Last week I was driving up I-5 through California’s Central Valley. I won’t go into the long story behind why I drove from just north of LA to Medford in one day. Yet there is a story to be told.

Along the freeway through 300 miles of this agricultural area you see signs posted such as “Congress Created Dust Bowl” and “Farm Water Feeds the Nation.”

Obviously these signs have a political message regarding a fight over water rights and usage in the Central Valley. But what interests me, and the thought I want to share with you, is about a sign I did not see.

For while there were several signs like those I’ve noted, I failed to see a sign that would have provided me more information. For example, a sign that said, “Farm Water Feeds the Nation (www.farmwater.org)” would tell me where I could go to find more information about the issues behind the signs along the freeway.

Is your organization missing a similar opportunity?

How often does your organization have the chance to make a short simple statement about it work? And when it does, do you include a way for people to find out more?

That’s why a nonprofit should have a website, not just a web page.

You don’t need to pile everything onto a single page. Indeed, the best home pages focus on a few simple statements that tell readers/surfers where you are, what you do. Also, it provides a user-friendly index to other pages on the site that add depth and breadth to your message.

That depth and breadth of content can include action steps such as a volunteering link or a link to give. It should also include a way to contact key staff.

Certainly privacy issues are important, so not every staff person needs to have his or her name, title, email, or phone listed on the web site. But there are key people who are your organization’s public face such as the executive director, public relations, and development staff.

Also, when you have a special event or project you should provide a separate web page either as a part of your site or linked to it. For example, if you have a major capital project underway, it should have its own separate web page that provides at least some basic information about the project’s progress.

The farmers along I-5 recognize that they have an audience of thousands passing by each day. Their signs a direct, to the point, and raise an interesting point. But an easy way to find out more, their impact is limited, and opportunities are lost.

Don’t make the same mistake when you have the chance for your message to be seen.