Unify Cooperative Website
The website is perhaps the most important tool for contemporary organizations that work with the public or depend on their standing as a member of a greater community such as the Unify Cooperative. Websites are designed and developed over time requiring constant attention because they are so important, this page serves as a checklist and guideline for our organization's website.
Our Cooperative Website is UX Optimized
Our website uses top-level menu headings considering best practices, search engine visibility, and user experience (UX). This section is used as an overview or guideline for our development and is subject to change. Some pages may appear to be redundant, but they are not, this page is developed for both users and the general public, it receives constant attention from the executive council and the webmaster. The following is a summary overview and sitemap including hidden pages meant for members and organizers.
Homepage or Landing Page: The Homepage is a one-stop shop to discover everything we're about. Explore our mission, our commitment to sustainability and community, and the exciting programs and events we offer. Includes short generalized defining sections and a brief description on how to become a member-owner and join the cooperative to build a brighter future, together as a community.
Top-Level Menus and Content
1. About Us
Contact Us (Location, Email, Phone)
Our Story (History & Founding)
Leadership & Team (Board, Executive Council)
Local Partners and Sponsors
FAQs (Frequently Asked Questions)
2. Membership
Benefits of Membership: Highlighting exclusive perks and member involvement.
Join Us: Membership application process, fees, and types of memberships.
Member Login: Secure portal for members to access exclusive content and resources.
Membership Levels: Explain different membership tiers and their associated benefits.
Member Testimonials: Share positive experiences and testimonials from current members to encourage others to join.
3. Programs and What We Do
Projects & Initiatives: Details about specific environmental, cultural, or community projects the cooperative undertakes.
Sustainability Practices: Explain the commitment to environmental responsibility.
Community Engagement: Volunteer opportunities, events, and partnerships.
Museum & Gallery: If applicable, showcase the exhibits and artistic offerings.
4. Resources
Educational Materials: Articles, videos, or downloadable resources related to our mission.
News & Updates: Keep visitors informed about upcoming events, achievements, and news.
Blog: Share insights, stories, and perspectives relevant to our cooperative's focus.
Partners, Sponsors, & Supporters: Acknowledge organizations collaborating with us.
5. Get Involved
Volunteer Opportunities: Clearly outline volunteer needs and how to participate.
Donate: Provide secure donation options for those who want to contribute financially.
Spread the Word: Encourage website visitors to share our mission and message.
Social Media: Use the social media to raise engagement levels locally.
As is necessary pages are divided and consolidated as the website grows and develops to form a robust verbose UX for potential members and the general public who we will depend upon as cooperative consumer and users, sometimes pages converge upon one another, but the URLs remain the same. The hierarchy of the website menus develop over time as well as pages are edited and moved without disturbing search engine results pages and so the news articles never arrive at dead or mistaken links. All of the photos should be placed in a single Google Photos Album with attention to the details regarding description and the photographer or owner of the photo. All of the videos should be placed on YouTube, and products for the Store should use Google Merchant Center. By using Google native technologies the website will remain integral and rise quickly to reach a broader audience of users.
Beyond the Top-Level Menus
While the top-level menus provide a solid foundation, consider expanding within each section to offer a more comprehensive and engaging user experience. Here are some additional webpages we might consider.
Enhancement of About Us
Our Impact: Showcase the positive impact our cooperative has on the environment, community, and cultural preservation through success stories, data, and visuals.
Partnerships: Highlight collaborations with other organizations that support our mission.
QAs: Address frequently asked questions actively about our cooperative, its structure, and its work as canned responses. This is a special transparent feature that is web indexing driven that creates the questions with answers in Google Search Results.
Enhance What We Do
Volunteer Spotlight: Feature stories of dedicated volunteers and the impact they make.
Sustainability Resources: Provide educational resources and tips related to sustainable practices for the community.
Past Programs & Events Archive: Maintain a record of past programs and events for reference and future planning.
Educate and Explore (or Learn)
Virtual Tours (Optional): Offer virtual tours of the museum, art gallery, or other facilities, particularly if physical access is remote or perhaps culturally inspiring to the region of Kentucky.
Educational Materials: Provide downloadable resources like brochures, e-books, or activity sheets related to our focus topics.
Blog or News: Publish informative and engaging blog posts on topics related to sustainability, local history, or the cooperative movement. Depending on the type of blog and the scope of the organization, blogs are often called the News Section.
Build Upon Get Involved Headings
Matching Gifts (if applicable): Explain how our cooperative can benefit from employee matching gift programs at sponsor workplaces.
Corporate Sponsorship Opportunities: Outline sponsorship packages for businesses that align with our mission.
Success Stories: Highlight how donations and fundraising efforts power our cooperative's initiatives.
Additional Considerations
Shop (optional): When we sell merchandise and offer paid services, we will create a dedicated Shop page.
Events Calendar: List upcoming events with dates, times, and registration details.
Search Bar: The integrated search feature makes it easy for users to find specific information.
Impact Calculator (Optional): Develop a tool that allows users to calculate their environmental impact and understand how the cooperative helps mitigate it.
Wish List: Provide a list of specific items or needs the cooperative has that donors can contribute towards.
Fundraising Events Calendar: Maintain an updated calendar of upcoming fundraising events (online or in-person).
Actionable Items
Prioritize pages that directly support our mission, membership growth, and fundraising goals.
Ensure a clear call to action on relevant pages, encouraging users to become members, donate, volunteer, or get involved.
Optimizing for SERPs and SEO
In today's digital world, Search Engine Optimization (SEO) is crucial for our cooperative's website to be seen. By optimizing our website content and structure, along with submitting it to Google Search Console, we increase our chances of appearing higher in Search Engine Results Pages (SERPs) when people search for terms related to the mission. This can significantly improve organic traffic to our website, attracting potential members, donors, volunteers, and those interested in our sustainability objectives and community efforts. Think of it as a free marketing tool that connects us with a wider audience who share our values.
Use relevant keywords throughout the website content, including page titles, meta descriptions, and headings.
Include high-quality images and videos to enhance user experience and engagement.
Ensure the website is mobile-friendly for optimal search engine ranking.
Build backlinks from reputable websites to improve the website's authority.
Prioritize clear and concise headings that users can easily understand.
Maintain consistency in the navigation structure for a friendly user experience.
Consider tailoring the top-level menus to our specific cooperative's focus and offerings.
Regularly update the website content to keep it fresh and engaging for returning visitors and search engine bots.
Schema Profile Development
The schema for a website using Google Sites often involves the use of additional tools offered by Google such as Webmaster Tools, Search Console, a Business Profile, Analytics, Maps, YouTube, Photos with Metadata, and much more displayed within the website. Study schema.org to learn more about the types of information Google Search Robots look for and keys to implement these fields.
1. Organization Schema Details
This is a fundamental schema type for any organization. It provides search engines with essential details about the cooperative, including:
Name: Unify Cooperative
Description: A member-owned cooperative developed as a social enterprise promoting sustainability, cultural preservation, regional history, and community based activities in Madison County.
Keywords: [10-12 unique terms focused upon through each page].
URL: [Website URL]
Logo: [Image URL of the logo]
Address: [Physical address]
MailAddress: [P.O. Box]
ContactPoint:
Telephone: [Phone number]
Email: [Email address]
FoundingDate: [Year cooperative was founded]
2. LocalBusiness Schema (Optional or Later)
Once the cooperative is open use the physical location with public access (e.g., museum, gallery), consider using LocalBusiness schema to provide additional details:
OpeningHours: Specify opening hours for the public.
3. Event Schema (for upcoming events)
For upcoming events hosted by the cooperative, Event schema can help improve search results:
Name: [Event Name]
Description: A brief description of the event.
StartDate: Date and time of the event.
EndDate: Date and time the event ends.
Location: (if applicable) Specify the physical location or indicate "Online Event" if virtual.
Organizer: Unify Cooperative ([Website URL])
4. Article Schema (for blog posts and articles)
In the blog section of the website, Article schema can enhance the content visibility.
Headline: Title of the blog post or article.
ArticleBody: A concise summary of the article's content.
Author: Name of the author (individual or the cooperative)
DatePublished: Publication date of the article.
DateModified: (Optional) Include if the article has been updated recently.
5. Implementation without Google Sites Schema Markup
Google Sites doesn't directly support schema markup integration, but webmasters can still leverage these schema concepts by:
Including the schema-recommended details throughout the website content.
Optimizing page titles, meta descriptions, and image alt tags with relevant keywords.
Maintaining a well-structured website with clear navigation and internal linking.
By strategically incorporating these schema concepts and SEO best practices, we can improve our cooperative website's visibility and attract a wider audience who share our mission of sustainability, cultural preservation, and community building.