The thinking behind Ledbury Online

What has motivated the Ledbury Online Site? How has it come into being? How will it survive?

Fundamentally there were a range of needs identified as being essential to support the development of the Internet in and around Ledbury, these arose out of discussions and learning with many people throughout Ledbury, and elsewhere.

• For Ledbury businesses and organisations, (or any other), to make efficient use of the Internet, they need a coherent approach to reach the complex world of the Internet, - with consistent, co-ordinated support.
• Many local businesses and voluntary organisations need to promote their work to Ledbury people, so a site needs to exist to focus the 'eyes of Ledbury'.
• One of the few proven ways to operate a web site which encourages visitors to return regularly, is to operate a topical site, one which provides good content, one that continuously changes, and one that is exceptionally easy to use.
• The continuous updating of this community based site must be achieved with ease, without falling on any one persons shoulders - the sites topicality must be developed by the many of the users of the site

Ledbury Online seeks to address these needs in the following ways...

1. Provide a free service to all Ledbury Internet Users to connect their work, ideas and activities - Ledbury Online taking the role of facilitator.
2. Support growing community interest in the Internet and grasp the nettle of opportunity that exists for Ledbury businesses, many of whom offer a unique service.
3. Provide a mechanism to link together the proliferation of sites which ...
   • relate to Ledbury
   • serve Ledbury
   • work out of Ledbury
   • share information about Ledbury
4. Showcase the potential of the web if it is managed efficiently - and hence provide a showcase for our work.
5. Promote Ledbury businesses, organisations, and the area itself, through a topical, efficiently run web site to the rest of the world.
6. Promote the thinking, ideas and activities, of Ledbury people to Ledbury people through a topical, efficiently run web site

Ultimately the success of the site depends upon the level of usage, by people with an interest in Ledbury. Resources have been charitably applied to make this site the No. 1 Ledbury Web Site, through clever local promotion, through efficient design, through search engine promotions, and through the web site's topicality. However the web site also needs to be comprehensive and up to date... and to achieve this, it will need to generate the support of everyone who is linked into it.

Free membership of Ledbury Online is offered to businesses and charitable organisations, where they can publish information about their work and activities - in a clear and concise manner. A link to their web site can be placed into the Ledbury Online Directory. Details about any work related to Ledbury can be placed into the Classified Section of the web site.

Other promotional opportunities exist - local Internet developments of any kind can be described and entered into the news section of the site, or could be included in our mailing list to many Ledbury Interested users of the Internet. Ledbury Online also provides free to use mechanisms to promote web sites in general - with the ability to submit your own site to search engines.

"Run by Ledbury folk, for Ledbury folk... everywhere!"
Designed and managed by Richard Maddrell
Email : Info@LedburyOnline.co.uk
Phone or Fax +44 (0) 1989 770165