A website for your local fraternity chapter can be a great tool – for recruitment, for keeping brothers informed, and a place where parents and alumni can stay updated and involved. However, when it is not kept current, or doesn’t have relevant information it becomes just the opposite. Don’t let an outdated website become a hindrance to your chapter.
Let your website work for you. Here are five items you should ensure are on your site:
1. Why join your chapter? Put it right on the landing page, as this is the first thing people will see. You want to get new recruits hooked right from the start, so spell out what makes your chapter stand out on campus.
2. Give Answers. Even though the question may be unasked, give potential members information to help them make the right decision. Include information about campus/community involvement, philanthropy, commitments (both time & monetary), and any other items they should expect, such as the new member process or how to get their parents involved.
3. Brotherhood. This is the page or pages you should have set up for the active members of the chapter. Give information about upcoming meetings (both chapter & committee) social activities, and highlight the brothers who have done something outstanding (such as those listed on the Dean’s list for the previous semester). You can also include a page to keep alumni updated, as they are part of the overall brotherhood. Don’t forget, people love photos.
4. Parent Resource. This is a great way to help parents learn what their son is up to, and the benefit of the fraternity. Be sure to include not only information but pictures that give insight to the who, what, where, when, why, how and details.
5. Connections/Links. This is where you will have a hyperlink to your Fraternity’s National Website. If your chapter has a facebook/twitter/tumblr, include it. A way for someone to contact the chapter needs to be included here, as well as other items you may feel are a great resource like thefraternityadvisor.com. Other great ideas are community groups you are involved with or your National Philanthropy.
You don’t want to overwhelm your visitors, so be sure to organize well. With design tools such as WordPress, you can make a very informative website without needing to be an expert in HTML. Summer is a great time to revamp your chapter’s website and have it ready for incoming freshmen by orientation.
This answer was written by Jonathan Sutton, a Faculty/Staff advisor for Sigma Tau Gamma at Marshall University and contributor for the thefraternityadvisor.com. If you are interested in writing for thefraternityadvisor.com – let us know (CLICK HERE)!