The Journey

If your centre has never had a website made with the original template, then before you complete these steps below, you will need to follow the steps on the Laying the Ground page.

1. Assign a webmaster / Project manager

You will need a person that can handle the technical aspect of moving the text and images over from your old site to your new one. Your centre most likely already has a webmaster, so this may be an easy step or you.  We will be using WordPress as a content management system (CMS) so there is no need for your webmaster to know any code or programming languages. We will be providing video training for your webmaster to learn how to use WordPress.

2. Prepare the content for your new website

If you are happy with the text on your current site, then once you have access to your demo site, you can just copy and paste from your current site to your new one.

Making your text clear and simple

Many people’s first exposure to the Shambhala centre is via your website.   Is your website text written for them? Getting a new website is the perfect time to reorganize and rewrite.  This can be done in Google docs, WORD or any other text editor you like.  Once this is done, you can copy and paste the text for each of your pages directly into your new site.

3. Gather new photos for your website

Your new site showcases larger photography than before.  Some beautiful Miksang photography will be provided (thanks to Terry Rudderham and Karen Inglehart!).  If you have centre specific images that you would like to use you should gather them now.

4. Set up Google analytics

Your new site will use Google Analytics to track the traffic that you are getting.  You will need to set up an account with Google Analytics so this can work.

5. Contact us – fill out the ‘build your site’ form

Once you have assigned a webmaster, cleaned up your website text and found any new images you need,  fill out this form and we will add you to the queue. It is important that you are 100% ready with the above before you contact us, as once you are given the keys to your new site you will have 3 weeks before you go live.

6. Payment

Once we send you the keys to your new site, we will also send you an invoice. Contact Pawel to know the cost and to set up payment. For larger centres, we are enabling payment over many months to help with cash flow. More info about payment is here.

7. Working on your demo site

When your spot in the queue is ready, we will set up a demo site for you.  You will then be able to start adding your text and images. First, your webmaster could spend time learning wordpress with the training videos that are connected to your site.  You can immediately add your text and images. We will also be able to help you along the way.

Once you are int the demo stage you will have 3 weeks before you go live. If you are ready to go live before that, great!  But it is important that you go live in 3 weeks.  After that you will still be able to edit your site no problem.  We just can only handle so many centres in the system at once, so we are trying to make the process go smoothly.

8. Going live with your new site

Once you are happy with your site, let us know by emailing [email protected] and we will make your new site live.  When your new site goes live, your old one will still be accessible at old-centername.shambhala.org