by Langdon Clough
Commencing operation on December 15, 2009, our new web has, in the last eight months, received 21,431 “hits.” This means that it has appeared that many times among the public’s search results. 817 different people have been sufficiently interested in visiting our web site. We have received inquiries about membership, how to order books and requests for applications for membership from this website. I ask the members to consider what these numbers mean for the Society and how the site can best serve your needs. Our site was developed with a commercial package that will allow us to expand our services to members as we all become more technologically proficient. Among the services that we could offer, are electronic payments of dues and the receipt of donations, as well as the sales of books and other memorabilia. The enhanced package allows the Society to analyze how long people stay on the site, which pages they visit, etc. In case you were wondering, Sunday is the most popular day of the week to visit the site, followed by Tuesday. Only 2% of those who have visited us are using a Macintosh! One key to the success of the site I think, is that it is regularly updated. At or near the beginning of each month, new information is entered. If our members get used to returning to the site on a regular basis we will be able to better utilize it to distribute important news and solicit input. If people fall out of the habit of checking in on us, it will be very hard to get them back. The website can best be updated when the members are contributing news or photographs or queries. Our Bulletins are placed on secure pages that are accessible only to members of the Society. Other materials are being placed on those pages as time allows. The Board is asked to consider how best to utilize the site and weave it into other technologies that might make the Society a more “user-friendly” and accessible organization to accommodate our cousins from around the Globe.