RedsealSW

Types of websites

As you are probably aware there is a seemingly endless number of different types and styles of website out there. Is there a right or a wrong way; not really. It’s personal preference. From the simple end of the scale, that give the players what they want (tables and stats) right up to a very polished and professional site, with adverts that can generate revenue for the league.

The Universal League Manager (ULM) produces web pages to the current standards (HTML 5.0 and CSS 3.0). It’s up to you how you use the web pages and where you put them. This article is an attempt to explain the differences between what I have called 4 different tiers, or levels, of website.

1. Simple top level

One league is uploaded to the top level of the domain. Advantages are that this is very simple to do and requires little knowledge. Although simple, this gives players exactly what they want and it looks great on a mobile phone; the web pages are responsive to the size of the device a player is using to view the site.

If just starting, then this is recommended as a good starting point. For a following season it will be easy to progress to the type of website described in 2 (below).

An example: http://www.llanellisnooker.co.uk

2. Simple top level index

Several leagues, or more likely the same league over several seasons, are uploaded to different folders and these folders are referenced from a simple top level index file.

This requires only minor setting up at the top level. A simple index page and some folders maybe all that is required. Although still reasonably simple, it gives players exactly what they want for the current season. Also, records of past seasons are easy to access.

Some examples:

http://www.colnevalleypoolleague.co.uk/

http://www.tunmorepoolleague.co.uk/

3. Addition to an established site

The web pages produced by the ULM are uploaded to a folder which links in to an already established site. Prior to using the ULM, the site probably had fixtures and results in pdf format, which makes them difficult to update and maintain. Put simply, the ULM replaces all those pdfs.

Some examples:

http://www.crewelhpoolleague.co.uk/results.html

http://www.cwmbranpoolleague.org.uk/

4. Fully integrated

The site is professionally designed and is normally specific to the league. Although revenue generating adverts can be added at the ULM level (and in any of the above tiers), websites such as these have much more potential for adverts and sponsorship. Obviously the cost of designing and maintaining these websites must be offset by the sponsorship generated.

Some examples:

https://morairadarts.es/

http://www.nteba.com.au/index.php/winter-roster-2017/premier

http://somersetcountypool.com/interleague2017.php

 

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