Name of your website?Tre Kronor Lodge #713-VASA Order of America
Your name?
Barry B. Ostrom
Your Location (city, etc)
Salem, Oregon
Please give us a short summary of your website?
Tre Kronor Lodge #713 is a Swedish-American Lodge of the VASA Order of America. The VASA Order of America has numerous lodges in the United States and Sweden. We promote Nordic culture and heritage in the greater Salem, Oregon area.
What inspired you to launch your own website?
The VASA Order provides a website template for any VASA Lodge wishing to communicate its activity and programs to those interested in the area served. This site was launched through the webmaster of the VASA Order of America to increase awareness of our local Lodge.
When did you launch your first website, and what was it?
This website was first launched in September 2004 as Tre Kronor Lodge #713.
How did you decide on a name for your website?
The name is the our Lodge name under the VASA Order of America. It is our charter name as well as the name in our correspondence and financial identity.
What makes your website different from other, similar offerings?
We are a chartered Lodge of the VASA Order of America and the only VASA Lodge in the greater Salem, Oregon area. We have sister Lodges in Portland and Eugene, Oregon, as well as other U.S.A. cities.
The VASA Order of America began as a Swedish-American organization to serve the many Scandinavian immigrants who came to our shores late in the 19th century. It has since changed its focus to serve anyone who has an interest in Nordic culture.
Through increased awareness through the internet, I think we could be more responsive to the interests of the marketplace and shape programs to fit those needs.
What is your eventual goal? (To sell it, keep it for income, secure a book or other mainstream media deal?)
The initial goal is to increase awareness of the Lodge in our area. As Membership Chairman of our Lodge, I hope to increase membership and make the benefits of being a member more accessible for those interested in Nordic culture.
There is, however, the potential for business application if it was determined that there is sufficient interest in Nordic Culture. There once was a shop in the area that sold Scandinavian gift items, but it no longer exists through retirement of the owners.
I am currently working to establish a writers group for those interested in getting a novel or any other writing to publication that has a Nordic theme. I do freelance writing myself and would see that as a venue for me as well.
There is a host of activities to be marketed in addition to gift items. For example, one could market Nordic horticultural items if a market database is developed; the same database could serve those interested in providing travel to Scandinavia.
How does your investment of time and money balance against your success?
Increased membership through dues paying members would increase our resources and the programs we are able to offer. A more interactive communication with interested persons could help us in targeting cultural programs to specific groups, e.g., those interested in traveling to Scandinavia, those pursuing a study of their own genealogy, etc.
If you had an unlimited development budget for development, how would you change your site?
In the current environment, the format of the site is controlled by the webmaster of the VASA Order of America. I could work with the webmaster to change the site, but I think the pressing problem is to make the site more visible through existing search engines. I do not need a lot of bells and whistles––just the means to make more contacts.
If your site got really big, really quickly, would you be able to keep up with the demand?
I do not see that the growth would be so great that I could not manage it owing to the geographical market and those who might be served.
What unexpected costs and headaches have you had to deal with?
From the current site I have generated only a few new members. I think the problem is that the site does not appear on search engines. Most people who access the site do so only through the VASA Order of America site by selecting the District Lodges, and then selecting our Lodge within the District.
What has been your biggest challenge?
The present site does not currently provide for newsletters or uploads in pdf format. The webmaster is currently working on this, and has been for some time.
What method has been most successful for promoting your website?
I share the url through e-mails I send to Lodge members and friends. I miss all those who are interested in Nordic culture, live in the area, and have never made contact with me.
How has running your website differed from your expectations?
The expectation that an interested person searching for the benefits of our Lodge through a search engine on the internet has not materialized. Most of my contacts have come through direct e-mails and person to person contacts. I gather contacts at Nordic cultural events and similar events.
How long have you run the site already, and how long will you continue to keep it up if you don't enjoy big gains in traffic, income or popularity?
I have used the site for over four years now and if I cannot generate any more responses than I have realized to date I may consider building a site from scratch if it can be found on the internet.
Replace this with a question of your own
Under an organizational framework, with a national website, leading to District web pages, and then to Local Lodge web pages (such as Tre Kronor Lodge #713), can a search engine provide a hit to the local web site? The national website is found by entering in the browser: http://www.vasaorder.com/, then clicking on Lodge Directory, then clicking on DL PACIFIC NORTHWEST NO. 13, and then using the elevator bar and go to 713-TRE KRONOR; Click on TRE KRONOR, which brings you to our website.
What is your website address?
Tre Kronor Lodge #713-VASA Order of America
