Aaron Manfull is sharing advice about creating a website based on his experience in working with his student staffs. Photo by Casey Kochey

Aaron Manfull is offering tips about creating online student media.

1. Don’t make working on the website as punishment.
Aaron explained at the beginning of the website, the student editors would make the staff members who missed their deadline for the print edition would have to write two stories for the website. That gave the impression that those working on the website were the problem students. Don’t do that.

2. Get an easy, memorable URL.
Aaron talked about the progression of the student media’s website.

3. Choose your platform.
Can post PDFs of publication online at issuu.com
Use application like Dreamweaver.
Using a content management system like my.hsj.org, Joomla, Drupal or WordPress.

Aaron is advocating WordPress as the platform to be used for high school media.

• Can be edited from multiple locations — school computers, home computers, smartphones.
• Doesn’t require a site license.
• Fairly easy to use.

4. Learn all you can about the platform you choose.

• Find free tutorial handouts and videos by search the Web.
• Pay for video tutorials, such as Lynda.com
• Hire someone in your community to train you and your staff — and they may even do it for free.
• JEADigitalMedia.org

5. Develop a sitemap and choose a theme.
Aaron recommends spending the money to purchase a custom
Rockettheme.com
woothemes.com
Solostream.com
Press75.com