Some members may be concerned at the amount of money that has been spent since the 2012 Federal AGM on upgrading the ICSA website - www.illawarrasaust.com.au. As I said in my annual meeting report, unfortunately technology is progressing at an enormous rate and unless programs, websites etc are continually upgraded they become unworkable and crash and burn meaning that programs don't work properly, info is lost and eventually everything has to start from scratch.
The verbal advice I received last year from the website creator is that the updates that are now continually being carried out in the website's engine room, will mean that as a new engine version is developed, it can be simply installed at a small cost rather than having to carry out a major refit. I can't imagine any organisation or business operating without a website in this day and age but it is difficult to quantify the benefit of our website as it is not a retail site. We don't sell goods so it's difficult to know what impact it's having but I continue to receive enquiries through the website - not a lot but some - from outside the breed and across the world so it is reaching people. The best evidence I have are the statistics, so let me dazzle you.
Average number of bonafide visitors per day - currently 85 for the month of May. I remember when I got excited when the number reached 20 per day back when the Queensland Branch started the website. Visitor numbers are steadily increasing so I'm hoping by the end of the year we may hit a century.
Sales: Mountain Farm Illawarra Dispersal Sale - uploaded 17.5.13. 124 have read the article. 70 have downloaded the catalogue. Illawarra Impact Sale - 408 downloaded the initial flier, 417 opened the catalogue, 231 read the sale report.
Genetics: The recently added Storman Jet-Son - 90 read the article, 68 went further and looked at the bull listing. KDSandman - 201 read the article, 156 looked at the bull listing. Milking Shorthorn Sires - 268, Clarefield Millman semen - 192. The AgriGene 2012 updated flier has been downloaded 413 times.
Show Results: Gympie results - 111 viewers, Toowoomba Royal results - 222, Sydney Royal results - 322, Nowra 233, Berry 341, IDW 434.
Rules & Breed Info: 152 read about the Federal Changes following the 2012 AGM, 521 have downloaded the Memorandum & Articles of Assoc, 993 downloads of the Illawarra Type Assessment Handbook, an average of 185 looked at the rules and forms re DNA.
Production stats - National Production 305 day info uploaded in March has been downloaded 45 times.
Adverts: I am now uploading adverts made by Studs in CrazyCow to the Features section on the home page and each Stud advert is averaging 150 viewings. The Qld Br advert uploaded in October 2012 has been viewed 304 times.
Gossip items: Juniors making an impact - 189 viewings, Members showing confidence in marriage 199, Springvale move to new farm 197.
Last year's upgrade has made it much easier to add photos particularly to the home page articles but people are also looking at the photo gallery. Most popular in the last 12 months has been the Vic OFC with 227, Qld OFC 174, Toow Royal 151, NSW OFC 117, Sydney Royal 94, IDW 89.
