Websites

Websites present a huge opportunity for connecting with today’s teenagers, who are the first generation to have grown up with internet technology. Get it right and you’ve got an enthusiastic, engaged and entertained audience. Get it wrong however, and you’ve lost them in the click of a mouse. Below are some do’s and don’ts on targeting teenagers via the web and links to commercial websites that are currently top of the pops for teens.

Do's...

• Give them what they want, such as interactive games, chat rooms and quizzes.
• Give them an opportunity to talk about themselves and others.
• Be responsible for all content. If you have others posting content, it must be accurate and suitable for the target audience.
• Consult your target audience. What would they like to see, and are you getting the tone right.
  

Don’ts...

• Make them work too hard. The website should be fun to use and easy to navigate.
• Have a one size fits all approach. The information you present to practitioners is unlikely to be interesting to the target cohort.
• Clutter the site with too much information. Keep it clean and fresh, keeping the content as concise and snappy as possible.