With the presence of the latest technology, we've naturally depended on the use of the internet more and more every day. This isn't a bad thing in regards to a business' reputation. In fact, it's more of an opportunity for businesses to show off their accomplishments and further their brand themselves. As business owners, it is your job to maintain the credibility and integrity of your business, no matter how large or small your organization may be. And as a business owner myself, it is a constant reminder of why I do what I do every day.
With the development of the U.S. Cheer & Dance Directory (and now the National Spirit Network), I've had the pleasure of viewing thousands of websites; most good, some not so good. You may not think about it, but the first impression of may businesses today comes from the appearance of their website. For example, let's say a parent, new to the area, is looking for a dance studio for her kids. She visits our website and finds two listings in her area. The first listing leads her to a website for a studio that is well known, but hasn't been updated since 2010, there are no pictures of the location or the dancers, and no phone number is listed anywhere on the site. The second listing leads her to a website for a new studio that opened a few months ago. The site is clean and organized, there are links to their social media networks and registration information is displayed on their home page with their contact information. Which dance studio do you think that parent more likely to register her kids with?
Now, I'm not saying that you have to shell out hundreds of dollars just to maintain a dynamic website for your business, but a good amount of time and effort should go into developing a strong website that embraces the essence of your gym or studio. So check out our eight tips on creating an effective online presence for your team and see where you can improve on your website. As always, if you have any questions about our tips or would like help from us to develop your website, feel free to contact us.
#1 Web Builder vs. Web Designer
As a current graphic design student, I am always looking for new things to create and design for the sole purpose of getting information out to the people who need it. It is more than just a hobby for me, I plan to make this my career. You may not necessarily feel that way about designing a website for your team, but that doesn't mean that some serious thought shouldn't be put into how your website is displayed to your current and future athletes and parents. Here are some helpful hints about choosing between designing a website yourself or hiring a professional.
Do Your Research
- Gather a list of professional website designers in your area (I underlined "professional" because there are a lot of people that say they can design a website, but have had no formal training. In this case, you should always ask to see their previous work. My rule of thumb is if a web designer doesn't have an online portfolio, don't hire them.) You can do a simple Google search for web designers in your area.
- Contact each company via phone or email to get quotes on prices and a timeline for completion. Be sure to ask if there are any additional charges for web hosting, website updates (some companies charge by the hour for updates) and contract termination fees.
- Be sure to request proposals from companies. Once you've decided on a designer, work out deadlines, have a contract written and READ EVERYTHING before you sign it.
- Calculate the annual cost of designing a website on your own. There are tons of web builders out there that even the most novice of designers can work with.
Web Builder: Pros & Cons
- Pro: You have total control over the design and content of the website
- Pro: You can change the design and content at any time
- Con: The design development of the website may be limited if you're not experienced with designing websites
Web Designer: Pros & Cons
- Pro: You can give all of your ideas to someone else to design
- Pro: You can save time and focus on other important tasks
- Con: Design and content updates will depend on the web designer's schedule (be sure to ask how much time it will take to complete updates)
#2 Get Organized
It took me years (literally) to organize the U.S. Cheer & Dance Directory website. I had an idea of how I wanted it to look and every time I got a new idea, I would add it to the site. Eventually, the site was a mess. (If you've been following our website for a few years, you've definitely been a witness to some strange designs and navigation features.) All of the ideas where there; I just didn't have any structure. If you've ever been stuck in the situation where you had tons of ideas, but no way to organize them, especially for a website, you might want to try creating a sitemap. A simple sitemap can help you organize your web pages and serve as an outline for your site.
Most Common Navigation Pages
- Home: The home page is the face of your website. It is the real first impression of your team's online presence.
- About: Most companies like to use this page to give a little background or history on their company. The about page can also display information on your staff members, such as biographies, teams they coach, current certifications, etc.
- Classes: The classes page can display a daily/weekly/monthly class schedule. Schedules usually include class names, times, room numbers and instructors. Embedding a Google calendar is also helpful in giving athletes and parents a visual on when events are taking place.
- Teams: Team pages can be used to post pictures and videos of each team, list team members, list team accomplishments, list upcoming events, etc.
- News: This page is used to display updates on team information for parents, such as class schedule changes, fundraising information, competition information, meeting dates, etc. It might also help to create a mailing list to notify athletes and parents of any important information via email at a moment's notice.
- Contact: I would say that this is the most important page on any website simply because it displays information about how your customers can contact you. It is important to have a contact page that is visible and easy to navigate to. Every contact page should include the following: point of contact person(s), phone number(s), email address or online email form, full physical and mailing addresses of all locations and office hours/best times to be contacted.
#3 Be Visible
Designing and publishing the U.S. Cheer & Dance Directory was fairly easy for me once I had a goal in mind. For me, the hard part was getting noticed online. This was something I had very little experience with . The only way I could think to get the word out about the website was to send out emails to people who were in the spirit industry, but I didn't want to start sending out random emails to people, which, in my opinion, is highly unprofessional. So I made a plan to grow a fan base using what I think are the most useful and (cheapest) online tools.
- Social Networks (Facebook, Twitter, etc.): Most social networks are completely free. Just create a page for your team and share it. Keep your followers updated with what's going on with your team and share photos and videos to show parents, future athletes and even event producers what your team is capable of. (Don't forget to frequently remind your followers to visit your website!) Advertising on social networks can be very effective as well, especially since you get to choose the amount you want to spend. You'd be surprised how far $20 can go when you know who your target market is. I would definitely recommend social network advertising, especially during tryout season.
- Google: Often, when a parent or athlete is looking for teams in their area, they head straight to Google. Be sure to add your gym or studio to Google Places for free and get noticed. Google ads can even help when people in your area do general searches for cheerleading, dance and gymnastics. Again, you are in control of your advertising budget. You can even choose keywords and phrases that people generally use when searching for gyms and studios in your area. For example, when setting up your ad, you can enter the key phrase "dance studios in pa" and whenever someone uses that search phrase, not only will your ad be displayed, you'll see your website listed.
- Search Engine Optimization (SEO): If you've ever designed a website, you've most likely come across the terms "SEO" or "Search Engine Optimization". It is just a fancy term for getting your website notices, including getting high rankings on search engines, such as Google, Yahoo, Bing, etc. The whole point is to optimize your website's online presence. If you're using a website builder to design your site, there's probably a feature that helps you do just that. If you're worikng with a web designer, make sure they have experience in SEO before they begin designing your site because there's nothing worse than an awesome-looking website that no one can find (or is poorly ranked on search engines).
- Track Your Site Traffic: One of my favorite things to do each week is see how many people visited our website. Certain web builders offer this feature, but if yours doesn't, you can visit Google Analytics and sign up for free to track your site traffic. If you're working with a web designer, ask to get a monthly report on your site traffic.
#4 Inform & Stay Current
I know you're busy and like me, running your business might not be your only job. But that's not excuse to neglect your website maintenance. I am currently a full-time student at The Art Institute of Seattle with six months to go until graduation. I am completely exhausted after my two-hour commute to and from school with one or two four-hour classes four days a week (not including time for homework), but I know if I don't update the site often, I won't be able to relax and work will continue to pile up. In reference to your team's website, updating information on a regular basis is quite beneficial to your athletes and parents.
Set a Site Maintenance Schedule
You don't have to update your site on a daily basis, but during the season, you should at least update it once every two weeks. So set aside some time (preferably the same time every two weeks so it can become part of your routine) to update your content, add photos and videos, etc. Your athletes and parents will definitely appreciate the updated information.
- If you don't have any new updates, just do a quick run-through of each page of your site. Proofread the content and check to make sure all links are working properly.
- Keep upcoming events updated. If an event is cancelled, be sure to notify everyone as soon as possible and remove the cancelled event's information from your website and online calendar.
- Respond to any outstanding emails. Don't ignore emails from athletes, parents and potential future customers. It gives off the impression that you were too busy to take a minute to answer their questions or respond to their comments/concerns.
- Keep your social media networks updated as well.
Paper Newsletters: It might be helpful for the parents to have a monthly newsletter available to them. A successful newsletter should be between 1 and four pages. You can easily create one using applications in either Microsoft Office or Adobe Creative Suite. You can hand them out at the beginning of each month, have a few extra copies available at your front desk and even mail/email them. It would also be a good idea to post them on your website. Items to include in your newsletters are:
- Upcoming events for all teams (practices, pep rallies, competitions, camps/clinics, fundraisers, parent meetings, etc.)
- Athlete of the Month: feature one athlete that goes above and beyond for your team
- Important information regarding payments and deadlines: stick to your deadlines and make sure everyone knows when things are due
- Create groups within your list of subscribers. For instance, you might want to divide your subscribers up by teams so you don't send out unnecessary information to people who don't need it.
- Keep your subscriber contact information updated. At the beginning of each season, review, add and update information (email addresses, mailing addresses, phone numbers and group affiliations). This may be a tedious task, but it will pay off knowing everyone is receiving the correct information.
- Don't send out too many emails. People get annoyed when you send out emails every day or every few days. They either stop opening the emails or worse, they unsubscribe. To prevent this, plan out your email releases. Create a spreadsheet with the following columns to keep your email releases organized: release dates/times (determine the day and time emaisl will be released- most email apps allow you to scheudle emails to be released on a specific day and time), email title (give each email a recognizable title), email description (write a short description of the information your sending), email group (which groups are you sending the information to).
#5 Provide Convenience
I don't believe the U.S. Cheer & Dance Directory would be very successful without some important online features. For instance, if I required teams to submit listings via paper forms, they would have to download the form, print it out, fill it out and mail it back to me. Not very convenient. But with the use of online forms, all you have to do is type in the information and click "Submit". I get the information instantly and the listing is posted within 48 hours. Here are some ways you can provide convenience for your athletes and parents online!
Online Forms
There are tons of online form applications out there. Just Google it!
- Registration Form- Get information on registered athletes instantly. All of their information is saved in the online form application and it can even be emailed to you.
- Online Payment- Online payments work hand in hand with online forms. Parents can use their debit/credit card to register their kids for your programs, make monthly training fee payments or even cover uniform costs. Some online form apps even allow parents to pay using their PayPal or Google Checkout accounts.
- Contact Form- If you don't want to post your email address on your website, use an online contact form instead. Adjust the setting to have all submitted information sent to your email address and prevent spam emails.
- Job Application: If you're looking for qualified coaches/instructors for your team(s), create an online job application and post it on your website. Applicants can fill out the information and even upload their cover letter and resume.
- Sell Tickets to Your Competitions and Recitals- Set up a free account at ShowClix.com, create your events and sell tickets to spectators.
Online Calendar
Set up a free online calendar via Google Calendar and post the HTML code on your website. Every time you add an event, it will automatically be visible on your website. Athletes and parents can print out the calendar or even save the events to their own calendar.
#6 Show Off
A picture is worth a thousand words. use photos and videos to show off your team's talent!
How to Properly Use Digital Media
- Designate a team photography at each practice and event or just keep a camera close by to capture those special moments.
- Encourage parents and fans to send you photos and videos they've taken so you can post them on your website and social media pages.
- Shoot "How To" videos and post them on your team's YouTube channel. If your team can perform a high-level skill, shoot a tutorial video and share it with other teams looking to further develop their skills.
- Record event performances (only if cameras are allowed at the events you attend). If an event company does not allow the use of cameras, ask how you can get a copy of your team's performance. The company may record the performances and post them on their YouTube channel or you might have to purchase a DVD of your team's performance.
- Use photos for promotional items. Keep your photos and videos in a safe place to use for items such as newsletters and tryout/audition flyers.
- Create an online media gallery on your team's website and organize photos and videos by event.
#7 Be A Social Butterfly
It is important to incorporate social networks into your online presence. Aside from Google searches, the majority of our website's visitors find out about us from our social networks. Also, as stated above, advertising on social networks can be highly beneficial.
- Facebook.com: Facebook may be the most popular social network ever. Over the years, it has evolved into the central location (aside from a business' website) to get information. In regards to your team, you can create a page and add a link to it to your website.
- Twitter.com: Twitter is another great social network for teams. You can even link your Twitter account to your Facebook account so you won't have to post the same information twice.
- Pinterest.com: I only recently learned the definition of a "meme", but there seems to be an abundance of them in the cheer, dance and gymnastics categories on Pinterest. You can definitely get creative with this by creating boards with themes like "Practice Makes Perfect", "Holiday Fun", "Leave It On The Dance Floor", "Conditioning" and even "Goofing Around".
- YouTube.com: As discussed above, there are many ways to display your team's talents through videos.
- Instagram.com: Use Instagram as your main site for photos that can be shared on your social media networks. So, in a sense, you'd be killing two birds with one stone.
- HootSuite.com: I came across HootSuite a while ago, but I have to admit, I was little intimidated to try it. It just seemed too complicated. But one day, I decided to test it out and now I'm hooked! Not only can you connect to all of your networks at once, you can even schedule posts.
Helpful Hints for Your Social Networks
- Post frequently, but not too frequently. Keep posts to a maximum of five per day and spread them out over the course of the day.
- Respond to posts from others. If people post on your page, they felt it was important enough to share with not only you, but your followers as well.
- Be sure to handle rude or inappropriate posts and comments accordingly. Post a notification on your pages stating that rude or inappropriate posts and comments will not be tolerated.
#8 Keep It Professional
Simply stated. You have high hopes for your team and your business. Be sure to keep that in mind when designing and publishing your team's website and connecting with followers on your social network pages. Your online presence is in fact an extension of your team's reputation. A great way to display your team's professionalism would be to create a team mission statement or creed and post it on your website and social network pages. Cooperation and sportsmanship are also factors for your team's professional appearance. Cooperation with staff, athletes and parents is important along with showing support for your competition on and off the mat/stage.
Featured Contributor
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| Sable Talley (@sabletalley) is the CEO of National Spirit Network (formerly U.S. Cheer & Dance Directory). Her experience with cheerleading and dance goes back as early as 2000. Cheering in jr. high and school developed her passion for the sport, which carried on through her college and early adult years coaching and administrating recreational and high school cheerleading. She also received coaching and judging certifications through AACCA, USASF and Cheer Ltd. After hanging up her coaching and judging caps, she continues to thrive in the spirit industry with the National Spirit Network. |
