What hope do other organisations have when half the squadrons on social media have their names down as 1234 (Any town) Squadron RAFAC.
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I think this is why a bit of a do-over is required.
Squadrons and CCF units should have a social media presence to support recruitment, but no one else under HQ, so that the messaging is condensed through one channel for the algorithm. We still see “WWO X”, “OC Y Wg”, and “QAIC” or “IACE UK Team” etc all running their own channels when these things should be boosting the engagement algorithm of the one, single channel everyone knows to follow.
We could then give regions and wings their own upload times and dates to exploit.
No one bar HQ should have a website really, because we’re all fighting for the algorithm and conflicting with each other.
One good page with news articles for each unit, centrally controlled under the central page, would help present a controlled image and brand.
Most importantly, it’d save units a fortune and the hit-and-miss nature of unit social media. Even mine has taken a hit since September because I’m maxed.
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I can’t remember if guidance was put out at the time about the rebrand wether units should change or stick with (ATC) vs (RAFAC). The NCO ranks changed out course, but pretty sure units were told to keep 1234 (Nowhere) ATC
I don’t think so. Plenty of units did it not understanding the change.
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Never any implication that I recall that units could or should change their name.
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I think I recall the opposite being said, which is what I meant by that post!
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How come they still do gliding?
He wasn’t exactly hiding it.
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This isn’t a gotcha’. I think what’s being said is our main website needs to be better with local information to make these current ones redundant.
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It doesn’t help that it seems to be tacked onto the RAF main website.
Do the Sqns on the sqn finder not have a section for websites or a capability to add a link?
If so making Sqn Websites available via direct link only would be a decent way to not clog up algorithams
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I think the sea cadets had a solution where all the unit websites are hosted on the main sea cadet server.
The website could be customised to local info but it’s in a standardised format & importantly when someone googles “cadets ANYTOWN” it pops up where the national one would not.
The algorithm needs to make sure it delivers the local cadet unit not the national one.
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To be completely honest @OC.1324 , this is without a doubt THE best ATC website (that I’ve seen), and actually one of my personal favourite websites full stop. Massive bravo for this, always thought so, but never had the opportunity to say so! 
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Well that’s jolly kind! Thanks.
I want to trim some stuff from it and get a new cadet on churning more content out.
We used to do an article for every off-squadron activity and the I wanted a quarterly wrap for all on-unit stuff.
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the RBL have been pushing for this and is slowly winning.
Many branches have their own websites and of course none of them are similar in design, format or follow agreed branding guidelines.
there is also a Branch cost to hosting.
Since the pandemic, there has been a greater push from RBL HQ to adopt the central website format.
searching Anytown RBL Branch brings up the dedicated local page, but as it is hosted via HQ, it follows the same format. Branch still have control of the content, but the look, feel, design etc is all “forced” by the brand guidelines and fixed format. it also saves Branches paying for a website.
this is what the ATC need.
a basic template to follow, for “local” specifics:
- When and where parade nights take place
- who to contact to find out more
- News and events
- who’s who (if deemed required)
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If you send a news article to the central team, it gets shared and tagged to your account.
So if someone arrives at your unit’s page, your articles are hosted there so people can click on the local content.
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On the roadmap.
This also helps with some security implications of all the poorly managed sites, as well as the SEO own goal as we compete against ourselves to rank on Google.
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soviet national anthem intensifies 
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Always reminds of that scene in Hunt for the Red October.
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What the one where Harry from Spooks gets whacked for being overly keen….
Oh oh please let me tell the crew.
No. Oh and Diiiiiieeee