How to Develop a Website, or, Shameless Self Promotion
Heidi: Wouldn't it be awesome if we could do something for work, besides work?
Eileen: Work sucks. We should do something meaningful; some kind of project together.
Heidi: Yeah, we should. We'd kick ass.
Eileen: How about something with Senior Citizens? Old people are awesome. They've led such great lives, and have so much to teach us, but it all gets lost. Hey, wouldn't it be a cool idea to make a book of people's family memories?
Heidi: Yeah, but that takes too long. Besides, I'm already working on a book. I know, let's make it a blog!
Eileen: What's a blog?
Heidi: (groans) You're kidding, right?
Heidi: So this is what we have to do: Open a Blogger account, and then start the blog. Easy.
Eileen: Yeah, but how do we do that?
Heidi: I don't know, let me do some research...
(buys Google Blogger for Dummies)
(starts reading LOTS of blogs - see list at left)
Heidi: I think I need to experiment with the platform, just to get used to it. I've wanted to start a blog about my horses anyway. Let me play around with it a little.
(CHROI AND ME is born. Posts 1-2 times a month. Learns format, keeps reading other blogs to see what works (pictures, humor) and what doesn't (too many pictures, too much text). Gets a follower (yeah!). Starts posting weekly, talks about it on Facebook, gets 6 followers (Super yeah!). This process takes almost a year of quietly plugging away in my -ha ha- spare time.)
Eileen: Ooh, great picture! Who is that?
Heidi: I don't know. Isn't she awesome? I found it at this site called Stock xchng (by user t. rolf.) Another useful web resource. We'll be able to use photos from there to illustrate people's stories.
Eileen: Cool!
Heidi: Yeah, and we'll have a group on flickr, where photographers can submit photos for us to use as well.
Eileen: Why would they do that?
Heidi: Well, a lot of very talented photographers are just starting out, and need to get their work out there, to be seen. They'll send people to our site, to showcase their work, and we'll link back to their gallery or home page, to direct business back to them.
Eileen: Can we do that with other businesses, too?
Heidi: Of course! It's called a Link Exchange.
Eileen: Well, I love it.
Heidi: Me too.
Eileen: OK, now that we have our site up, how do we get people to go to it?
Heidi: We just have to start spreading the word. I can ask a few people in my writer's group for stories.
Eileen: We can get business cards, that way we can tell people about it when we're shopping, or at church. Well, when I'm at church anyway.
Heidi: Ha ha, yeah, pray for me, would ya?
Eileen: I already am.
Heidi: You and my mom. Anyways, cards are a good idea. I have a lot of regular customers at the grocery store who are Seniors, and they're pretty cool.
Eileen: I read about a Senior Expo coming up.
Heidi: Great idea! We can network. And we'll have to email everyone we know, and post it on Facebook. We need a Facebook page, too.
Eileen: Great! Now let's make a list of things we need to do.
- Create a cover letter explaining our mission statement
- What we're about; how keeping up with technology can help Seniors stay active, and connected to their friends and family
- Connect with other Senior Citizen social networking sites
- Assisted living homes and Senior centers offer computer classes and workshops
- Caregivers can help Seniors stay active in their community
- Offer link and/or banner exchanges or advertising to businesses that cater to Seniors
- Heirloom memories, preserved for everyone
- Enjoy bringing people together by creating a community network
- Inspire discussion, interaction between Seniors and those who care for them and provide an online resource
- Give back, by donating a portion of ad revenue to a (TBD) charity, once SSP is profitable.
