Web Requests

If you are unsure where to begin with your web request, or would just prefer to have a chat first; you can do so by scheduling a call with our Web Developer, Miesha Williams or emailing miesha.williams@ssw.umaryland.edu 

Identify your audience. Know who you’re writing for—students, faculty, staff, prospective students, or the public. Understanding your audience will guide the site’s tone, structure, and content priorities so visitors can find what they need quickly and easily.

Set clear goals for your page. Define what you want the page to accomplish. Are you informing users, promoting a program, or collecting inquiries? Clear goals help ensure your content supports both your objectives and visitors’ expectations.

Content displayed on the SSW website is inserted into different "content types" or widgets. To see what content types are available please visit our Kitchen Sink: https://www.ssw.umaryland.edu/samples/kitchen-sink/ 

Recommended word counts

• Key pages: Aim for 300–500 words. This length gives search engines enough context while keeping information easy to scan.
• In-depth content: 1,500 words or more when the topic requires detailed explanation.

SEO Optimization

SEO Optimization means making your website easier for search engines (like Google) to find, understand, and show to people who are searching, the goal is to get more relevant visitors from search results.

Keywords: A keyword is a word or phrase someone might type into a search engine to find your content. Selecting the right keywords connects your pages to the people searching for your services or programs.

Tips:

• Clear title and short description: Keep it short and catchy. Make the page title and the short summary (meta description) readable and include the main keywords.
• One main heading (H1): Make it obvious what the page is about.
• Useful content: Give a clear answer, steps, examples, or tips. Be original and helpful.
• Subheadings (H2/H3): Break content into sections with short headings so it’s easy to scan.
• Short paragraphs: Make paragraphs 1–4 sentences so they’re easy to read.
• Bullets and numbered lists: Use them for steps or tips.

Accessibility 

Per University web policy, online documents such as PDFs must meet web accessibility standards. Before uploading your PDF it will need to pass a accessibility check. 

You can run a full check on every PDF you intend to post to the website using Acrobat Pro.

If there are edits you would like made to a SSW site or a new page/section you need created, you can do so by submitting a web request.

For edits to existing pages please allow 3-4 business days for completion. For bigger projects including new site & page creations we recommend at least a 2-3 week timeline, to ensure time for planning, creation, revisions and publishing. 

When submitting a web request please ensure you included the necessary content & files for it to be completed. Content should include the things that should be displayed on the website (About, Mission, Goals, Images, PDF's, Contact information, etc.).

Multiple edits can be compiled into one word document and uploaded through the web request form. Examples of word document structure: 

Example 1

Example 2

Images that should be included on the page as well as additional documents (PDFs & Word) that should be link should be uploaded to the same request as separate file uploads. 

To assist with preparing your request you should review our content types (widgets) available for each SSW page. You can note in your word document which content types you would like used for each section but this is not required. 

If you need assistance please schedule a call or email miesha.williams@ssw.umaryland.edu 

TerminalFour (T4) is the content management system (CMS) that the University of Maryland Baltimore (UMB) uses for the website. This allows users to easily add content to the website. Adding content to TerminalFour (T4) can be as simple as copying a piece of content from one location and pasting it into a content type in T4.

In order to gain access to make edits in the SSW section of TerminalFour you must complete the SSW training video (1hr). You can request training & T4 access by emailing miesha.williams@ssw.umaryland.edu 

UMB's Office of Communications and Public Affairs (OCPA) provides optional training videos and documentation that covers the fundamentals of T4. Training primarily focuses on the central UMB website. Video: Learn T4 Fundamentals

Your public facing profile on the SSW website is a tool to help potential students, current students, alumni, faculty and staff learn more about you and the School of Social Work.  It is an opportunity to highlight your special interests, research, and/or professional background and capabilities. 

1. Visit https://sswdirectory.softr.app 
2. In the search box, start typing in the first part of your email address to locate and click on your profile.  Please give it a little time to locate your entry. 
3. If you do find your profile, scroll to the bottom of the page and complete the form to be added to the directory.
4. Click on your entry and then on the "Update Profile" button in the lower right corner of your profile page.  Enter your email address (which must match the one on your directory entry). You will then receive an email with a "magic link" to click to update your profile. There, you can replace your photo, update your bio, skills, interests, phone number, publications, and all other aspects of your directory profile. 
5. Note there is a "Faculty Affiliation/Status/Position" dropdown where Faculty can select multiple fields from options like Clinical, Tenure Track, Research Faculty, etc. 
6. If you want to be added to other Departments or Units, please email ideateam@ssw.umaryland.edu.
7. If you find errors, issues, or have additional feedback or suggestions email ideateam@ssw.umaryland.edu.   

Tips regarding your profile: 

• Reading Level:  Keep your bio short and concise to appeal to all audiences.  Use commonly used words.  Avoid jargon, abbreviations, and technical terms.  
• Make it Conversational:  Include your personal and professional interests, as well as any other interesting facts that will resonate with audiences.  Consider answering at least two of the following questions: 

• Why did you pursue a career in social work/your field? 
• What do you enjoy most about your job?  
• Have you received any awards or recognition? 
• What do you want prospective or current students to know about the field of social work and specifically, the University of Maryland School of Social Work? 

Looking for information about social media? Please visit Social Media at SSW for guidelines, posting best practices, a list of official SSW accounts, branding and accessibility resources: https://www.ssw.umaryland.edu/about/um-ssw-marketing-and-communications-/social-media-at-ssw/