Part 2

Create & Maintain Your Website

It used to be that when you started up a small niche business—like a fencing club—the one indispensable first step to making sure that potential customers could find you was buying an ad in the Yellow Pages. But the Yellow Pages aren’t what they used to be—they aren’t even the Yellow Pages any longer, and it’s a puzzle just figuring out which of several different area directories you should consider. Many club owners now opt for only the barest minimum listing, and more than a few have dropped their Yellow Pages ads completely, having found that most of their inquiries now come through the Internet.

The Web has completely changed the way people look for resources. Nobody wants to go flipping through several different editions of telephone directories to find listings for all the local fencing clubs in the area when it’s far easier just to sit down at their computer and type “fencing club” into their favorite search engine.

All USFA member clubs, of course, are included in the club listings on the USFA website, and it’s only common sense to make sure that your club is also listed accurately at fencing.net and at your division and section websites. But those listings only go so far—if your club listing doesn’t include a web address, you’re losing potential customers to clubs who do.

If your club doesn’t already have its own website, you need to get it one.

You could hire a professional to create one for you, but again, this is an area where canvassing your members may find you the help you need. If not, there are lots of resources, both in print and online, to help you create your own website. Check with your current Internet Service Provider (ISP); a web address and storage space might be included as part of your account. Many services also offer “sitebuilder” programs, where you can cut and paste your own text and images into provided templates to create your website. Web design options range from free online sites through Yahoo or Google, through low-cost web development packages such as Apple’s iWeb, to the high-end Adobe Dreamweaver and beyond. Ask around and find out what your friends and colleagues use for their websites, if they have them. What you end up using will depend on your interest, your time, and your budget.

•Consider purchasing a domain name for your website. A web URL like “www.anytownfencers.org” will be far easier to use and remember than a more anonymous “www.myserviceprovider.com/personalsite/~093520/index.html,” which wouldn’t even come close to fitting on a business card.

•Be sure to include metatags or keywords in your website design. These don’t show up on your site but are used by search engines for indexing web pages. Words and phrases like “fencing,” “sport fencing,” “competitive fencing,” “fencing instruction,” and your club’s name are the sort of thing you need here.

•Keep in mind that the purpose of your website is to provide information about your club. Don’t let the design get so fancy or busy that it interferes with the presentation of the content. Avoid colored (especially multicolored) text on dark backgrounds, anything that blinks, rotates, or wiggles, and anything else that would cause a visitor to the site to flinch.

•Keep the site navigation simple and understandable. A standard menu bar across the top or down the left side of each page makes it easy for visitors to find their way around. Make sure that there are no “orphan” pages with no way to get back to the home page. You also might want to be sure that any links to other sites open in a new window, so that visitors don’t get directed away from your site.

•Make sure your club logo, name, and address are visible on every page.

•Above all, keep your site up to date. If your front page says that the November class schedule will be posted next week and today’s date is March 15, a visitor could easily assume your club is no longer in business and not bother to give you a call.

Once you get your design figured out, what do you put on your website?

Basic information about your club is essential—you want people to know what your club does, where it is, and how to contact you for more information. You’ll probably want to provide information about your coaches and their history and qualifications, and at least some information about classes and lessons.

Beyond those beginnings, you can add plenty of other material:

•calendars of club activities, local, regional, and national tournaments

•information about fencing, the three weapons, uniforms, scoring, etc.

•links to the USFA, your division and section, other fencing websites, Wikipedia articles on fencing and fencers

•club news, including tournament results

•member biographies

•photo galleries

The key is to include content that makes your club look interesting, appealing, and above all, active.

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