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LEW Webmaster Notes: Useful Techie Stuff!!
Embed Code from Another Web Site
LEW now has the ability to accept just about any HTML or other kind of code. This is useful when you want
to embed an object offered to you by another Web site. See examples in the next section.
1. Find the code you want to copy from the other web site. If there is a choice, you might want to try the different options to find the one you like best or the one that works the best. If offered, try that which starts with <iframe> or <table>.
2. Copy all of the code following the instructions on that Web site. Sometimes they may give you two snippets of code with instructions that one snippet is to be placed near the top or the bottom of the web page coding.
3. Paste the (primary) code into your web page at the point you want to see it. If a 2nd snippet, try to place it on your page either before or after the other code and only once.
4. Preview the page. If you see some code on the previewed page, then go back into edit mode and enclose code with: <html>….code….</html>. Always try the code without the begin/end HTML commands. Use them only if necessary.
5. Sometimes you may want to modify width and height values to fit your page.
Widgets You Can Use
Here are some widgets we have found that may be of use to you. It is the responsibility of the supplying
Web site to provide good code and instructions. Note: their instructions might change over time. The width of the LEW left column is 300px and the main body is 580px at this time (they might change!).
Unless too wide, consider putting these in the left column in the new special area called “Sidebar below menu”. Optimum width of data or image in the sidebar area is 260px.
WIDGET Where to find it Notes
Facebook Social Plug-Ins
https://developers.facebook.com/docs/plugins/ Fill in a form with the options you want. Use the <iframe> option.
Twitter Plugins Sign in to twitter.com and visit the widgets section of your settings page
Constant Contact Newsletter signup
After logging into Constant Contact, go to Contacts > Grow My Contact List. Then click Create a link.
LWVUS Network Widget (Action)
http://www.lwv.org/content/league-online-network-widget
Must embed inside <html>...</html>
Vote411 Widget (without Vote411 logo)
<iframe
src='http://www.vote411.org/widgets/widget-
nologo.html' width="202" height="230"
frameborder='0' style="overflow:hidden;"
allowtransparency="true"></iframe>
Step 2 above: Copy code at left.
Tell Search Engines about Your Site
Google has some very good recommendations. We are detailing them here and also providing more
specifics for LEW users.
DO WHY DON’T For LEW Users: Create unique, accurate page titles. They should be brief and descriptive.
Page title contents are displayed in search results
Avoid using lengthy titles that are unhelpful to reader.
Page Heading: “Title”
Make use of the "description" meta tag. Unique sentence or two or a short paragraph that would both inform and interest users.
Displayed in search results.
Avoid using generic descriptions like "This is a web page" or "Page about voting”.
“Description in Table of Contents”. Check box: The page description should be used as search meta-description
Offer quality content and services. Anticipate differences in users' understanding of your topic and offer unique, exclusive content. Write easy-to-read text that is organized around the topic.
Interesting sites will increase their recognition on their own.
Avoid: * dumping large amounts of text on varying topics onto a page without paragraph, subheading, or layout separation. * rehashing existing content that will bring little value to users.
Your sections on pages.
Write better anchor text (the clickable text describing what users will see when they click to go to one of your pages or another web site.) Aim for short but descriptive text-usually a few words or a short phrase.
The better your anchor text is, the easier it is for users to navigate and for Google to understand what the page you are linking to is about.
Avoid: *writing generic anchor text like "page", "article", or "click here" *using text that is off-topic or has no relation to the content of the page linked to *using the page's URL as the anchor text in most cases
“anchor text”<page.html> or “anchor text”<+http://site.org>
Use brief, but descriptive filenames and alt text (especially if image is “clickable”)
Alt text is the alternative text for an image if it cannot be displayed (eg, screen reader)
Avoid: *using generic filenames like "image1.jpg", "pic.gif", "1.jpg" when possible. *writing extremely lengthy filenames
Filenames for any uploaded file (PDF, jpg, etc). “Alt text” entered when graphic uploaded.
Use heading tags to emphasize important text. Imagine you’re writing an outline Use headings sparingly across the page.
Catch the user’s eye: this text is important and can help them understand something about the content beneath the heading.
Avoid: *using headings that are not helpful in defining the structure of the page. *excessively using heading tags throughout a page
“Section Heading” <h2>…</h2> <h3>…</h3>
What’s New with LEW??? Be sure to check out the “Hot Topics” in the LEW Help Area!!!!! Carol Watts, Webmaster/Administrator, League Easy Web, LWV California, July 2013 [email protected]
