| |
Add to del.icio.us
| |
C O N T E N T S
Association Websites
Website Redesign
Writing for the Web
Useful Websites
eBooks, Books & Other Resources
|
|
Web design has evolved dramatically since the Internet was founded. Is your association Web site W3 or ADA compliant? Do you use XML? Are your navigation menus logical and easy to use? Is the writing acceptable for the web? Would a weblog work on your site? Consult the information below for articles and helpful tips to assist in the redesign of your association's Web site for the 21st century.
|
WHAT'S THE PASSWORD?
|
 - Articles marked with a red Q are provided by ProQuest for NAR members only. Please enter NAR's Proquest password if required.
|
 - Articles marked with the REALTOR® "R" are available on Realtor.org. Your Realtor.org ID and password may be required. |
|
| |
Association Websites
Sixth Annual Outstanding REALTOR® Association Web Site Contest Winners, (REALTOR® Association Executive, Spring 2007).
50 Ways to Win Web Traffic, (Association Management, Sept. 2005).
Web Site Woes, (Association Management, Aug. 2005).
What's your tech investment?, (REALTOR® Association Executive, Spring 2005).
Making E-mailing Easier, (REALTOR® Association Executive, Spring 2005).
10 steps to a better association Web site, (REALTOR® Association Executive, Fall 2002).
Put technology to the test: evaluating Web sites, (Association Management, June 2002).
Copyright Protection for Your Association's Web Site, (Association Management, May 2002).
|
|
What services are offered on your Association's web site?
55.4% - Class and event registration
40.6% - Dues and fees payment
31.7% - Member surveys
26.3% - Political call-to-action page
24.5% - Advertising space for sale
22.7% - Feedback form
5.8% - Live customer service
5.8% - Chat room for members
2.8% - Consumer feedback form
Source: 2005 REALTOR® Association Technology Survey, (National Association of REALTORS®, Spring 2005).
|
| |
Website Redesign
Web Site Redo , (REALTOR® Association Executive, Spring 2007) - Here’s what to look for in a development company when it’s time to overhaul your association’s Web site.
How to build a better web site, (Computerworld, May 2007).
Top 10 mistakes in web design, (useit.com, 2007).
How to make your web site sing for you, (New York Times, Nov. 15, 2006).
Keeping Your Web Site Current , (Association Management, Sept. 2005).
Web Site Redesign: Knowing When It's Time, (Online, Jul./Aug. 2005).
Evaluating the usability and content usefulness of web sites: a benchmarking approach, (Journal of Electronic Commerce in Organizations, Apr.-June 2005).
Measuring the value of refining a web presence, (Journal of Electronic Commerce in Organizations, Jan.-Mar. 2005).
The Rules of Redesign, (Association Management, Mar. 2005).
Tomorrow's Tech Tools, (REALTOR® Association Executive, Spring 2005).
Best of the Web, (REALTOR® Association Executive, Spring 2005).
Pull up a chair and stay awhile: strategies to maximize site stickiness, (Online, May/June 2004).
Getting your web site recognized, (Online, May/June 2004).
Know the fundamentals and good design will follow, (Online, Jan./Feb. 2004).
|
| |
Writing for the Web
Writing for the web, useit.com's collection of studies on how people read webpages and how you can write most effectively. Includes outside sources and suggestions for further reading.
E-Mail newsletter success story, (REALTOR® Association Executive, Spring 2007).
Ten Ways to Foster Better Online Writing, (Online, May 2005).
Web site management, (Online, July/Aug. 2004).
Web Word Wizardry: A Guide to Writing for the Web and Intranet, (Online, Nov./Dec. 2002).
Writing for the Web, (Sun Microsystems, 2002).
Writing for the Web: Different, but how?, (American Editor, Aug. 2001).
|
|
Top ten guidelines for homepage usability
-Include a one-sentence tagline.
-Write a visible window title in search engines and bookmark lists.
-Group all association/corporate information in one area.
-Emphasize the site's high-priority tasks.
-Include a search input box.
-Show examples of real site content.
-Begin link names with highly relevant keywords.
-Offer easy access to recent homepage features.
-Don't over-format critical content, such as navigation areas.
-Use meaningful graphics.
Source: Top ten guidelines for homepage usability, (Alertbox, May 12, 2002).
|
| |
Books, eBooks & Other Resources
| |
|
Books, Videos, Research Reports & More
|
The resources below are available for loan through Information Central. Up to three books, tapes, CDs and/or DVDs can be borrowed for 30 days from the Library for a nominal fee of $10. Call Information Central at 800.874.6500 for assistance.
Don't Make Me Think: A Common Sense Approach to Web Usability, (Berkeley, CA: New Riders, 2006). HF 5548.5 K78
Web site fundamentals: an ASAE background kit, (Washington, D.C.: American Society of Association Executives, 2003). HF 5548 Am3ws
Hot text: web writing that works, (Indianapolis, IN: New Riders, 2002). Z 253 P93
HTML & web design tips and techniques, (Berkeley, CA: Osborne/McGraw Hill, 2002). HF 5548 J22
Executive's guide to Internet law, (Washington, D.C.: American Society of Association Executives, 2001). HF 294 M61
101 ways to promote your Web site, (Gulf Breeze, FL: Maximum Press, 1999). HF 5548.5 Sw3
|
|
|
Useful Websites
Nielson Norman Group - Publications, (www.nngroup.com, 2007) - Usability studies, targeting special audiences, email usability, etc.
Jakob Nielson's Useit.com, Part archive, part blog (updated every two weeks) useit.com is the go to site for usability issues and ideas for making your website better, faster, stronger.
W3c World Wide Web Consortium, (www.w3.org, 2007) - The international web standards consortium.
Webmonkey: The web developer's resource, (Lycos.com, 2007) - Articles geared to three levels of expertise - beginner, builder, master.
HTML Goodies, (Jupitermedia, 2007) - Site with tips, guides and reference sets for new and growing web developers. Arranged in sections from a completely non-technical concept intros all the way through to keyword references.
DevGuru.com, (DevGuru, 2007) - A reference source for all those acronyms developers like to scatter around like bread crumbs to ducks.
Make Your Site Safe with REALTOR® Secure , (The Center for REALTOR® Technology) - REALTOR® Secure addresses a range of today's business concerns, from avoiding business interruptions to securing on-line information and transactions. The certification demonstrates REALTOR® organizations meet security industry best practices. Any association, brokerage, MLS or industry vendor is a candidate for the REALTOR® Secure program.
|
| |
The material on this page is presented by
NAR's Information Central.
Updated July 2007
|
|
|
|
Have an idea for a new Field Guide? Click here to send us your suggestions!
