DALE HARTLE BEST CLUB WEBSITE AWARD 2012
Thirteen clubs entered the award this year:
Dawnshakers, Matamata, Scarfies Speechcraft, Te Aro, Upper Hutt, Napier, Hornby, Bishopdale, East Coast Bays, Wellington Professional, Motueka, Kaiapoi, MITe Speakers.
The District Webmaster and District PRO inspected all the club websites nominated during April using the criteria listed on the Toastmasters New Zealand website for club websites, and in Protocol 4, Toastmasters International (Club Websites).
As many club websites now use FreeToastHost sites, there is little to check except the content, as opposed to the sites which are built not using a Toastmasters template.
The judges were particularly interested in the quality and accuracy of the content, especially after the Toastmasters International rebranding in 2011, photographs, links and downloadable files, and to ensure that meeting location dates/times and contact details were prominently displayed.
The judges noted the following deficiencies and discrepancies in many of the sites:
· Links to old Form400 Membership Forms
· Incorrect Toastmasters trademark statement in footer
· Uncaptioned or poorly cropped photographs
· Meeting dates out of date
· Links to old Toastmasters contest and other resource material
· Lack of content highlighting the leadership aspects of Toastmasters
· No Toastmasters branding or tagline
The judges also noted that several clubs had links to Facebook pages, but some of these were closed, requiring user login to view them which is undesirable.
However two club websites stood out as being of reasonable quality, and worthy of mention – Upper Hutt and Kaiapoi, although there is still room for improvement on these sites.
In the judges opinion though, no club website should receive the Best Club Website Award for 2012.
2012 Dale Hartle Best Club Website Award
NO AWARD
Highly Commended:
Upper Hutt Toastmasters Club
Kaiapoi Toastmasters Club
It is recommended that a review of the Award criteria be undertaken, and training for club webmasters be provided to improve the standard and content of club websites. Clubs struggling to have an internet presence should consider using FreeToastHost.