You may very well remember our old website at dohnemerino.org. We were hard at work towards the end of last year and launched our new website early in 2015. As we adapt to both the challenges and the opportunities of the digital shift, we keep shaping and adapting our website to serve the needs of the community.
The new website allows us, with our limited technical knowledge, to do updates ourselves. At times we do find that our knowledge is more limited than desired. So, if something is slightly (or totally) out of place, we ask that you bear with us.
Through our website, we strive to be the information hub for the Dohne Merino community;
This is what Schalk Joubert who heads up This Side Up Media, the agency responsible for our new website, has to say on the new website and also some features you can expect to see in the coming months.
Developing a website for Dohne Merino was something different, and a rather interesting experience; I now know more about the Dohne Merino breed than I would ever have imagined. The old website was good, but it had served it’s purpose. With the changes in technology and the way we use the internet, a new website was long overdue. Below, I will elaborate on the sections of the website, and also the features we’re working on for the new year.
News
Here we will post any relevant articles, as and when they happen, so make sure you visit the website often to keep up to date! We will also introduce an easy way for guest writers to submit their articles and share with the community.
Camera
Here we post any photos from Dohne Merino events, whether it is an auction or just a jovial get-together.
We will probably shape this section to accommodate the growth in the number of photos, and yet again, will introduce a feature where the community can contribute and send their pictures.
Auctions
Have a look at the upcoming auctions, and make a note in your diary of those of interest.
This section can only be of value if the information on it is correct, and often we found the the information we received was far from accurate. We urge relevant parties to go through this section and let us know if any information is out of place.
Please contact us through the contact section and remember to direct your enquiry to the “Auction” department.
Breeders & Inspectors
The same applies to this as with Auctions. We need your input to make these pages work for everyone.
Sires
This page contains all the sires for both the young and elite categories.
We update this page regularly, and you can see the date of the last update at the top.
As this page contains a lot of information, it will naturally load a bit slower, especially if your internet connection is still of the previous era diesel models.
You can sort the sire lists in any column by simply clicking on the small triangle.
Newsletter
This newsletter is the first digital Newsletter from Dohne Merino, and the format is something to get used to. The Email Newsletter and the News Section on the website have more or less the same purpose, and in a way, is a duplicate of information.
The idea is to post news on the website as and when it happens. The newsletter will go out a few times a year and include a summary of the recent news post in addition to a few new articles.
The Next Phase
We are busy with a few new features for the website, some of them similar to those from the old site.
We will send out a newsletter early in 2016 to tell you more, but in short;
– Breeder Portal: very much like your own mini website, more or less the same as the old site had.
– Advertising: whether you are a breeder, supplier or simply want to advertise your guest house; the website will cater for this in a very subtle and professional manner.
We hope you enjoy Dohne Merino’s new digital home and find it both informative and user friendly. We developed it for optimal mobile view, so you can enjoy reading from your smartphone or tablet. Any feedback is welcome, especially criticism as it can only help us to better our service.
Dohne Groete
Schalk Joubert
This Side Up Media
www.thissideupmedia.com
