Maintaining Your Rank on Google with Version 3.0

As of April 21, 2015, Google will be changing their search algorithm so that mobile-friendly sites rank higher in search results. If your club or district is currently on Version 2.0, this change will have a significant impact on how your website ranks online. Further, with a Version 2.0 website, you run the risk of not being included in search results made through mobile devices. 

To read more about this upcoming change, please click here.

Version 2.0 is built on what is now an older architecture which we are going to stop supporting in the coming month, which is why we strongly advise all clubs and districts that have not yet switched to Version 3.0 to do so. Completely redesigned from the ground up, Version 3.0 boasts many new features and enhancements including a mobile-friendly experience, new Rotary branded website and bulletin themes, customization options, flash support and more.  

We can help!

If you are unsure of which version your club is currently on, please contact our support team. If you prefer that we switch your club to Version 3.0, we'll be happy to do so at no charge. There is no difference in price between the two versions, and switching does not affect your ongoing current events, activities, or admin duties. 

To learn more about how to switch, we invite you to view our help guide which gives you easy to follow step by step instructions, though, once again, if you prefer our team do this for you, simply contact us with the name of your club and we'll be happy to do so.

Don't risk invisibility! 

Best Practices for Bulletin Content

We've said it before! Your club bulletin is an excellent tool for engagement with both your own membership and the world at large. How can you ensure that your newsletter doesn't get caught by spam filters and that all recipients see the same formatting? We often get asked for tips and tricks and some best practices to keep in mind for bulletins, which is why we thought we'd share our first of many articles on the topic and start with what we're asked quite often.

Videos and Animations: Why cannot we add videos in our newsletter?

This is a question we get asked a lot. While many desktop and web-based email clients used to support video in email, as security tightened and spam became a bigger problem, video support became a thing of the past. The following items cannot be sent in the body of an email:

• Videos
• Flash
• Quicktime
• Windows Media
• Java Applet
• HTML5

However, here are some options you can use instead of video:

• Use animated gifs
• Take a screenshot of the video and then make a clickable link to where the video file is stored

Forms in Bulletin: We want to collect feedback and want to add a form. Why can't we?

Most email clients consider email forms to be a security risk. While some email clients simply warn you of potential  danger, others outright disable the forms. Below items are not permitted when sending an email:

• Cannot use Forms (ex: < form >, < select >, < input >, etc.)

As a result, we recommend using a link to the form so the viewer can just click on the link and be taken directly to the form to submit.

Choosing a Bulletin Font: What font and font size is recommended?

When you are sending an email message, it's important to use a font that is clear and easy to read. Be sure to make your font large enough so that the reader doesn't have to squint to read your message, but not so large that the reader has to scroll a long way down to read all the message.

It's also important to use a plain font, because like we mentioned earlier, not all email programs view messages the same way. You don't want the content of your message to be jumbled or strangely formatted because the reader's email program didn't view the font the same way yours did.

Basic fonts like Arial, Verdana, and Times New Roman work well. Depending on how much content you have in your email message select a 10 or 12 point font size for legibility.

Have tips of your own you'd like to share? Comment below! We'd love to hear them.

Updates to the Attendance 3.0 (Beta) Module!

Many of you are already aware of our upcoming Attendance 3.0 module, and in fact many of you have already seen this module come to life by participating in our Early Access Preview! While in it's Early Access phase, we've made a number of changes and updates based on your feedback.

Here are just a few updates recently made, with many more on the way.

Did you know you can now report makeups to closed meetings & against events?

As of our latest software update, you can now add multiple banked makeups using attendance at events. To do so, you would need to navigate to the Makeups screen and enter the date and description for a makeup event, and then select any members who wish to report this event for their banked makeups.

Secondly, you now also have the ability to add makeups to closed meetings. To do so, navigate to the Meetings page within the module and then simply click on the closed meeting followed by the Makeups tab from where you will be able to and single or multiple makeups.

Did you know you can now filter makeups by date?

That's right! We've now added a filter by date range option within the makeups screen, and can select a start and end date to view all the makeups applied during that period for all members.  

Did you know you can customize member lists to print?

We've added a new feature that allows you to filter your member list according to Active/Honorary members as well as other users. Print your list and keep track of all the funds distribution, notes and more!

A far more intuitive and revamped version of what you are currently used to, we will be releasing this module very soon! Stay tuned for its official release date.