““First impressions First impressions count: learning count: learning from websites of from websites of Roman Catholic Roman Catholic

dioceses”dioceses”Analysis of nine internationalAnalysis of nine international

websites from a websites from a communications perspectivecommunications perspective

Daniel ArasaDaniel ArasaPontifical University of the Holy CrossPontifical University of the Holy Cross

Maynooth, October 16, 2007Maynooth, October 16, 2007

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What & WhyWhat & Why

School of Institutional CommunicationsSchool of Institutional Communications Personal research: Church Personal research: Church

communication over the Internetcommunication over the Internet Research conducted between 2002-6Research conducted between 2002-6 9 dioceses: Bogotá, Johannesburg, Los 9 dioceses: Bogotá, Johannesburg, Los

Angeles, Madrid, Manila, Melbourne, Angeles, Madrid, Manila, Melbourne, México City, Milan and São Paulo.México City, Milan and São Paulo.

Interviews (webmasters / journalists) + Interviews (webmasters / journalists) + Observation of the sitesObservation of the sites

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Internet & the Catholic Internet & the Catholic ChurchChurch

Internet’s role in communications.Internet’s role in communications.

Internet affects Church’s Internet affects Church’s communication:communication: 2,000 years of history without Internet2,000 years of history without Internet But crucial in today’s worldBut crucial in today’s world Subject of communication: faifthful & Subject of communication: faifthful &

othersothers

Websites = multidimensional realitiesWebsites = multidimensional realities

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Websites = Websites = multidimensional realitiesmultidimensional realities

Contents/servicesContents/services

Technical Technical instrumentsinstruments

ManagersManagers

VisitorsVisitorsandand

Context of Context of referencereference

Website Communication Model

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Website Communication Website Communication ModelModel

P R O J E C T

E V A L U A T I O N

P R O J E C T

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Catholic Diocesan Catholic Diocesan WebsitesWebsites

what they offer, the way they offer and what they offer, the way they offer and why why Institutional Institutional communicationscommunications

No ideal website: variable environment No ideal website: variable environment + diversity of circumstances+ diversity of circumstances

Guidelines / SuggestionsGuidelines / Suggestions

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General ObservationsGeneral Observations

Websites as “open intranets”Websites as “open intranets”

No contradiction between No contradiction between INFORMATION & EVANGELIZATIONINFORMATION & EVANGELIZATION

Websites are means, not endsWebsites are means, not ends

Improve website promotion & Improve website promotion & accessibilityaccessibility

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Specific ObservationsSpecific Observations Importance of Title and Description Importance of Title and Description tagstags..

Search engines: search + presentationSearch engines: search + presentation Browsers: bookmarkBrowsers: bookmark Approach visibility from users’ perspectiveApproach visibility from users’ perspective

Self-evident Self-evident labelslabels & & interactioninteraction: respond : respond to expectations, avoid frustration.to expectations, avoid frustration.

UsabilityUsability tools: print-friendly formats, send tools: print-friendly formats, send to a friend, link to this site, etc. Pretty good to a friend, link to this site, etc. Pretty good job.job.

Don’t make obsolete what is not: Don’t make obsolete what is not: time time indicatorsindicators

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Challenges for Web Challenges for Web ManagersManagers

Quality requires constant evaluationQuality requires constant evaluation Professionalism of the website teamProfessionalism of the website team

Technicians and communicators Technicians and communicators wantedwanted

Continuous trainingContinuous training Financial coverage: advertising, online Financial coverage: advertising, online

donations...donations... Internal communications affects Internal communications affects

visitor’s attentionvisitor’s attention Users’ quality > user statisticsUsers’ quality > user statistics Benchmarking & Networking Benchmarking & Networking

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Pod and WebcastingPod and Webcasting

Why not?... Better: Why not?... Better: for what for what purpose?purpose?

Permanent or mid-term Permanent or mid-term valuevalue Importance of Importance of testimoniestestimonies Only if it Only if it enrichsenrichs: music, etc.: music, etc. Journalists are Journalists are notnot interested, but in interested, but in

picturespictures Some Some examplesexamples webcasting: Pope’s webcasting: Pope’s

election, WYD (video-casting), election, WYD (video-casting), sqpn.comsqpn.com

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Journalists & Diocesan Journalists & Diocesan WebsWebs

Journalists = main target of MRJournalists = main target of MR Website MR faster & more Website MR faster & more

completecomplete But:But:

MR ≠ main activity of diocesan websitesMR ≠ main activity of diocesan websites Journalists ≠ primary targetJournalists ≠ primary target Conflictual relationshipConflictual relationship

Suggestions / ComplaintsSuggestions / Complaints

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Journalists’ ViewJournalists’ View

Understand journalists’ constraintsUnderstand journalists’ constraints TimeTime TransparencyTransparency RelevancyRelevancy

Supplying adequate tools to informSupplying adequate tools to inform Diversity of sourcesDiversity of sources Major collaboration: web team & Major collaboration: web team &

media officersmedia officers

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Parameters for MRParameters for MR ExpertiseExpertise Willingness to replyWillingness to reply Being good interpreters and able to Being good interpreters and able to

make sense of the informationmake sense of the information ClarityClarity Favouring internal networkingFavouring internal networking Favouring multi-focal perspectivesFavouring multi-focal perspectives CoherenceCoherence

(Prof. Carroggio, 2002)(Prof. Carroggio, 2002)