Web Communication

1
Web Communication

• Questions and Answers

2
Introduction

• Cormac Connolly, Head of Information Environment
  (ESRC Society Today, Records Management)
• cormac.connolly_at_esrc.ac.uk, Tel [phone]
• Sarah Dickinson, Impact Manager, ESRC Society
  Today
• sarah.dickinson_at_esrc.ac.uk, Tel [phone]
• Anna Kocienski, ESRC Society Today Support
  Librarian
• societytodaysupport_at_esrc.ac.uk, Tel [phone]

3
A few questions to answer

• How can I increase traffic to my site?
• How can I make my website more usable?
• How can I monitor visitors to my site?
• I want to know about blogs, RSS and social
  networking
• I want to create stronger links with other
  websites and reach a broader audience
• I want to know more about discussion and mailing
  lists
• What is the best way of managing an online open
  access journal?
• Awards and Outputs Database

4
How can I increase traffic to my site?

• Promote your website on everything at every
  opportunity
• Give an incentive for visitors to return to your
  site
• Refresh the content of your site regularly
• Engage your users
• Build communities of practice will also spread
  word of mouth
• Email marketing
• Register your site with search engines
• Identify and target your audience
• For more information see handouts on search
  engine optimisation, and on how to create and
  maintain a good website

5
How can I make my website more usable?

• Web accessibility - http//www.w3.org/TR/WAI-WEBCO
  NTENT/
• BOBBY Compliance - http//webxact.watchfire.com/
• Navigation and content
• Site map, search facility, index
• Consistent page formats
• Usability focus groups/feedback
• The Usability Company
• Website Usability Partnership
• RNIB
• For more information see handouts on web
  accessibility, and on how to create and maintain
  a good website

6
How can I monitor visitors to my site?

• Nielsen - http//www.nielsen-netratings.com/
• Google Analytics - http//www.google.com/analytic
  s/
• WebTrends - http//www.webtrends.com/
• Stat Counter - http//www.statcounter.com/
• Web Log Expert - http//www.weblogexpert.com/
• Open Tracker - http//www.opentracker.net/index.j
  sp
• Site Meter - http//www.sitemeter.com/
• Social bookmarking tagging
• Registration and user profile collection
• For more information see handout on search
  engine optimisation.
• Denotes that a level of service is available
  that is either free or low cost

7
I want to know about blogs, RSS, and social
networking

• Web 2.0
• Rich user experience (podcasts, video, RSS)
• Harnessing the collective intelligence
• The Long Tail
• Social Media
• Blogs
• Wikis
• Social networks (Facebook, MySpace, LinkedIn)
• Open Discussion
• For more information see handouts on Web 2.0 and
  RSS

8
I want to create stronger links with other
websites and reach a broader audience

• Find, and participate in, related communities of
  interest
• Create linkage to and generate Reverse Linkage
  from (e.g. Guerrilla e-Marketing, social
  bookmarking)
• If blogging pinging/trackbacks
• Answer comments (i.e. generate conversation)
• Understanding your audiences and ensuring content
  is tailored to them (e.g. channelling)
• All of this also contributes to the black art of
  SEO
• Registration, user profile collection
• Providing viral, contextual content e.g.
  email bulletins
• For more information see handout on search
  engine optimisation

9
I want to know more about discussion and mailing
lists

• Linked Communities of Practice - only as good as
  their subscribers
• Value is dependent on what you want to get out
  of them and how much you put into them
• Examples include
• JISC-MAIL (straightforward email distribution
  list managed under JISC)
• Yahoo Groups
• Commercial Managed Broadcasts (e.g.
  cminteractive/Adestra)
• Often linked to discussion forums
• provide instant emails on threads or digests
• Discussion Forums have now evolved in light of
  Web 2.0 and the whole idea of user-generated
  content (blogs, wikis, social networking sites,
  etc)

10
What is the best way of managing an online open
access journal?

• Many of the same general principles as a normal
  website
• Directory of Open Access Journals (www.doaj.org)
• BioMedCentral (http//www.biomedcentral.com)
• OA Blogs
• Steven Harnad (http//openaccess.eprints.org)
• Peter Suber (http//www.earlham.edu/peters/fos/f
  osblog.html)

11
Awards and Outputs Database

• ESRC Society Today Awards and Outputs Database
  and Social Sciences Repository
• Essential part of final reporting and evaluation
  process for investments
• Looking to streamline Annual Reports
• Submission online single reporting cycle
• Used for ESRC corporate reporting to Government
  therefore highly important
• Support provided by
• Librarian Team for Output records on ESRC Society
  Today
• ESRC Society Today Admin Team and Impact Team
• For more information see handout on Awards and
  Outputs

12
Any other questions?

• If you have any other questions on any of the
  issues we have discussed, please contact
• ESRC Society Today Admin Team at
  societytoday_at_esrc.ac.uk
• For queries about managing your grant on ESRC
  Society Today, please contact
• ESRC Society Today Support Team at
  societytodaysupport_at_esrc.ac.uk
• Tel [phone]