Best Practices for Government Websites

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The Federal Web Managers Council, of the Interagency Committee on Government Information (ICGI), recommended these best practices in its June 2004 report to OMB: "Recommended Policies and Guidelines for Federal Public Websites." They're practices that many federal agencies have adopted to make their websites more citizen–centered.

They can also help you implement "OMB Policies for Federal Agency Public Websites," as mentioned in the cover memo from OMB.

Management and Governance

• Top 10 Best Practices for Government Websites
• Best Practices for Multilingual Websites
• Use Government Domains
• Show U.S. Sponsorship
• Avoid Advertising
• Establish Linking Policies and Procedures
• Ensure Continuity of Operations During Emergencies
• Collaborate in Developing Cross-Agency Portals
• Avoid Duplication
   

Managing Content

• Focus on Top Tasks Rather than Information
• Best Practices for Plain Web Writing
• Provide Dates and Ensure Content is Current
• Organize Content Based on Audience Needs
• Have an Effective Homepage
• Avoid Publishing Information for Employees
• Use Basic Common Content, Terminology, and Placement
  • Contact Information ("Contact us" page)
  • Organizational Information ("About us" page)
  • Site Map or A–Z Index
  • Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
  • Online Services
  • Forms and Publications
  • Jobs and Employment Information
  • Information about Regulations
  • Information about Grants and Contracts
  • Site Policies and Notices
• Manage Links
• Link to Appropriate Cross-Agency Portals
• Link Back to Your Homepage
• Link to USA.gov
• Tag Content with Standard Metadata
   

Usability, Accessibility, and Design

• Provide Common Access for a Broad Range of Visitors
• Use Appropriate File Formats
• Provide Appropriate Access to Data
• Use Consistent Navigation
• Develop with Web Standards
   

Improving and Evaluating Your Website

• Develop a Web Metrics Strategy
• Tie Digital Services to Mission Achievement
• Analyze Your Audience
• Measure Customer Satisfaction
• Do Usability Testing
• Review Links Regularly
• Inform Audiences of Website Changes
• Apply for Awards and Get Recognized

Using Technology

• Have an Effective Search Engine and Search Engine Optimization

Other "Best Practice" Resources

• Detailed checklist of all requirements and best practices
• Examples of agencies that have implemented these best practices
• What other governments are doing
• Best practices for email, phone, and other customer service channels     
  (MS Word, 229 KB, 35 pages, September 2005) (developed by the Citizen Service Levels Interagency Committee)