Tips & Tricks: Recommendations

Everyone runs into the same issues when dealing with managing a website and Gator Club® websites are no exception. At some point you will hear yourself say at least two of the following:

• "How do I get more people looking at our site?"
• "How do I get people to STAY at our site?"
• "How do I get people to come back to our site?"
• "Can we make any money with this?"

Here's a question you probably won't ask yourself, but should:

• "Will this get me, my club, the UFAA or the University of Florida in trouble?"

Luckily the answers to the first three are pretty easy and generally have the same answers. The fourth and fifth issues are a bit more complicated, but hopefully the information on this page can clear them up a little.

• URL/domain name - If possible, choose a domain name that clearly identifies your organization. Then promote that URL every opportunity you can get. Tack it on the bottom of your email signature, add it to any publications you may distribute, put it on your club t-shirts if you like. The more you can promote your site the better. If people don't know the site's there, they probably won't come looking for it. Note: The UFAA provides & maintains addresses in the gatorclub.com domain for any Gator Club® that would like one.
  
  
• Contact Info - This cannot be over-emphasized. Wherever possible, have some sort of contact info for the club. If the club has an email address or hotline number, put it on every page! Provide contact info for the webmaster or club president. Listing your board members is always a good idea. If possible list a mailing address for the club or the president. Most importantly: KEEP THE CONTACT INFO UP-TO-DATE!!!
  Note: While this also leads us into our next item, it's a good time to point out that you should always make sure the Gator Club® office at the UF Alumni Association has the most current information for your club and officers. You can use the contact info at the bottom of this page <shameless plug> or contact contact Vincent Prem-Das (VPremdas@uff.ufl.edu) toll free at (888) 352-5866.
  
  
• Timely information - You should always keep your site as up-to-date as possible, but it's just as important to let people know that it's up-to-date. Using either date-specific information (e.g. Next general meeting: Saturday Feb. 2, 2002) or a "Last Modified" or "Last Updated" date on each page is great way to let people know that the information is fresh. If they know there's fresh info on the site, they'll keep coming back. Plus it's a handy way for you to keep track of which pages haven't been updated in a while.
  
  
• Photos & Artwork - A picture is worth a thousand words and hopefully as many members! Anytime you can show pictures of either club activities or UF related images, it greatly enhances the value of your website. Whether it's some artwork incorporated into your website design or a photo gallery or slideshow, anything you do to show off your club's Gator spirit will definitely bring in visitors.
  Note: Remember that many people may want to learn about your club through your homepage before ever attending an event. Gator Clubs® should be open and inviting to everybody in your community.Please remember to use good judgment when posting pictures reflecting Gator Club® activities on your home page, specifically try to stay away from pictures that include alcoholic beverages.
  
  
• Confidentiality Policy - The University of Florida Foundation and Alumni Association policy regarding confidentiality of records and list applies to home pages as well. Gator Club should not make member information available online. Gator business directories and similar advertising of Gator businesses on the web can be listed but are restricted by strict not-for profit guidelines. Should your club be interested in pursuing a Gator business directory, please contact the Alumni Association to rules and regulations.
  In other words, people are more comfortable visiting a website if they know their personal information is safe.
  
  
• Advertising/Sponsorships - A lot of Gator Clubs look for ways to offset the cost of having a webpage. The two most immedate revenue source are allowing advertising on the site or recognizing a local sponsor who has made the website possible. Before you go down this path, please keep the following two facts in mind: 1) Advertising products or companies on your homepage for profit may result in your club having to pay unrelated business income. Please keep in mind that as a not-for-profit organization any sources of revenue must be directly related to the club’s educational mission. If you are contacted by ay companies wishing to advertise on your homepage, or asking you to link to their site for profit, please contact the alumni association. 2) If you host your site with the UF Alumni Association, it's absolutely free which should eliminate most of the need to allow advertising.
  
  
• Discussing Popular Issues/Compliance - We all love the Gators and we all love talking about the Gators. However we need to be careful about talking about potential student-athletes before they become Gators. "Ask Before You Act" isn't just a catchy slogan that the University Athletic Association (UAA) whipped up, it's really a school of thought that all of us need to adhere to. We recruit from all of the country and it's natural to feel a large since of pride when a student from your area chooses the University of Florida. However, discussing that potential student-athlete in any official capacity before National Signing Day could compromise the university and the student-athlete's eligibility. So before you post any sort of recruiting information before signing day, please contact the UAA's compliance office at (352) 375-4683, ext. 6001.
  
  
• Link Back to the UF Alumni Association (http://www.ufalumni.ufl.edu) - Ok, so this probably won't get anyone directly to your site, but it makes us happy ;)

Last Updated: 02.01.2002