What is an RSS feed?

What is an RSS feed?

RSS stands for "Really Simple Syndication,” and it allows you to publish a stream of frequently updated information on your Region website, such as blogs, news, and audio and video content.

RSS has become very popular, and you’ve most likely noticed that a lot of websites have the orange RSS icon displayed somewhere on the page. This icon provides a direct link to the RSS feed and is used by readers to receive off-line feeds that run directly on their computers.

One way to easily add these icons to your Region website is to use FeedBurner which will provide your readers with an easy way of subscribing to your RSS feed. Once they subscribe, all of your Region’s breaking news and updates will be sent directly to their inbox.

It will also provide you with the number of readers that have downloaded your RSS, along with other statistics.

Download the Discover Torrance app for the National Games!

National Games is coming up this weekend and Discover Torrance has an app to make your trip flow even smoother, if you are staying or playing near the Torrance fields. 
With this app people who live across the street or across the country will know where to go and what to do while in Torrance. The app includes two tabs that are dedicated solely to AYSO families for the National Games. Below are just three of the many tabs to check out on the app.

·         AYSO: This AYSO National Games exclusive tab includes information about the host hotel, events, schedules, scores and field locations.

·         Deals: This tab has information about any special offers going on during National Games for AYSO families.

·         Food: This tab features over 400 restaurants located in Torrance and will ensure that your family always has an array of options.

How to Reach a Bigger Facebook Audience

 Organic reach numbers are decreasing on Facebook business pages all over the country because of the updated Facebook News Feed algorithm. Simply, the new algorithm cuts down the amount of posts that a user receives in his/her News Feed. It’s great for the user, but at the same time prevents some information that your Region might post from getting to your usual target audience. 

What is organic reach? 

Organic reach is the number of people who saw your Region’s post through unpaid circulation. Paid reach is the number of people who saw your Region’s post as a result of Facebook ads.

 

The way websites get visitors has changed. In today's “Information Age”, if you are not prepared for tablets and cell phones, you are missing out. 

More and more folks are relying heavily on the convenience of their mobile devices. Managers, executives, investors, and other important decision-makers are now enjoying the convenience of a compact device that performs many of the same tasks that a bulky laptop was necessary for in the past. Everyone from moms, kids and business-people are getting their first impression of you from what they see on their tablet or phone. Is your website up to the task?

3 Reasons Your Region Should Have a Newsletter!

How many times in a season do you get the same question from dozens of parents? How about the early-morning phone calls about whether the game is still on? Here are three big reasons why your Region should have a newsletter. 

1. Communication: Having a newsletter allows you to keep communication open with parents and volunteers. It helps you answer questions before they are even asked! Whether your Region is big or small, having a newsletter will help you stay connected and keep everyone in-the-know. 
2. Sell Ad Space: When you have a strong newsletter going out consistently to an engaged audience, you can sell ad space to local businesses or show love to your current sponsors. 
3. A Place for Content: Your newsletter is a place to publicize early-bird pricing, registration dates, meeting info, volunteer openings, upcoming tournaments, the list goes on! Have a good time using your creative juices, but remember that the most successful newsletters are the clean and consistent ones. 

Print vs. Web Photo/Graphic DPI Resolution

Have you ever printed a photo/graphic that looked great on your computer and distorted or pixelated on paper? At some point everyone has come across this situation. This becomes a problem when you are using photos/graphics at the wrong resolution.

Why is it important to understand resolution? Because if you are looking to print something with quality images or are tasked with including vibrant pictures on your Region website, knowing a few basics will save you a lot of time and give you the best results.

DPI: Dots Per Inch. DPI is used to measure the resolution of an image both on screen and in print . The more dot’s ( higher DPI ) the higher the quality the more detail can be shown in an image. What’

Create an Inviting Experience

Want to ensure that visitors will exit your website almost immediately after landing there? If so, be sure to make it difficult for them to find what it is they are looking for. Want to get people to stay on your website longer and read all about your events and services? Follow these six simple design tips.

1. Have a polished, professional logo--and link it to your home page. Your logo is an important part of your brand. It represents your AYSO Region and activities, so make sure it's located prominently on your site. Use a clear, clean image and feature it in the upper left corner of all of your pages. Also, it's a good rule of thumb to link your logo back to your home page so that visitors can easily navigate to it.