Kris Manning made a comment on my blog last week about the UKLSI’s website. He said;

They’d be better off removing the unfinished pages as it all looks a bit poor at the moment and doesnt show them in the best light. It’s been like that for a long time as well and these days the web is the first place that people look.

Now, I’m not about to comment on their website in particular but it did get me thinking about the importance of search charities having a good online presence. The question is what is a “good” online presence?

I teach web design to complete beginners and yet the tips I give them seem very appropriate to this debate. In order to have a good online presence search charities websites need;

A consistant layout and easy navigation

Appropriate style and tone

Accurate and mistake free

Good quality links

Something useful on each page

Updating regularly

And many ALSAR and LSDogs Units fall down on these, in particular the bottom ones.

Some may question why it is important, but in this day and age most people under 30 look first to the Internet for anything and everything. Someone on one of the UKLSI courses had joined Buckinghamshire Search and Rescue despite living in Berkshire because theirs was the first website she had come across.

It does mean finding a volunteer to maintain the website and online presence – a Facebook page is probably also a MUST – but in this day and age, when potential members, support personnel and donors are looking first online you NEED to sort out your Unit’s website.

I try to help – links to websites help when it comes to ranking in search engines – but if people don’t like your website, you’ve lost them. Your image these days, is as much about your online presence and website as it is what you do!

What SAR websites do you like? Which ones need work?