Sorority & fraternity website question

[LightBulb]

Is it better to have all the pages on a chapter's website follow the same format?

I think our colony's website is cute with each page having a unique style (except all the picture pages - they have the same layout but on different color schemes). However, it might be more professional to give it a more uniform look.

As webmistress, any advice will be taken into consideration. I hope to use our website as a great recruitment and PR tool. Thank you!

In sisterhood, Marly

I think any website, whether unique or formatted, can serve as a wonderful PR tool that'll generate interest from PNMs. I think, that as long as you avoid certain color schemes, certain fonts, and spelling/grammatical errors, then your site can still have that professional look while being unique.

When I did my chapter's website a few years ago, I wanted to make different pages with different looks...and in the process I realized that I'm not going to be maintaining the website forever, and so I changed everything in order to make things easier for the girl taking over the site after I graduated.

It's a good thing I did because the handing over of the reins was hard...I went alum in 2002 but I wasn't able to hand things over till this past summer. The my successor was glad that the pages were simple to update and maintain!

[LightBulb]

Thanks, Teeny! Your website is very professional, and I like the pics everywhere. They always make a GLO site more fun!

[LightBulb]

If anybody else has website suggestions in general, please post them here.

[TSteven]

I posted this on an other thread. Update Chapter Websites Many excellent suggestions at this link.

I was perusing different GLO's chapter's websites and noticed that quite a few had not been updated to reflect the year as 2004. An alarming number had a mixture of dates listed for rush. For example, one site had information posted on their home (first) page about rush with current dates, then under the link for recruitment, had dates and times for 2002. Not even last year's information, but from two years ago.

If you don't have a dedicated member in charge of your chapter's web site, then here are a few simple solutions that may help. I'm sure there are more so please feel free to add.

1. Keep as much information neutral on the site so that you do not have to update too often. This way you don't have to worry about updating it. i.e "For information regarding rush, please contact so and so." Or a link back - and be sure the link works - to the Greek Affairs site.

2. Web addresses change. Actually check out your site as often as possible to be sure that any links you may have, are still valid. It's embarrassing to have a link to your school or national headquarters that does not work.

3. Photos or images posted often "disappear" if they are linked to another site. Other sites update their information and can remove the pictures you are linking to. You should too. So if necessary, and after you get permission, either download the picture to your site, or be sure links are current.

4. Speaking of keeping current; please do not have an "Under Constitution" or "Coming Soon" on a page and not mean it. These "notices" really should not be up for more than a week or two. If it is going to take a while, then please add a target date "Coming January 2005" so people don't keep checking back.

[33girl]

Originally posted by LightBulb
If anybody else has website suggestions in general, please post them here.

Have a local history section along with your national history, or don't have a history section at all. It's rude to the women who started your chapter to not mention their contributions.

[aephi alum]

Looks good! A couple of comments:

Some of the backgrounds are distracting... specifically the history page. (Pretty, but distracting.) Also, some pages have color schemes that make them hard to read, specifically the "what's the rush" and "sister schools" pages.

You might want to think about a simple left navigation bar, so that people can go from one page to another without having to go back to the home page.

Just a couple of thoughts from a web designer

[LightBulb]

Originally posted by aephi alum
You might want to think about a simple left navigation bar, so that people can go from one page to another without having to go back to the home page.

Thanks for everyone's input so far!

AEPhi alum, I am actually about to add a navigation bar to the top of the other pages. Should be up tomorrow.

[sfasigmaalpha]

What sever would you suggest building a website for your Sorority on, if it is not associated with the school website??? i.e we have Yahoo Geocities but its sooo outdated.. any ideas?????

[Senusret I]

Originally Posted by sfasigmaalpha

What sever would you suggest building a website for your Sorority on, if it is not associated with the school website??? i.e we have Yahoo Geocities but its sooo outdated.. any ideas?????

I think it's best to pay the money for your own .org domain. I would NOT recommend going through yahoo's webhosting plan. I went through godaddy.com to register my domain name and found an affordable webhost. I will not post the webhost I use because they CURRENTLY suck, but you shouldn't have to pay more than ten bucks for your domain name annually. And for the hosting, for what you need, I can't imagine it would cost more than six or seven bucks a month. My webhost bills monthly through paypal.

[Kevin]

I think it's almost better to not have a website at all if your only other considered option is some crappy GeoCities site.

It's not very expensive. Spend the money for your own domain name and website.

Our sorority website is hosted by godaddy.com and i also registered the domaine name through them. i've never had any problems with them and our website has been up for almost a year. my sorority especially likes that they get their own sorority e-mail adress ie. JSmith@ltudphie.org. it makes sorority e-mails more official and keeps their privacy because their personal e-mail isn't on the website.

[Tom Earp]

First off, let me congratulate anyone who can do a web site!

I am paying for My Chapters web site via Yahoo and with extra space, it only goes for @ $25.00 per month.

If some have freebie sites great, but, I am sure they are limited in space.

In Your web site, keep it simple and clear with colors that can be read.

Go to greekpages.com and check out other Chapters of all GLOs web sites to just get an idea.

The more space you use takes away from what you can do.

Sandy, that is a nice site!

I think Yahoo or Geocities give free limited space. If none can afford to do more go freebie and use it for the time being!

[banditone]

"This sites pretty funny sometimes...

http://fratboynews.blogspot.com/