How Web savvy is your program?

Welcome to the inaugural posting on the new CVP blog. And welcome to our new and improved Web site.

I’ll admit… I’m new to the world of blogging, as I suspect, are some of you. We can learn together about what works and what you, as a reader, are interested in. I can make you one early promise and that is that we will not blog for the sake of blogging, but rather will aim to share useful information and opinions when it is warranted. After all, you already have enough to read!

Each month or so, we’ll have guest authors posting their observations about the industry, recycling, education and measurement – CVP’s areas of focus. We encourage you to comment and to join in on the conversation.

So, for our first posting, I’ll throw out a question: How many of you use the Web as a vital education tool for your recycling program?

We asked recycling coordinators around the country about their Web sites and found that while only a small percentage (7%) of you revealed not having a Web site at all, there is still a disproportionate number of you who don’t use it as effectively as you could.

So, why is this? Is it not a priority? Do you not have the resources? Is the Web not an effective tool for you?  The Pew Research Institute says that 74% of American adults are Internet users. This amounts to 147 million Americans who are routinely using the Internet to shop, to search for information, to read news and to socialize.

What does this mean for your program? Well, simply put, it means that you cannot ignore the Web or your Web site. Only 46% of you report measuring traffic to your site. And 58% of you say it takes a few minutes for visitors to your site to find key information about your recycling program.

Would you keep coming back to the CVP Web site if you could not quickly find what you are looking for? Would you stop reading your favorite newspaper online if they didn’t have relevant content that it was easy-to-find? So, why not hold your program’s Web site to this same standard? After all, folks coming to your site are Internet users and they don’t give many free passes. If they can’t sign up for recycling online, they most likely will not take the extra step of calling your office, in some cases to speak to a pre-recorded voice. If they can’t find out what can and cannot be recycled on your Web site, they most likely will get it wrong and either throw away more than they should or give up. If they can’t find out the benefits of recycling from your site, they will look elsewhere or possibly write it off.

So, take off your recycling coordinator hat and put on your Internet user hat. What would you want to see and where? Then do it. We know things don’t happen overnight… particularly in city or county government… but even baby steps will make a world of a difference.

At CVP we work with communities of all sizes. We understand that regardless of size, you are all under budget pressure as well as pressure to grow participation but not costs. One easy way to do this is to utilize the Web more, and rely on more traditional endeavors like direct mail less. (These typically cost more anyway.) You could actually save money and be more effective at the same time.

Food for thought.

Steve Thompson is the Program Director for CVP and can be reached via e-mail at sthompson@recyclecurbside.org.

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