Texas Bandmasters Association
Bandmasters Review • June 2013
11
What is the first impression that
students, parents and members
of the community have of your
band program? Is it a big half-time
performance? What about your
recruiting concert? For many, it is
the band website. The thought of
creating and managing a website
seems impossible to many band
directors. You may think it takes
too much time and tech knowledge
or it’s too expensive to hire a
professional. However, creating a
website to represent your band is
easier than you might think.
Google Blogger enables you
to easily create and maintain an
effective, free band website that has
the appearance of being designed
by a professional. A great band
website is one that will help you
communicate with parents, recruit
new members, retain current
members and bridge the gap
between your students and the
band world. What can an updated
website do for your program?
Communicat ion
Parents and students will never be
out of the loop once they subscribe
to your site. They will receive an
email each time you add a post.
A post is an entry to the home
page of your site. The most recent
posts are displayed at the top of the
page. Use posts to highlight student
achievements, remind the band
about a rehearsal or display photos
from a recent event. Add a separate
page for your Google Calendar, and
display the most current upcoming
events on the home page. Do you
teach in a diverse community? The
translate function
makes it easy
for non-English
speaking parents
to stay connected.
For itineraries,
recordings, or
any protected
content, you can
add a members-
only page that
requires a pass-
word for access.
Recrui t ing
Potential band
members and
their parents might look at your
website before you have a chance
to send them a brochure or email.
To make a great first impression,
create a future band members page
that has:
1. A picture of some of the
friendliest faces in your band
2. A step-by-step guide on how
to join
3. Videos that feature each
instrument or your most recent
marching shows
4. Quotes from current students
about what band means to them
5. A section with frequently
asked questions
The future band members
page should have a positive and
welcoming feel that gets potential
band members
and parents
excited about
the possibility
of being part of
your program.
Retent ion
For middle
school bands,
the website is
a great way to
promote
the
high school band
and
increase
retention from
8
th
to 9
th
grade.
Make frequent posts about what
the high school band is doing,
and focus on achievements of
your middle school alumni. This
will make your former students
feel like celebrities, and will show
your middle school students what
they have to look forward to. High
school bands can also help with
8
th
to 9
th
retention by keeping
their website updated with awards
and achievements, no matter how
small. At every level, students can
What Can An Updated Website
Do For Your Band Program?
Gina Scheer along
wi th Andy Sealy and
Bryan Edwards wi l l
present
“Using Technology
to Recrui t , Promote,
Teach, Mot ivate
and More! ” on
Monday, July 22
at 8: 15 a.m and
Wednesday, July 24
at 8: 15 a.m.
Gina Scheer