Website's

[hammer]

I’m currently in the early stage's of building my website for "my school", I would like to ask the Members of Martial talk for your advice,

Having surfed many martial art's website's they are vastly different, some containing to much information, other's not enough, some love to brag, video clip’s are great, some love to sell, pro shop, program’s, history, resume. etc.

"What do you think should be Include on a school's Website?"

Appreciate your thoughts

Cheer's Hammer

 

[Andrew Green]

All depends on what you want the site to do for you... So what do you want the site to do for you?

 

[pesilat]

The quickest way for me to answer this is to direct you to my website at http://impactacademy.com

However, some things I think are nice about my site - and that I've had compliments about from others - are the "clean" appearance of it. It's not real flashy - the menu is about the flashiest element of it and it's very clean, too. The content is simple, direct, and straightforward. Mostly it gives people information they may want/need if they're interested in what I have to offer.

There are some video clips but they're just for fun. I have had several people tell me, though, that I need to put more clips out there - a lot of people really like them.

I think the articles really help give people insight into how I think about martial arts but not everyone is interested in writing articles.

Forums are really nice for schools that have a lot of students with online access. It gives the students a readily accessible area to discuss things and, if set up well, they can discuss things both publicly and privately (i.e.: if you have a section that only students of the school can access and, if you have multiple staff members in your school, another section that only staff members can access).

Mike

 

[Rick Wade]

One of my favorites as far as design is Bill Lear's Personal site.

It's clean easy to navigate and very proffesional looking.

http://www.williamtlear.net

V/R


Rick English

 

[dsp921]

One of my favorites as far as design is Bill Lear's Personal site.

It's clean easy to navigate and very proffesional looking.

http://www.williamtlear.net

V/R


Rick English

This is the first time I've looked at Mr. Lear's site and I'd have to agree, well desinged site. Not a lot of junk you don't need, but still enough pop to make it look interesting. Easy to get around, too. Nice site Bill.

 

[evenflow1121]

Keep it simple enough and neat enough for everyone to understand not only where to go as far as links, but what it is you offer.

 

[hammer]

All depends on what you want the site to do for you... So what do you want the site to do for you?

Andrew , thanks for your reply,to be honest with you, at this point I'am cosidering my options,

I value the contribution's to this topic from the member's here on Martial talk as to " What do you think should be Include on a school's Website?".

To make a more informed decsion and direction of my web site.

Ok, new question, likes or dislikes about martail arts school webssites?

Cheers
Hammer

 

[Andrew Green]

Ok, new question, likes or dislikes about martail arts school webssites?

But are the people on here your target market for the website?

Thats what I meant by my question, do you want a site that impresses people on a martial arts forum, that is a small percentage of the people practicing martial arts, and no one that is likely to join your school cause they are already training.

Or, do you want a site that is designed to draw in new students?

Or do you want a resource site for your existing students?

 

[hammer]

But are the people on here your target market for the website?

Thats what I meant by my question, do you want a site that impresses people on a martial arts forum, that is a small percentage of the people practicing martial arts, and no one that is likely to join your school cause they are already training.

Or, do you want a site that is designed to draw in new students?

Or do you want a resource site for your existing students?

Andrew, Considering our positve exchanges on the thread Mc dojo I new what you ment, although I tried to avoid answering it directly,I really wanted the opinion's of the member's here on martial talk before answering , yep you caught me out , lol

I would say , a a combination of :

Or, do you want a site that is designed to draw in new students?

Or do you want a resource site for your existing students?

With a student resource that has restricted acess to members of the school only and yes designed to draw in new students, although not to give the impression of a Mc dojo! lol

Cheers

 

[Andrew Green]

Well, for recruiting students you don't want too much information... they'll get lost in it. Basically you want a sales letter in electronic form. Few (if any) things to click on. Just what joining your class will do for them, maybe some testimonials thrown in for good measure.

Just one page, some pictures, sell your benefits like crazy (not features, benefits) Don't worry about lineage, ranks, history, or anything that interests practitioners. Worry about one thing, get them to call you or arrange a time to come in. The rest can come later, but get them to make direct contact, that is the ONLY goal of a website designed to get new students.

If you can get a online form they can fill out, get the name, e-mail, number, and if possible (depends on how you schedule things) a time that they are going to come in. Give them a call before hand and remind them too

Don't worry about making it look like a mcDojo site, what matters is what goes on in your classes, not the appearance of your marketing materials

For your own students, put the material relevant to your teaching up. Curriculum, techniques, dates, schedules, history, etc. Whatever is important.

The trick is in getting them to come back regullarly, which means the content changes regullarly. This is where a forum might come in. That way it isn't only you that changes the content

Or some other form of content management system, something that will let you make changes quickly and easily. Even if it is just provinding an little piece of a article and a link to it.

Perhaps a blogging set up? You can keep on as a class log, useful for people that missed classes. Let them set up there own too. Might even give you some useful feedback on your classes

 

[hammer]

Thank you Andrew, for the sound business advice,confirm's my own thoughts particularly to

Well, for recruiting students you don't want too much information... they'll get lost in it. Basically you want a sales letter in electronic form. Few (if any) things to click on. Just what joining your class will do for them, maybe some testimonials thrown in for good measure.

Just one page, some pictures, sell your benefits like crazy (not features, benefits) Don't worry about lineage, ranks, history, or anything that interests practitioners. Worry about one thing, get them to call you or arrange a time to come in. The rest can come later, but get them to make direct contact, that is the ONLY goal of a website designed to get new students.

If you can get a online form they can fill out, get the name, e-mail, number, and if possible (depends on how you schedule things) a time that they are going to come in. Give them a call before hand and remind them too

I'n my opinion many site's for schools often over load.

Would be curious to read what your thoughts are on : likes or dislike 's of martial arts school web sites ?

Respectfull
Hammer

 

[Bester]

If you include pictures of yourself doing techniques, make the pose as sharp and professional as you can.
- Make certain your uniform / outfit is neat, clean and photographs well.
- Remove 'odd' items from the background. You are selling you professionalism, not your "karate hamster-dance" toy.
- Don't wear a "Nascar" gi (you know, 4,000 patches), or an "Elvis" belt.
- Make certain that the photo of your stance puts your stance is the best light. A couple of degrees, a few inches and it'll make the difference.
- Make certain the image is properly edited for the web. That includes proper color balancing, lighting, and file sizing.

This will help you in 2 ways.
- New students will see "Professional"
- Experienced students will see the good form of the "Master".

Also, spell check and grammer check all text on the site. In fact, read it outloud to someone. You'll find a ton of problems that way.

 

[Andrew Green]

Would be curious to read what your thoughts are on : likes or dislike 's of martial arts school web sites ?

I think many schools put the stuff that interests them, and the stuff that they are proud of but not the stuff that a uninitiated student cares about. The site isn't there to draw in students, its there to publish there credentials.

Style description
Style History
Instructor History
Assocation Memberships
etc.

Most people really do not care in the least bit about any of this. What they want to know is what can it do for them. You have to convince them that it can do much good things for them and that they should contact you, or leave there info for you to contact them.

The few people that are interested in that other stuff will ask about it when they contact you.

Imagine putting up a MA style site for any other company...

You could have:

Company History
Partnerships
CEO Biography
The Staff listed, along with there degrees
A list of awards the company has won

But that isn't what they do, they put up a site that tells you what they got and how it can make your life better, and make it really easy for you to buy/register.

Thats how a schools site should work if it is there to draw in students.

 

[terryl965]

A great webdite is about your Art not about you, your greatness should be a underline compared to your students. I mean when I look at a website and all it does is talk about the great and powerful instructor I see red flag syndrome if you are truely good why tap yourself on the back. Humility and self respect is the way to go, here's mine WWW.twin-dragons-mas.com , not much just the basic and more about the students and the accomplimish they have done, need to update the students pictures have over 60 now and just been to busy with tournaments right now.

 

[Bob Hubbard]

I just taught a session at the WMAA Camp on this.

Short summary:
Design
- Clean, easy to understand navigation.
- Proper spelling and grammer
- Photos properly done for web. (No huge pics made tiny in the code)
- Contact info on every page

5 types of sites
- Sales (selling products or services)
- Informational (lots of resources and infomation
- Lead Generator (gets people interested in contacting you)
- Student Resource (resources for your students, can be public or private)
- Combination (2 or more of the above)

Don't try to do it all at once. That leads to "creeping feature" problems.

Don't use alot of "Jargon". The average person on the street has no clue what this stuff is. If you must use jargon, define it in an obvious way (like this).

Use colors that are easy on the eyes.


Example of bad text:
"Grand Sifu ObiWan, 12th dan master black belt, founder of OBiWan-Ryu, the most devistating combat art ever designed...."

(Whats a Sifu, what makes him Grand, whats a Dan, and whys he got 12 of them? And, whats so special about a combat art?)

Better text:
"Our head instructor, Mr. ObiWan, holds the title of "Grand Sifu" (Senior Teacher) as well as the high rank of 12th Dan (Our system refers to each level as a "Dan"). He is the founder of our system "ObiWan-Ryu" (or ObiWan School or Style) which we believe to be one of the best ways to learn discipline, build confidence and learn to protect yourself...."


Put yourself in the mind of the person looking, who doesn't know anything about your art, you, or what the arts even are. Have a 10 year old, and an 70 year old look for you, and then try to use your site. It will help you work out the kinks incredibly.

 

[Rick Wade]

NO Opening flash! Just my opinion

You have to ask yourself what you want to accomplish with your website.

Is it advertising? Then you need to let everyone know what you offer.
Is it information about you system? Then you need alot of his historical information.

Alot of site get these two confused and then offer to much information. a person spends an average of 10 seconds on a webpage unless somthing catches their eye and peaks there intrest. That is why you have to ask these questions.


V/R

Rick

 

[Andrew Green]

NO Opening flash! Just my opinion

I'll sign the petition to ban flash...