Standard: Contact Us Links and Page
Brief description
(see the full document below for details)
"Contact Us" links give the reader a place to go when they need more information or can't find what they want.
Note: This is a "legacy" standard, written before the Web Council was created. It has been in force since the effective date. Since the creation of the Web Council, it has been rewritten to follow the normal layout for standards. "Date approved" refers to when the Web Council approved this rewritten version.
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All standards and guidance
Definitions
The Contact Us link appears in two locations on the EPA template(s) at the top and in the global links. It links to the Contact Us page, which provides information about how to contact EPA staff responsible for the content and maintenance of the page.
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Content requirements
- Each Web area must provide a page with contact information specific to that area. If necessary to meet staffing limits, you may group contact information for several related Web areas on one page, provided that the contacts listed can respond to inquiries on all linked areas.
- Contact Us links are required at the top and bottom of every EPA Web page, a shown in the master template. Both links must point to the same page.
- Contact Us links must point to an actual Web page, not simply to an email address (a " mailto:" ; link).
- Do not link to the main EPA comments page.
- The Contact Us page must include the following means of contacting the area's owner:
- mailing address
- phone number
- online form for sending questions or comments. The online form's fields must fit on a 800-pixel-wide screen without side scrolling. Keep in mind that the left sidebar takes up about 140 pixels. If you are providing a link to the Enterprise Customer Service Solution (aka the online FAQ system), your page doesn't need a form.
- It's recommended, but not required, that you include an email address.
- Contact information may refer to a group or hotline rather than a specific person. However, all email addresses provided must be within EPA.
- If the online form is on a page other than the "Contact Us" page, then the form must be accompanied by an email address for use in case the form fails to work.
- As with all online forms, the user must receive a follow up page thanking the person for writing.
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Style requirements
- Links to "Contact Us" pages use the style shown in the master template..
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How to
Use normal HTML to create the links and page.
Creating custom mail forms
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Examples
Woodstoves Contact Us page
Oil program Contact Us page
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Rationale
- Visitors must be able to ask content questions and report problems with Web materials.
- The contact link is duplicated in the footer because usability testing has shown that a significant percentage of people fail to see it at the top of the page.
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Exemptions
OPA may grant a waiver to allow several small areas to share one Contact Us page.
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See Also
Contact Us links not permitted in sidebars
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Related governance documents
EPA
Related Policies
Related Procedures
Related Standards
Related Guidance
Non-EPA
None
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Other Info
It is recommended that all of this information be placed on a single page. Alternatively, if multiple resources exist to help visitors, the Contact Us page may link to those along with the required information.
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Full Metadata about this standard
Name Contact Us Links and Page
Tracking number NT00000000
Type Standard
Required or Recommended Required
Effective date 03/22/2002
Date approved 03/13/2006
Category Links and Navigation, Page Elements, Required Pages
Web Council review by 10/18/2008 (or earlier if deemed necessary by the Web Council)
Governing Policy Web Governance and Management (PDF) (4 pp, 339K, About PDF)
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