Many thanks to the 253 people who completed the survey and the Research Network for their work in tabulating and analyzing the results. As promised, we are sharing the aggregate results with you!
Does your congregation have a web site?
3 %
No
97 %
Yes
What is the URL (address) of your site? More than 220 congregations are represented in the survey.
What do you hope your web site will achieve? Please pick the three most important goals from the following list.
The following responses had more than 10 percent.
71 %
Attract new members
88 %
Provide information for members about events, worship schedule, etc.
12 %
Raise the profile of the congregation in the Jewish world
20 %
Promote congregation in general community
20 %
Build community
25 %
Engage members more frequently with the synagogue
24 %
Market activities/events
In many congregations, responsibility for the web site is shared.
The survey showed that overwhelmingly it is the webmaster that has the major responsibility for the content (80 percent) and the day-to-day maintenance (87 percent). In determining content, the rabbi is consulted in 58 percent of the congregations, the administrator in 35 percent, the educator in 47 percent, the president in 52 percent.
How technically trained is the person who is responsible for the day-to-day maintenance of the site? Please choose one.
34 %
Professional webmaster - knows programming language, web technologies and/or server management
44 %
Has basic knowledge of HTML & forms, but not a professional webmaster
20 %
Is comfortable with office applications (Word, Excel, database), but not a professional webmaster
2 %
Other
The person responsible for the day -to-day management of our site uses the following applications. Please mark all that apply.
12 %
Perl/CGI
4 %
ASP
1%
ASP.NET
9 %
Java
8 %
Unix/Linux
20 %
Dreamweaver
29 %
FrontPage
27 %
Photoshop
6 %
Fireworks
8 %
Flash
2 %
Coldfusion
4 %
XML
25 %
Don't know
Is anyone specifically compensated for working on your web site?
14 %
Yes
86 %
No
Where does/do the person/people responsible for maintaining the site do the work? Please mark all that apply.
14 %
Congregational office
70 %
Home
25 %
Work location other than the synagogue
2 %
Don't know
What software programs are used to maintain your web site? Please mark all that apply.
17 %
Dreamweaver
27 %
Front Page
21 %
Text editor
31 %
FTP
2 %
content management
23 %
Other
26 %
Don't know
How much did your congregation spend to design the web site?
82 %
Nothing: designed by a volunteer
11 %
Less than $1000
3 %
$1000 - $2500
4 %
$2500 or more
How many pages are there on your site?
21 %
1-10
32 %
11-25
39 %
25 or more
8 %
Don't know
What do you think are the three most visited parts of your site? Please list these parts.(Top five)
49 %
Calendar
22 %
Home Page
13 %
Upcoming events
11 %
Service/worship information
10 %
About the congregation
What percentage of the content on your site is time/date sensitive?
28 %
10 percent or less
37 %
10-25 percent
21 %
25-50 percent
11 %
More than 50 percent
3 %
Don't know
How often is your site updated?
5 %
Daily
32 %
Weekly
48 %
Monthly
12 %
Very infrequently
3 %
Don't know
What are the greatest challenges for keeping your site updated?
Important (1 & 2)
Not Important (4 & 5)
Volunteer Webmaster doesn't have time
47 %
33 %
Contributors do not meet deadlines
39 %
37 %
Lack of technical skill
22 %
65 %
Software is difficult to handle
8 %
82 %
Not enough content
29 %
54 %
Help us learn what information currently appears on congregational web sites and what information would be useful were it available. Please check the items that are part of your site and the items you would like to have on your site. Leave blank any item in which you are not interested.
CONTENT
Have on site
Would like to have
Rabbi's message
59 %
19 %
President's message
39 %
27 %
Calendar of worship
87 %
6 %
Calendar of activities
82 %
10 %
Religious school news
46 %
32 %
Youth news
39 %
35%
Ads
6 %
13%
Information for prospective members
60 %
27%
WRJ/Brotherhood
44 %
10%
Photos
61 %
22%
Staff profiles
46 %
21 %
Lay leader profiles
13 %
29%
History of the synagogue
66 %
21 %
Online congregational directory
16 %
18 %
Volunteer opportunities
26 %
38 %
Torah commentary
16 %
36 %
Activities to do with children
19 %
36 %
Book reviews/study guides
8 %
46 %
Holiday recipes
8%
37 %
Holiday information
8 %
27%
Social Action activities
52 %
23 %
Information about intermarriage/interfaith relationships
9 %
33 %
Israeli/Jewish news
13 %
27 %
Information about conclaves
6 %
19 %
Retreat/study opportunities for adults
16 %
26 %
Map/directions to congregation
12 %
17 %
FEATURES
E-mail aliases for staff/lay leaders
60 %
15 %
Online registration for events/classes
11 %
50 %
RSVP for events
12 %
51 %
Staff members can easily update content
10 %
40 %
Secure credit card donations/payments
5 %
44 %
Sign up for e-mail communications
22 %
42 %
Are you satisfied with the content of your site?
50 %
Yes
50 %
No
If the Union were able to provide the content and features listed in question 16 for your site in a way that would not require the services of a highly trained webmaster, but would require changes to your existing site, would you be interested?
80 %
Yes
20 %
No
Are you satisfied with the design of your site?
67 %
Yes
33 %
No
If you were to redesign your site, how important would each of the following features be in your redesign?
Very Impt.
Neutral
Not Impt.
General aesthetics (color, logo, layout, etc)
80 %
18 %
2 %
Design consistent with other congregational materials
44 %
39 %
17 %
Navigation
95 %
3 %
2 %
Ease of maintenance
89 %
10 %
1 %
Interactivity
51 %
41 %
8 %
Availability of new/fresh content
83 %
16 %
1 %
Ability to update/change frequently
85 %
14 %
1 %
Ability for staff to update content
48 %
32 %
20 %
Ability for committee chairs/affiliates to have control over their areas
22 %
41 %
37 %
What are the greatest problems you encounter with your web site? Please mark all that apply.
Webmaster does not have needed technical skills
14 %
Contributors do not meet deadlines
28 %
Too few people use it
37 %
Lack of resourceful content
27 %
Lack of timely news
26 %
Board/staff do not understand its potential
41 %
Do not have enough financial/staff resources to develop properly
30 %
Do not have enough fresh information
30 %
Board/staff/committee chairs cannot update their areas
19 %
Site doesn't accurately reflect the congregation
7 %
Doesn't provide value to members
13 %
Not marketed well enough
36 %
What does your congregation do to encourage web site use? Please mark all that apply.
URL on all stationery and business cards
50 %
URL on bulletin
82 %
Materials are posted on web, with excerpts distributed in print and/or e-mail
29 %
E-mails direct congregants to the web
42 %
Congregation URL is listed on online community directories (federation, town, etc.)
44 %
Announce at services
28 %
None of the above
4 %
Where is your web site hosted?
UAHC
45 %
Web hosting provider (please specify)
36 % *
Geocities
Less than 1 %
Yahoo
Less than 1 %
In-house Web server at the temple
5 %
Other
13 %
* 14 respondents indicated a member's company
What is your congregation now spending on Web hosting annually?
Multimedia: 