Step 4 – Digital Presence

The Importance of Your Club’s Website

A digital presence is the display of online activities on the Web, including social media and mobile devices. The ability to communicate digitally will only grow as technology continues to expand. In Rotary the importance of a digital presence goes beyond the branding of Rotary International. Your club’s digital presence is a gateway to your club’s ability to grow and be relevant both today and into the future.

In 2011 siegal+gale was hired by Rotary International to reshape our overall brand. A key component of their work was to create two websites offering a personalized experience. Myrotary.org would provide the tools needed by Rotarians to understand and implement Rotary’s new voice. Rotary.org was revised to give a view of the organization for non-members. Your club will have a more significant impact in your community if you can provide a face for what you offer the community rather than just a toolbox for members. Rotary offers a Quick Start Guide for club websites that can show you how to use the site for your club’s digital presence.

The digital age is upon us, and although the majority of our clubs have recognized the need for a web page, there are some that have yet to launch their club onto the World Wide Web. For those clubs that have found it difficult to get online, we want to make it as easy as possible for them to have a website built by a professional, for a minimal cost.

These resources can also address some of the websites that have been around for years and could use refreshing or even a rebuild. Rotary International has rebuilt their site along with other Rotary support sites as part of our changing brand. Think of your website as an automobile. A website built just a few years back won’t have the features available today that make the internet a great tool to help find new members while keeping current members informed.

Knowing that not every club has a web professional available in their ranks, RI and the Zone have provided options that can make the process of either getting online or refreshing a web presence an easier task.

Rotary recognizes several partners in web development, including ClubRunner, DACdb, and several independent web developers too. Each of these partners offers a turnkey approach toward creating a website that reflects the concerns of Rotary’s brand. Beyond brand alone, there are many features you can use to communicate with members and non-Rotarians as well. Calendars, notices for project collaboration and community involvement are just a few tools that will help you grow your club’s online presence.

• ClubRunner accesses an RI database to allow for automation of leadership lists. Some options allow for a club to limit access to particular elements of your club website so that only those with a need or assignment have access to make changes. There are numerous templates that you can choose from, and each allows for a personalization of the site to reflect the club and the community you serve.
• DACdb has the same access to RI data, and they can build a site that offers a seamless connection to allow for automation when filling in leadership roles. They have options for calendars, news items, including a feed from RI to help build your club’s awareness of our organization. Connecting with the DACdb team is easy, and they will walk you through the process of creating a new site or rebuilding on what you have.

There are numerous developers that offer their services, or their templates to allow for anyone within the club to tackle the task or to provide the template for a friend of your Rotary Club who might be hired or volunteer to build your site. We have more information available here.