Administration
Keep
users up-to-date on content changes
 When
appropriate and practical, tell users what content you
changed, and when you changed it. This information will help
them find new material easily. You may want to provide a
"What's New" section that is easily accessible from the home
page, or link directly to the new material from your home
page. You may also want to indicate new content on a
particular page with graphical cues.
Maintain links
Dead
links frustrate users. Check all of your links periodically
and correct or remove the ones that are no longer working.
Note that you should check an external link more than once
before deleting it; it may be only temporarily inaccessible
if its server is down. The tracking report generated by your
server software can tell you the location of broken links.
Maintain version control
Keep
all versions of your site organized so you can update files
or refer to previous versions efficiently. Maintain the
naming and file directory system you established during the
original development of the site. Continue to back up your
files and store them safely. Document your procedures for
naming and structuring files so others can learn your system
easily.
Track
site activity
The more you know about user activity at
your site, the better prepared you will be to plan future
updates. Tracking reports generated by server software can
provide you with the following information:
-
The number of visits your site
receives, which indicates how well it is advertised and
how popular it is with users
-
The number of disconnects, which
indicates technical problems that need correcting
-
The pages users link from when they
connect to your site, which can help you refine your
advertising strategy and even make you aware of categories
of users you had not previously considered
-
The order in which users view your
pages, which can help you assess your navigation and
information design
Respond to users who give you feedback
Responding
appreciatively to users when they give feedback will help
you develop a positive ongoing relationship with them. They
will be more likely to offer feedback in the future if they
know you are interested in what they have to say. Let them
know that you take their suggestions seriously, and let them
know when you make a change based on their feedback. |