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Step-by-step guide by Rebecca Dwyer
Most of the www.gwoci.com website is accessible by the public, i.e. you don't need to be a member to see it. However, there is a members area that requires you to sign up and login in order to gain access. This part of the website is reserved for GWOCI members only.
By signing up and logging in, you can create a profile, view other members' profiles, like and comment on blog posts in the NEWS page and access items such as committee meeting minutes (coming soon). We have created the MEMBERS page so that members can interact with and get to know each other, so, we encourage members who have signed up to update their profile with their full name (the default is your email address, which may not necessarily be your name) and to include a profile picture, if possible. You can also write some information about yourself and include photos, if you like. The information on your profile will be viewable by other members but not by the public.
This article is a step-by-step guide on how to sign up, what to do with your profile once your access has been approved and how to get the most out of it but, first, let's look at what you can access without signing up or logging in.
HOME
The HOME page is where you will land when you navigate to www.gwoci.com in your browser. It includes an introduction to the website, a selection of photos from throughout the year, the next three upcoming events and the latest three news items. The current membership form and Treffen posters are available to download here.
ABOUT US
This page contains a welcome from our chairperson, the club constitution, which can be viewed in PDF format, contact details for each of our committee members as well as how our regions are laid out and a link to the "History of GoldWings in Ireland" blog post.
EVENTS
Upcoming events including both club-organised and external events that may be of interest to club members or ones that we have the opportunity to take part in are listed in chronological order here. Click "Show more" to view full details (meeting times, locations, organisers, etc.) for each of the events.
NEWS
This page is laid out in "blog" format. It contains articles on many different topics from how to travel abroad with your GoldWing to the history of GoldWings in Ireland. As events occur, summaries and photos will be posted here so make sure to check back regularly to keep up-to-date with our latest news. We hope to create categories such as "Workshop" and "Vintage" to cater for all interests. If you have ideas for articles or photos that you would like to share, please let our Communications Officer, Rebecca, know and she will upload them here.
SHOP
Here, you can view all of the club merchandise that is available to purchase along with respective prices, sizes and colours. Currently, we do not accept online orders or payments. If you see an item that you would like to buy, please contact our Quartermaster, Ray Blake.
CONTACT US
There are two ways to get in touch. If you have a general query or aren't sure who you should direct your query to, you can fill in and submit the form on the CONTACT US page. Alternatively, if you have a query for a specific member of the committee, you can go to the ABOUT US page to view contact details (email and phone number) for each of our committee members.
Now you know what you can access without signing up or logging in to the website. So, you might ask, why would you need to log in at all? Well, as mentioned above, it's ok for most information to be made public but there are some items that are only appropriate for members to view. As well as this, we think each member having an online profile with their name and a little information about themselves is a nice way for people to get to know each other and, especially, to help integrate new members to the club. Sometimes, you might know someone to see but aren't sure of their name or what region they are in. Other times, you might have heard of someone's name but don't know what they look like. By accessing the MEMBERS page, you can view other members' profiles so that the next time you're at an event, you can chat to them in person fully in the knowledge that you won't accidentally mistake them for someone else! It's also a nice way for older members to see how other members are doing. For example, if you got a new bike or travelled abroad recently, you might like to include a photo or two on your profile for others to enjoy. If you have experience with certain aspects of bikes, such as mechanical or technical expertise, and are happy to share your knowledge with others, you could include that, too.
So, with all that in mind, here is a step-by-step guide on how to sign up and create a profile on the website. If you get stuck or have questions at any stage, please don't hesitate to contact our Communicatons Officer, Rebecca, on 0851538083 or rebeccadwyer.wip@gmail.com who will be happy to help.
Step 1: From the HOME page, click on the MEMBERS page from the blue menu bar.
Alternatively, if you're using a mobile device, click on the menu symbol (three horizontal lines in the top right corner).
Then, click MEMBERS to access the MEMBERS page.
Step 2: From here, click on the blue Log In button.
Next, where it says "New to this site?", click "Sign Up".
Step 3: You will be asked if you would like sign up with Facebook, Google or email. You can choose any of these options but, for the purpose of this how-to guide, let's choose email.
Enter your email address (preferably, use the email address you entered on your GWOCI membership form so that your request can be processed faster) and create a password. Then, click Sign Up.
You will see the following message telling you that your login request has been sent and is awaiting approval. Click OK.
We will check your email address against our membership list and, once your request has been approved (this shouldn't take more than 24 hours), you will receive the following email.
Step 4: Now, you can go back to the website and log in, as follows. Click Log In from the top right corner of the HOME page.
Alternatively, if you're using a mobile device, log in as follows. Click the menu icon (three horizontal lines in the top right corner).
Then, click MEMBERS.
Click "Log in with Email".
Enter the email address and password you signed up with. Click Log In.
You're logged in! You will see your name (or the beginning of your email address) in the top right corner of the page. Click MEMBERS.
Step 5: Here, on the MEMBERS page, you can see and search for other members' profiles and access your own profile. Click My Profile.
This will bring you to your profile. Here, you can edit your name (the default name will be the start of your email address) and upload a profile picture by clicking Edit. After you've done that, you can write some information about yourself and your interest in bikes under the About section. You can also include photos by clicking on the camera symbol. Don't forget to click Publish when you're done. Other members (but not the public) will be able to see this information.
Here is an example of a profile that includes text and photos.
If you're having difficulty logging in after your sign up request has been approved, it could be to do with the cookies in your browser. Try deleting your cookies as follows (some browsers may vary). Go to Settings > Advanced > Manage Website Data > Delete (Select All). It's a good idea to delete your cookies on a regular basis anyway, even if it's not preventing you from logging in.