Networked websites

From Networked Advocacy

How does network building translate to your website strategy? A networked website should build and serve a network with a common aim, story, purpose or tasks. What would a 'networked' website look like? Both general website structure and specific network-supporting tools can help.

Building a "Web 2.0" (networked) website: key considerations

• Give users the power to engage. In networked sites the "ownership" of the site is often shared with the users. The users help control the content. In this way, user interaction helps drive how the site is used. Content that is user-driven, user-contributed and user-filtered builds a sense of a common story.
• A good networked site creates resources and leverages the web to spread resources better and further to groups and individuals. Network resources can be people, ideas, social trust, databases, smarts, brands, computer power, money or any type of capital (social, human, financial). Sharing calendar events, listing needs, enabling users to know and contact eachother, and providing information in easy-to-read and download formats all helps the reader.
• Networked sites tap the power of others. They use the tools and widgets that may not be invented by the organization that built the site. The new culture suggest it is ok to use Meetup.com for organizing meetings, Google Groups for discussion and Youtube for video.

Essential components of a ‘networked’ website (not necessarily in this order)

• Content management system that allows site manager to add and change most of the content. Long gone are the days when backend techies or hosts need to change content. Your office should be able to do this easily.
• Embeddable media: you must be able to embed YouTube clips, Flickr photo feeds, polls, etc. Some content must be multimedia and interactive. This also allows you to pull user-generated content into the site.
• RSS feeds – incoming and outgoing. Let people subscribe to your content, thereby making it easier for them to read.
• Email or newsletter sign up. Capture your readers and ensure you can reach them.
• Member/visitor identification and conversation. Think about how the site can encourage people to get involved on the site (comment, post, etc.) – not just receive your information.
• Statistics. It’s essential to gather feedback on the site. Know what people are viewing, downloading, linking to, etc.

Diagnosing your website’s ability to support your network

The first step is to think about why and how you need a website. What are you trying to do online, for whom, and how?

• Why do you have a website? What is the value? What do the users get? What do you get?
• How does the site tie into other, including offline, activities?
• What does the site do? What happens on the site? How will users’ lives be better after visiting? Where else can they find the same benefits?
• Who cares? Who are the stakeholders and decision makers that will like or hate this? Will the stakeholders get it and use it?