1. Introduction
After a website has been published (once a website is live), it must be properly maintained and updated. Users expect government information to be comprehensive, accurate and available online as soon as it is released in the public domain. They lose confidence in a website when it is not properly maintained, when new information is not added quickly, when obsolete information is not removed, when there are grammatical errors, or when the website remains static.
The content management process aims to ensure that information on the website is accurate and posted without delay.
Websites are in a continuously changing environment. A department should plan for the frequent revamping or adapting of its website, to stay up to date with current trends.
2. A successful website requires a team effort
The departmental website forms an integral part of the department’s communication and marketing effort.
A successful website is the result of a team effort. Different role-players should be involved in developing and maintaining the website. This includes all business units, with the communications unit and the IT unit the lead players.
2.1 The role of all business units
The information on the website is the corporate responsibility of the whole department. All business units must take ownership of the information on the website and give active input.
It is recommended that different units appoint content coordinators to take the responsibility for coordinating the relevant information for that unit. They should continuously identify new information for the website, validate the accuracy of the current information and provide updates to outdated content. The website manager, content coordinators and/or specialist writers should be responsible to write new information or rewrite existing information for the website.
2.2 The role of the communications unit
The departmental website should ideally be managed by a website content manager in the communication unit of a department. The website manager should be responsible for overall planning, leading and coordinating website content activities, the overall information architecture and final quality assurance of the website.
The website content manager should:
- be responsible for the overall management and coordination of the website
- plan and manage the content plan
- plan and manage the content architecture, navigation framework and look and feel of the website
- ensure that usability principles are followed
- liaise with line function units to ensure that the website is updated with accurate and current information
- write content for the website
- edit website content
- maintain the website
- do quality assurance of the website
- market and promote the website
- monitor traffic on the website
- respond to queries about the website
- post and upload information to the website.
Ideally, these functions could be the responsibility of different people, e.g.
- An information specialist (information architecture).
- Usability specialist (optimal user interface).
- A web author (compiling and uploading information on the website).
- Web graphic designer (responsible for visual impact and designing graphics). Please note that the designer should understand the specific requirements of design for the web, which differs from print design).
However, when departments have resource constraints, different roles could reside in the same person.
2.3 The role of the IT unit
The IT unit should be responsible to:
- ensure that there is a stable IT infrastructure
- manage the hosting and housing of the website, monitor the website and ensure that is always available (webserver administrator)
- provide technical support to the communications unit
- do web development (develop dynamic components and applications)
- do regular backups of the website
- do database development (develop database applications).
The webmaster is the person who looks after the website and among others:
- maintain the correct functioning of the website
- monitor the website’s security
- make any technical changes required
- manage the e-mail accounts
- manage the gathering of website statistics
- plan for the revamping or adjusting of the website, in line with the latest trends
- occasionally solve the technical problems that every website has.
3. Comprehensiveness of content
Information on the website must be comprehensive – all information about the department must be available on the website. See scope of content that is required. Information about each of these topics must be comprehensive so that users will be able to get a comprehensive picture of the department and its functions, programmes, campaigns, activities, services and products.
4. Accuracy and authority
Information on the website must be factually correct. It must be without grammatical, language and spelling mistakes.
To strengthen the credibility of information, add source indications:
- Where information originates from sources such as books, journal articles or other types of publications, include adequate citations to these sources to confirm the accuracy and origin of the information.
- Speeches and interviews must display the name and portfolio of the speaker or person interviewed, the name of the relevant government department, and the date when the speech was delivered or interview held.
- Statements and advisories must display the name of the relevant government department, the date of release and contact details for more information. If the statement is issued in the name of a person, e.g. the director-general of a department, that person’s name and portfolio should be added.
- Information about events must indicate the date, time, venue and contacts where more information can be obtained. Any additional information (e.g. a relevant website, press release or other information) will add value.
Do quality control of information before it is posted, as well as on a regular basis thereafter to prevent any compromise to the integrity of information on the website. In particular, check that all links added are still relevant.
5. Currency and timeliness
5.1 The website must be current
To ensure that users view the website as an authoritative and reliable source of information about the department, the website must always be current and up to date. The latest information must be available, while old and irrelevant information must be removed.
Therefore, information has to be checked and updated on a regular basis.
The website manager should determine upfront what information needs to be updated and how often it should be updated. Implement ongoing improvements and measures and procedures to ensure regular updates.
5.2 Follow best practices
Follow these practices to demonstrate that your website is current:
- Make time-sensitive information (e.g. advisories, statements, vacancies, bids, announcements of events,) available in real-time. These should all contain a date of issue or of expiry.
- Ensure that the most current information is available on the website (e.g. contact information, organisational structure, functions, cost of services, latest editions of products).
- Make information released to the public in printed form available online at the same time it is released in the public domain.
- Each meaningful information item must display the date when it was compiled (above the footer).
- Remove obsolete information from the website. Only keep information that is useful and relevant on the website. This does not mean that older information should not be available. The criterion is that the information should still be valid.
- Remove or update broken links continuously. There are tools available to assist you to check the links on your website, e.g. the W3C link checker (https://validator.w3.org/checklink).
- Update the “What’s new” page/area on the website regularly. Many users may go to this section first and may not return to the website if this information is not updated. Date each entry on this page with the date of release (not date of uploading) to enable users to determine the currency.
- Update the site map when you add new sections to the website or when you change the information architecture.
- Include a publishing or delivery date for all documents, publications, speeches and media statements posted on the website.
5.3 Manage interactivity
An important part of website maintenance is to ensure that interactive services are managed properly.
Website users expect quick responses to requests for information. It is also good practice to thank users who provide feedback.
If your website provides for a discussion group or other social media, it must be moderated and managed well.
6. Monitoring traffic flow
Departments must monitor traffic flow and areas of interest to the users of their websites and of user feedback, and then use this information to improve the information on the website.
The following statistics are useful for this purpose:
- number of users (visitors)
- number of visits (unique visits)
- number of page impressions/views
- most frequently used pages
- least frequently used pages
- top entry pages
- top referring pages
- successful requests
- unsuccessful requests.
You can use various tools, e.g. Google analytics.