RE: AIS Website Goals and Suggestions

[cheryl deaton <c95039e11@rewrite.aisboard.org>]

When I go to the website, it usually is not for just one thing but there
are times I go just to the WIKI to look up an iris registration, so I could
register 6 hits in what I consider one visit. I check minutes of previous
meetings, the Treasurer's report, Regional websites, aislookup, etc., and I
also use the "search" box when I am researching things.  So it is multiple
uses in my case. There are times when I visit the Regions, then the WIKI, then
a section or other informational area, then the WIKI again.  Or I may use the
WIKI for TBs, then go out and look up an Arilbred.  I also might visit the AIS
website 3 times in one day, and then not go on for a week or more.  I think
this is the situation with most AIS members.  To attract new members, there
should be a PROMINANT tab/button/spot to join AIS.  On both pages the "join
now" is rather pale and insignificant.  The last update was not unsatisfactory
as far as I am concerned, and I do not think the Board was unhappy with it
either. I also think the blog could be expanded, rather than start another.
Why duplicate services?  Like I have said before, I think we need to create
"links"/tabs/menu" to make navigation easier for members.Cheryl Deaton

> Date: Fri, 13 Jun 2014 11:58:31 -0400
> To: aisdiscuss@aisboard.org
> Subject: Re: [AISdiscuss] AIS Website Goals and Suggestions
> From: 101p@rewrite.aisboard.org
>
> ALEXA does not rank individual domains without one subscribing to their
services at a cost. Even then I believe it would hard to get a ranking. The
wiki subdomain is perceived as an integral part of the AIS website just as is
AIS lookup or E-membership which may be on separate host servers like the
wiki. The only caveat is that 84% of the traffic on the AIS website goes to
the Encyclopedia.
>
> ----- Original Message -----
> From: "Janet Smith" <4f80107e1@rewrite.aisboard.org>
> To: aisdiscuss@aisboard.org
> Sent: Friday, June 13, 2014 10:11:05 AM
> Subject: RE: Fwd: [AISdiscuss] AIS Website Goals and Suggestions
>
> Robert,
>
> What does it look like without "wiki"????
>
> AIS (including wiki)= 250,593
>
>
> Janet Smith
> California
>
> ---- Original Message ----
> From: 101p@rewrite.aisboard.org
> To: aisdiscuss@aisboard.org
> Subject: Fwd: [AISdiscuss] AIS Website Goals and Suggestions
> Date: Fri, 13 Jun 2014 09:25:17 -0400 (EDT)
>
> >darn I forgot to sign my name.Bob Pries
> >
> >----- Forwarded Message -----
> >From: "Robert Pries" <robertpries@embarqmail.com>
> >To: aisdiscuss@aisboard.org
> >Sent: Friday, June 13, 2014 9:21:56 AM
> >Subject: Re: [AISdiscuss] AIS Website Goals and Suggestions
> >
> >As I showed before AIS is performing quite well in respect to other
> >plant society websites. I wanted to share the following ALEXA
> >ratings. Remember lower is better. Alexa does not rate sites that get
> >too little traffic to measure. That is why most of the AIS sections
> >are not listed. But what is listed gives some idea of their relative
> >importance on the internet. As John pointed out there are analytic
> >tools that can tell us what pages of the AIS website are most
> >visited. It seems to me before we go about redesigning the menu it
> >would be nice to get a better understanding of how the AIS website is
> >used. I do not think quantity of traffic is the only parameter that
> >should be considered. How do we want people to use the website
> >(Perhaps how does it attract new members)? How can it best serve
> >existing members? I believe we should work on gathering some of this
> >information before we proceed in the same way we did the last time
> >that gave us an unsatisfactory result. We have gone se!
> > veral years without a correction I do not think we should rush into
> >a quick fix. It is an opportunity to do more/better.
> >Alexa website rankings
> >Daves Garden=16,947
> >All Things Plants=210,987
> >AIS (including wiki)= 250,593
> >Reblooming=4,023,712
> >TBIS=5,493,575
> >HIPS=7,045,862
> >SIGNA=7,809,407
> >Siberian=8,729,218
> >Median=12,637,921
> >PCN=14,302,508
> >DIS=15,966,439
> >
> >
> >----- Original Message -----
> >From: "Wayne Messer" <6d200f2f1@rewrite.aisboard.org>
> >To: aisdiscuss@aisboard.org
> >Sent: Tuesday, June 10, 2014 9:33:56 PM
> >Subject: [AISdiscuss] AIS Website Goals and Suggestions
> >
> >As Jim pointed out, we need AIS goals to align the website goals
> >with.  But
> >there may be website goals that would support whatever AIS goals are.
> >
> >One website goal that I would put in that category is Keeping members
> >and
> >the public engaged with what AIS is doing.  We want members to know
> >what is
> >happening so they can participate and we want the public (potential
> >members) to see that exciting things are happening because of AIS.
> >
> >My suggestion for doing this would be to add a blog to the website.
> >This
> >would not be the World of Irises blog, which I would continue as it
> >is
> >showing the breadth and beauty of irises and their history.  The blog
> >I
> >have in mind would focus more on AIS news and happenings.  It would
> >include
> >
> >   1. News from the AIS.  Items that now show up under News in our
> >current
> >   menu.  The Board and various Committees may also have items they
> >wish to
> >   share.
> >   2. News from the Sections and Cooperating Societies.  Similar to
> >Gary's
> >   Section Happenings in the Irises Bulletin.
> >   3. News from the Regions.  Much of this is in the Regions'
> >newsletters
> >   and websites and deserves a wider audience.
> >   4. News from the Affiliated Clubs.  This we might have to limit if
> >it
> >   really gets rolling.
> >
> >As a blog, items could be a little longer than some that now appear
> >in News
> >on the website.  And they can be more casual and include images as
> >well as
> >the links to the full items.  Having it as a blog will also make it
> >easier
> >to point to individual news items from other AIS sites and even from
> >non-AIS sites.
> >
> >I believe there are widgets we could add to World of Irises which
> >would
> >display the titles for the last few entries from this blog adjacent
> >to the
> >World of Irises entry.  Presumably there is also something similar so
> >we
> >could show recent entries titles on the AIS website, maybe the front
> >page,
> >as well.  As an aside, there might also be a widget for the AIS
> >website to
> >display recent titles from the World of Irises.
> >
> >I have no idea whether this would fit in the current design of the
> >website.  If it would, the menu item News could be replaced with News
> >Blog
> >or whatever we would like to call it.
> >
> >If it would not fit in the current design, it could still be
> >implemented
> >without waiting for a redesign by hosting the blog on a separate
> >site.
> >
> >My other suggestion/comment on adding a blog would be to follow the
> >World
> >of Irises setup.  If I understand it, they have someone (Andi)
> >responsible
> >overall for it and there are many additional editors who can add
> >items.
> >This allows more frequent changes and updates without overloading one
> >or
> >two people.
> >
> >Regards,
> >
> >Wayne Messer
> >
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