govpress and wordpress for small city websites
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Simplifyingsmall city websitesGovPress + WordPress
Intros
Sam Taylor
City of Ferndale
@commsam
@cityofferndale
Luke Fretwell
GovFresh
@lukefretwell
@govfresh
Inspiration
Website fundamentals
● Content management● Design and development● Hosting, maintenance, support (self/third-
party)
Why GovPress + WordPress
● Small cities with limited budgets need to be empowered to manage their websites without prohibitive license, service, maintenance fees
● It should be easy for governments to deploy a simple, elegant website design using a modern content management system
● Easily solves CMS + design hurdles
Content managementWordPress
WordPress
WordPress is a free, open source content management system (CMS) that can be self- or third-party hosted.
WordPress by the numbers
● Founded: 2003● Most popular content management system, powers
more than 60 million websites● Powers ~23% of the top 10 million websites (as of
August 2013)● More than 30,000 plugins (SEO, forms, security,
administration, etc.)
WordPress popularity
DesignGovPress
GovPress
GovPress is a simple, free, mobile-friendly WordPress theme for government.
GovPress timeline
● January 2010: First version theme launched (City of Manor, TX)● September 2010: Launched City of De Leon, TX, released theme
to public● 2012: Deleted theme, moved on● December 2012: City of Ferndale, others began contacting, asking
about● 2013: Started to rebuild theme to be mobile-friendly● January 2014: Started working with Devin Price to build official
version● March 2014: GovPress becomes official WordPress theme
GovPress features
● Free● Simple (not an art project)● Mobile-friendly● Easy to customize (colors, hompage, etc.)● Easy to add navigation menus, widgets● Free updates
Customize: Colors
Customize: Menus
Customize: Widgets
Case studyCity of Ferndale, WA
Ferndale by the numbers
● Population: 12,710● City of Ferndale Total Employees: 62● City Clerk’s Office Employees: 2● City of Ferndale General Fund Budget:
$7.9 million● City Clerk/Finance Department’s
Budget: $407,203● Website Budget: $0● IT Team - Contracted
cityofferndale.org timeline
● 2004: First website● 2007: Overhaul● 2011: Began researching content management options● January 2013: Requested IT contractor to load up new
website server box so I could start building new site ● January 2013: Box set up, WordPress loaded using
original GovFresh WP theme● June 13, 2013 - New site live (198 pages)● March 2014: Launched using new GovPress theme
Before: cityofferndale.org
After: cityofferndale.org
cityofferndale.org by the numbers
By device:
● desktop (68.93%)● mobile (23.99%)● tablet (7.08%)
March 15 - November 2, 2014
cityofferndale.org by the numbers
● Sessions: 60,525● Pageviews: 128,446● Pages / Session: 2.12● Avg. Session Duration: 00:01:37● New visitors: 67.6%● Returning visitors: 32.4%
March 15 - November 2, 2014
cityofferndale.org by the numbersTop 10 pages:
● Homepage: 26.50%● Marijuana regulation: 9.89%● Employment: 4.63%● Star Park Playground Project: 3.92%● Utility payments: 3.14%● Maps & GIS: 2.56%● Public works: 2.12%● Parks & recreation: 2.09%● Forms & applications: 2.06%● Contact: 1.47%
March 15 - November 2, 2014
cityofferndale.org
cityofferndale.org
Recommended plugins
● Jetpack by WordPress (Swiss army knife)● Askimet (spam)● WordPress SEO by Yoast (search engine optimization)● Limit Login Attempts (security)● WP Super Cache (site performance)● Formidable Forms (forms)● Easy Fancybox (navigation)
Open government
● CMS makes it easier to post timely information in a machine-readable format
● Built-in /feed functionality allows users to easily subscribe to RSS feeds
● WordPress Jetpack JSON API allows you to authorize applications and services to securely connect to your blog and to use your content in new ways and offer citizens new functionality
● Additional plugins let you quickly and easily build in search engine optimization, social sharing, etc.
● Mobile-friendly theme makes your website more user-friendly for citizens, adapts based on their device (phone, tablet, laptop,desktop)
GovDesign offer
Free website design using GovPress theme:govpress.co/govdesign
Questions?
GovPress
govpress.co
Luke Fretwell
GovFresh
Sam Taylor
City of Ferndale