Advice request for non-profit’s website

VickiJ

Hello everyone,
In my email this morning was a request from a good friend of mine to give my opinion on a website for a non-profit she volunteers with. She`s planning to redesign it. I can give my opinion (mostly from what I`ve learned from all of you), but any help you can give us is appreciated.
I will pass along where the info came from and invite her to join us here
http://www.bsbobird.org/index.html</A>

BardStuff

Believe it or not I kinda like it.  It conjures up the early web days when it was more about just saying "here`s what we are and what we do" and less on the fancy graphics, professional design and the all important SEO.  As a non profit their primary goal is not driving eyeballs and ad revenue, so many of the generic rules don`t apply.  They`re most concerned, presumably, with providing easy, timely access to information that is important to the group.I`d get rid of the background graphic, it`s distracting.  Do some simply design/layout and put pictures of birds or whatever in one place where it`s clear what they are.  Repetitive sketchy images on a white background is not really a helpful thing.Introduce a blog to get some dynamic content on the home page.  Presumably there are things that happen on a regular basis that are of interest to this BSBO group?  Using blogging software somebody could just add those regularly and they`d automatically appear at the top of the home page.Prune back some of the colors and fonts, and get some consistency. I see 6 different colors, a few different sizes, some italics, some background colors...  too much.  Use position on the page to establish what the important bits are.Does the coffee thing have anything to do with the birds?  If not, then shrink it and stick it in a corner someplace.  D

ChiefKuuya

Hello everyone,
In my email this morning was a request from a good friend of mine to give my opinion on a website for a non-profit she volunteers with. She`s planning to redesign it. I can give my opinion (mostly from what I`ve learned from all of you), but any help you can give us is appreciated.
I will pass along where the info came from and invite her to join us here
http://www.bsbobird.org/index.html</A>

ChiefKuuya

Vicky-
My brother runs a web design shop. His always looking to help out for a good cause. Take a look at his work at http://www.golivestudio.com</A>
Let me know if you guys could use the help.

VickiJ

Hi Chief. Welcome to the forum ... I tried to go that site, but I got an error. Is it correct? I`ll ask if they`re interested. Thanks.
Thanks to you also, Bardstuff. I`ll pass along your comments.
 

LogoMotives

As it is, the site seems very cluttered and unorganized to me - on the home page alone there`s three different menus of content.  BardStuff has some great observations - the one I considered immediately when visiting the site was to eliminate the background.  It makes everything so difficult to read. He also mentioned the lack of consistency throughout the site.  They need to establish their own consistent template design from one page to the nextWhere are the great visuals to attract the viewer`s attention and draw them into the content?  The organization has beautiful images on their BSBO Banded Bird Photos page - some of these need to be highlighted on the home page for visual interest.Just the other day I was visiting a somewhat related web site - that of the National Audubon Society - and, even with a great deal of information, the home page is clean, orederly and easy to navigate.  The consistent muted colors are pleasant to read and easy on the eyes.  There`s a consistency in format, colors, type treatments and other elements from page to page.  It`s an example they might take a look at for ideas.- J.

VickiJ

Thanks to all who gave ideas. I`m meeting with my friend Tuesday morning, so if anybody would like to add anything, please feel free!!

Couchable

It isn't that bad but it doesn't look like a nonprofit to me. Looks more like an MFA without the ads.
Lose the footer info. The visitor count and 3 pdfs (Mud Hens Flyers) shouldn't be there.
The header and whole top area of the site is really really busy. Lose 90% of what is above the fold and just have a simple description of the purpose of the organization and a Call to Action (giving money or something)