This topic contains 7 replies, has 8 voices, and was last updated by 
Team Black-Cat 15 years, 9 months ago.
-
Posts
-
To the BOD candidates:
The WGA encourages members to include one of its banners in their cache listings. But what is the purpose?
A) To drive traffic to the WGA website, and solicit membership?
B) Does it ‘certify’ that this geocache meets certain standards of excellence? For example: Accurate use of cache attributes; Guidance on how to best get to and from the cache; Maintenance Standards; Ownership standards to ensure continuity of responsibility when owners disappear – stop being owners; Communication standards, for example, response time after a PM question is sent to the cache owner?
C) Other?
With reference to these questions, what do YOU believe its purpose should be?
Thanks in advance for your comments.
Thanks for the question huffinpuffin.
I have placed WGA banners on all of my caches since becoming a member and prolific cache hider.
As I place the banner on my own cache pages I am proudly advertising our group and website to other geocachers. I am also proclaiming that I am an active participating member in the WGA.
One thing to add is that when someone clicks on this banner it should actually bring them to a “welcome” page that introduces potential non-members to our group rather than just taking them to our main front page. This page could be tailored to describe what the WGA has accomplished recently and information about our events and membership. I believe Jeremy shared ideas like this before.
I’m not sure about adding “standards of excellence” to the placement of our banner but certainly, if a cache owner does place the WGA banner on their cache pages they should understand that they are associating the WGA with their cache and their behavior as a cache owner. To that note, perhaps the “help spread the word” page that shows a member how to add the banner should indicate the importance of associating their cache with the WGA.
I have them on my caches, but it was more to show my affiliation with the group, not necessarily to solicit more members. That’s a bonus if it happens. I liken it to those that place Military Association of Geocachers (MAGC) as an example. It’s to show support of the group, with maybe a little bit of promotion.
Thank you for the question:
I put the WGA Boilerplate on every cache page that I create. It’s just another way for people who don’t know about the WGA to stop by, and visit our site, and get us out there more.
I’m with Brian on this one. I think it shows that the owner endorses the organization, not that the organization endorses the cache. Creating a process to hand out the “WGA Star of Approval” would not be a good idea in my opinion. Even if we could somehow administer it, this would be very subjective and probably lead to losing people who are denied the status. I can just see it now.
The WGA is unfair because they won’t endorse my nano hidden on the grease drum at Cracker Barrel. I’m quitting.
I think the COTM and the Recommended Caches Forum do a good job of promoting good caches without the board or association explicitly being involved.
Use of the WGA logo, on most caches, like the others said, Its used just to say that you are part of the organization.
BUT, I think the use of it on Event pages should be approved by the
WGA, Since the WGA does not allow the logging of temps on WGA events, any use of the WGA logo on a event page should also follow those guidelines. Some might think that if the logo is there this event is WGA approved, and that the logging is OK’ed by the WGA. Therefore, In my opinion if there is temp logging on the event page, the WGA logo should not be there.I think that the banner says just what it should say. “this cache placed by a member of the WGA”. It allows those viewing the page to know that there is a state association and a place to go for questions/resources. More of an endorsement for the WGA than for the cache.
It would be up to those who visit the WGA site whether or not they choose to join the WGA. By displaying the Logo, we are inviting non-members to take a look to see what the WGA is all about. Joining would be a bonus for both sides. While we do hope others will choose to join, there currently is no financial gain for the WGA since we do not have dues. The gain for the WGA would be perhaps another voice, or another set of hands to volunteer in one way or another.
Disclaimer : Always answering to a higher power.
Most of my cache pages have the WGA logo on them. Hopefully, some new cachers will click through and discover the WGA because of them.
Having the logo on a cache page certifies nothing. The WGA doesn’t have the resources to police caches or cache description pages. It’s just “free advertising”.
The forum ‘Candidates Corner 2010’ is closed to new topics and replies.