Does a village hall need a website?

Most village halls I hear about already have a Facebook page, and often a very good one. So it is a fair question: does the hall need a website too?

My honest answer is that a website is worth having, and Facebook still has a place beside it. Here is why.

Where a Facebook page falls short

A Facebook page is quick to set up and free, which is exactly why it works so well for a busy volunteer committee. But it has limits that matter to a hall.

• Posts scroll away. The price list or the booking process you posted in March is buried by June.
• Not everyone uses it. Some people do not have an account, and some do not want one. They still want to know if the hall is free on a Saturday.
• It is hard to find in a search. Someone searching for a hall to hire for a christening party will usually land on a website before a social media page.
• You do not fully control it. Layouts and rules change, and the page is not yours in the way a website is.

What a website does for a village hall

A website gives the hall one place that always says the same, correct thing. That saves the booking secretary answering the same five questions every week.

• Hire prices, room sizes and what is included
• How to check availability and make a booking
• Regular events and how to join them
• Where the hall is, with parking and access information
• Who to contact, and how
• Policies, such as privacy, and any safeguarding information the hall uses

It also helps newcomers. A family that has just moved to the village will often look online first to find out what is on.

What a hall website does not need

It does not need to be big or clever. A handful of clear pages, kept up to date, beats a large site that nobody looks after. The biggest problem with community websites is not that they are ugly. It is that they go out of date.

Use both, and keep them in step

The best set-up I see is simple. Keep the facts on the website, and use Facebook for chat, photos and reminders. When you post about an event, link to the page on the website that has the full details. That way there is only one place to keep correct.

Does it have to be expensive?

It does not have to be. Many groups assume a proper website means a big bill and a volunteer who understands computers. That is not the only route. If you are curious what is reasonable, I have written a plain guide to what a community group website costs.

If your hall would like a website that someone else builds and looks after, that is exactly what I do for £20 a month. You can see how it works on the for groups page.