Sky High Thoughts on Web 2.0!

On February 17, 2009, our Brown Bag lunch took on the wide world of the web and we asked ourselves the following questions:
What is the goal of Zeum's website?
Who is our end user?
What is the role of the website in the museum?
What kind of online presence do we want?
Given the economic situation, how can we maximize our awareness through online soruces?
We looked at several websites that we felt used interesting features and discussed what we liked and didn't like about our current site. Even more, we talked about what it would take to increase our visitorship on our site and how we can best serve our visitors.
To begin, Mike shared Agency Net's website, http://www.agencynet.com/, which demonstrates an interactive home page where visitors can engage the space of the business and learn what happens in each space. The informational menu below matches the content shared through the interactive component, making it easy for visitors to get the information they need while also being engaged. Mike said he felt that while Zeum is all about visitors sharing their stories, Zeum does not do a well enough job sharing OUR stories, and that we need to find mechanisms for telling people what it is we do here and who is involved. If Zeum were to follow this format, perhaps we could have children demonstrate the exhibits? A second website that he shared was Get The Glass, a promotional site for milk. http://www.gettheglass.com/ The site demonstrates the use of a child-friendly game to engage visitors.
Ari discussed the need for the website to both be interactive and also share information. Gil reflected on this and mentioned our site was very informative, but not interactive, and that both components are necessary. An example of a website that balances both interactivity and information is Burke Museum, http://www.washington.edu/burkemuseum/, which is Ari's favorite site. At the bottom are several clear options for interactivity, including networks, blogs, and podcasts. One consideration that Gil mentioned regarding expanding our use of networks is defining how we would manage them. She expressed a need for an in-house webmaster that would continually update content on all the networks and blogs and seek out sites that would direct visitors to us.
Audrey suggested that the greatest question for us to consider is "Who is our end-user?" Do parents really want a site that will engage their kids? Should we cater to children, teachers, or parents? Heidi mentioned that it may be possible to have a site that does all three and provides the visitor an option for which type of website s/he would like. Gil provided an example of a site that offers this option: Kids Health http://kidshealth.org/ Even so, Audrey expressed concern for doing all the work to make this available without first knowing whether it is an interest of our visitors.
Heidi asked the staff to consider all the ways someone might be directed to our website. Here is what we came up with:
search engines (such as google ad words)
networks
online childrens magazines
travel sites
resource and community events sites
blogs
flickr
photobucket
parent affinity group sites

Gil feels that one of the biggest issues we face with our site it that we don't tell visitors what it is that we do on our homepage. She mentioned how Flickr is very clear right away what it's aim is, but our site hardly shares anything, except the fact that we are a children's museum (which is in small print). http://www.flickr.com/
Bianca suggested that we should highlight our staff and share more stories about the diverse groups that we serve. Michael said a great way to accomplish this would be to share more photos of outreach efforts, our staff, and our events. While funders are always asking for these resources, it would also be a valuable way to increase awareness about our programs. He also mentioned that in general, our site is too text heavy. When mothers and children have short attention spans, it may help us to have a site with more images and quotes, rather than long descriptive pros. Images always speak louder than words!
A general consensus is that information is difficult to find on our current site. Bianca expressed that changing the titles on our top menu, as well as reorganizng the content would be the most benefit, rather than considering a design change all together. Visitors should be able to find the information they want in no more than 2 clicks. Audrey expressed that our home page is underutilized, and by making more use of the "first glance", we could make it easier for visitors to find what they need. Irina also mentioned that it would be good to have a multilangual site, and to use audio and images. Mike made a good point, saying kids hear more than they can read. Jarrod suggested adding features, such as ecards, games, and a comment section.
Generally, noone felt the slideshow on our homepage is helpful. It slows the process of getting to the critical information and can annoy visitors. There were different views on the use of the children's shout "Zeum". Some felt it helps articulate how to pronounce our name. Others felt it is distracting, and that visitors may not know what is being said.
In conclusion, some of the main areas to consider for improving our site include:
Adding interactive components (games, blogs, podcasts, comment section)
Building links from other sites and search engines (Facebook, blogs, Twitter, Google adwords)
Making greater use of our homepage (accessibility)
Finding ways of sharing Zeum's story (staff, what we do, outreach, events)
Identifying our user and their needs
Improving accessibility of important and compelling information
Include more imagery, audio and music, and less text

Thanks to everyone who was able to attend, and I welcome any of you to continue to share your thoughts on how we can expand our awareness and attendance through online sources!
Some other sites we visited are:
http://www.brooklynkids.org/
http://www.pleasetouchmuseum.org/
http://www.newseum.org/