Katie Coen

The Confederated Salish and Kootenai Tribes (CSKT) is looking for proposals for a new and improved website that provides a better experience for Tribal members living on the Flathead Indian Reservation, researchers, and tourists. After analyzing their RPI, I created a content strategy report outlining what steps they can take to improve their online presence.

CSKT covers a wide territory in Montana that is home to three Native American tribes. Their website gives people living on the tribe information about events, services, their government, and more. It is also targeted at people outside the reservation seeking to learn about their culture and practices, and tourists hoping to visit. 

The process began with taking a deep dive into their current content. It offers a wide range of valuable information, but the presentation is outdated. The website looks old and was clearly created with very simple HTML and CMS code. The content used across the website also needs an upgrade. The images are not good quality, lowering the professionalism of the site. Plus, the writing is too formal for the targeted audiences. 

In addition to the surface level content, I analyzed the website for search engine optimization and accessibility. Throughout this process, I found many flaws. There are issues with page titles, repetitive meta descriptions, and missing headers. The website is also not up to par with accessibility standards. Almost all the images are missing alt text or attributes, which help a screen reader communicate what can be seen on the website. 

To combat these issues, many steps can be taken by CSKT. As for content, I recommend adding a newsletter, an events calendar, announcement banners on the Home page, an interactive map, more images, short videos, and other small features that will improve the usability of the site. Much of the existing content can be salvaged with some upgrades. The text across the website can be edited and made more conversational. This will allow readers to connect more with the material. Social media can also be used to a greater extent to spread the message of CSKT and reach more people in their target audience. 

Part of this process included designing a new website look. I created wireframes and maps highlighting the content that is most important to CSKT. 

While researching CSKT, I also completed a competitive analysis, looking at other government websites with similar goals. I compared their navigation, content, interactive features, and SEO/accessibility. This research found that the other websites have a more modern feel that attracts viewers to stay on the site longer. 

Reaching this new standard of online content can be difficult. To help CSKT and their executive team successfully complete this process, I laid out a writing style guide to help improve the text on the website and explained the roles and process to follow. 

Once the website is restructured, the process is not over. I found key performance indicators for CSKT that will help them track their success. 

You can read the full content strategy report here.