Features

HillTop CMS

This application will provide your office with the ability to update sections of the website from any secure web browser. An administrative section will be built into the website which will allow selected staff to update information through a user-friendly web interface. This information will be stored in a SQL database set up by GSL. HillTop allows any office staff member, at any technical skill level, to fully manage website content. Frequent updates will encourage interested visitors to regularly view the website. HillTop has the following additional advantages:

  • Does not require knowledge of HTML code
  • Secure and convenient site management
  • Saves time and money
  • Provides visitors with instant access to new information
  • Improved user interface including customizable Dashboards

Our content management system has a built-in security process that allows the office to control access to sections of the system. HillTop CMS meets or exceeds the security requirements for database design and application requirements provided by the SAA and HIR.

HillTop CMS allows staff to add, edit or delete a wide variety of content types. Below is a brief description of how the system works:

Pages

Pages contain the content that is displayed on the public website. Because Pages are structured by sections and can be added as a parent or child web page, you control the sitemap and navigation. Each Page is part of the main template and HillTop allows users to create and manage the Page location by section.

User control of Pages is managed by permissions within HillTop (Add, Edit, and/or Delete). Page management allows Pages to be active or inactive on the public website. Page properties can be managed to allow a Page to be included or excluded from navigation menus.

HillTop allows for various types of content to be added to a Page. A page might contain text blocks, links, videos, images or photo galleries. All content on a public web page is managed on a single web-form within HillTop. The possibilities are endless in terms of the kind of Page that you can create by combining multiple types of content together.

Posts

HillTop can store multiple records for content types that have similar formats and are frequently updated. These records contain text with associations to links, images, or files. The most common type of a Post is a Press Release but other types include: Blogs, Statements, Articles, Events, or Weekly Columns.

Posts can be grouped and filtered for display on the public website. For instance, a Press Release can be tagged to appear in the News Room as well as associated with a particular Issue. These records can be added to the system without being published to the website (marked as active or inactive). They can even be dated to display at a future time (embargoed). Depending upon user Permissions, Posts can also be set to require approval before publishing.

Labels

Labels are a defining mechanism for tagging content and are used throughout the site for associations. For example, the Issues section of the public website will provide visitors with in-depth issue statements prepared by the Office. By “tagging” a particular issue with a Label, the visitor will have access not only to the Member's position but also any recent press releases, news articles, speeches, interviews and any other specific information related to the Issue.

FAQ Manager

The FAQ Manager will provide visitors with frequently asked questions and answers that are relevant to the section of the website they are viewing. These FAQ's will be associated with pages. A potential use for this application would be to create a series of Casework Pages with frequently asked questions on an issue-specific basis.

CAPTCHA

CAPTCHA (an acronym for "completely automated public Turing test to tell computers and humans apart") is a type of challenge-response test that can be used on the Web to validate human interaction. This is an extremely valuable tool for use on web-forms to insure that you are receiving legitimate human responses and reducing unwanted “spam” e-mails.

Search Feature

This tool will allow the visitor to search the website database by keyword or phrase. The Senate offers a licensed enterprise version of the Google search appliance. This application is a non-branded search feature that enables users to comprehensively search a website, including documents and files.

Alternatively, a search option is available that would allow for search results to be displayed by record type. This search function is limited to content stored in the database. This would include hearings, statements, press releases, and other similar content.

Browser Compatibility

Using Web standards, GSL enables your site to reach out to those visitors with slower Internet connections and disabilities. By keeping the audience in mind, GSL increases the usability of your website. Browser compatibility also certifies that the office is working toward meeting Section 508 accessibility and compliance requirements. Mobile browser compatibility addresses the increasing use of mobile devices accessing the World Wide Web.

RSS Feeds/Podcasts (XML feeds)

Constituents with RSS readers or subscriptions can receive RSS feeds from the website. RSS is a method of distributing links to content in your website that you would like others to view - a mechanism to "syndicate" your content. Constituents using audio software, such as iTunes, can subscribe to receive the latest Podcast from your Office.

Optional Applications

Newsletter & Subscriber Manager

The public website will encourage site visitors to sign up for your newsletters or informational updates based upon topics of interest. This sign-up will initially require the visitor to enter an e-mail address then fill out a more comprehensive form with additional information, such as a mailing address, phone number, issue of interest and other data requested by the office.

By building an e-mail list, your office will have the ability to proactively push information out to constituents. The GSL e-mail distribution system will allow your staff to generate newsletter and template-style information e-mails to a distribution list. This system will simplify the process and improve the effectiveness of e-mail notifications by allowing the office to categorize its distribution list into groups. E-mail addresses will be associated to distribution groups based on user subscription requests or manually tagged with a Label.

Through the newsletter and e-mail template process, selected staff will be able to easily create and organize sections and volumes of newsletters. The GSL design team will create a custom designed newsletter template for use in the system. All of your sent newsletters will be automatically archived. To ensure successful delivery, e-mails will be created in HTML format and sent to users in multipart HTML/text versions to allow for various types of e-mail clients.

System Features:

  • Subscribe/Unsubscribe – Users will be able to subscribe to the newsletter through the website. Users will also have the option to remove themselves from the list by clicking on an unsubscribe link in every e-mail they receive or from the website. Unsubscribing deactivates the user from receiving any future e-mails.
  • E-mail Management – Staff will be able to view and edit groups of users and information. User information will be accessible through a secure web administration page and stored in a database set up by GSL.
  • Reporting – Staff will have the ability to generate a printable report showing the number of registered users by fields.
  • Exporting – The client will have the ability to export a list of subscribers
  • Collections – System can keep dynamic groupings of subscribers. New collections can be added by GSL upon request as a support request.
  • “From” Address – The client will have the ability to manage the “From” address in e-mails

All e-mail lists will be stored on a secure backend SQL database that the office will access through HillTop. After sending out an e-mail in text or HTML format, staff will be able to easily manage users and view replies.

Moderated Blog

A Blog would allow a Member to write and publish an online journal to express opinions on issues and recent news. A Blog is an effective way to communicate personally with constituents. The ability to add a Blog is a standard feature in HillTop CMS as part of Posts. However, with a Moderated Blog, visitors to the public website will have the ability to respond to the Blog by submitting comments. Comments will be moderated by Staff and will only be published to the site only upon staff approval in HillTop.

Data Conversion

GSL has always believed that website content belongs to the Client. When the content on your current website is in a structured database format (i.e. press releases in the SAA's Press Application), GSL can import your content into the new website database. However, it is possible that the data will need to be manually imported or converted. GSL will work with you to determine what needs to be done. You will have the option of converting the content internally or requesting that GSL make the data conversion for you.

Interactive Map

GSL can design an interactive map that that illustrates regions within a district or state. With clickable regions, visitors can be taken to pages with relevant news and/or information specific to that region.

Hosting (House only)

GSL hosts Representative websites on the GSL-owned servers inside the Ford House Office Building.