the internet.

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