tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-95753552024-03-06T23:46:21.086-05:00Emily's WorldEmily Weinberghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07766106486115061919noreply@blogger.comBlogger186125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9575355.post-44747084597021836992019-02-17T17:47:00.003-05:002019-02-17T17:47:43.261-05:002019 Digital Outlook ReportThe <a href="http://www.care2services.com/2019-digital-outlook-report" target="_blank">2019 Digital Outlook Report</a> was recently released.<br />
<br />
Here are some of the findings and information shared:<br />
<br />
<ul>
<li>Majority of the participants were from the United States (45.03%) and Canada (35.10%).</li>
<li>Health and Human Services organizations had the most participants (30.46%).</li>
<li>Facebook is used the most for marketing and fundraising. However, majority of the organizations were not measuring their efforts.</li>
<li>It's clear that staff need to be trained on analytics.</li>
<li>Marketing/Communications and Fundraising teams need to work together. </li>
</ul>
Emily Weinberghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07766106486115061919noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9575355.post-64921498136576780502018-01-22T22:24:00.001-05:002018-01-22T22:24:20.620-05:002018 Nonprofit Communications Trends ReportThe <a href="http://www.nonprofitmarketingguide.com/blog/2018/01/18/download-2018-nonprofit-communications-trends-reports-npcomm2018/" target="_blank">2018 Nonprofit Communications Trends Report</a> was recently released.<br />
<br />
Here are some of the findings:<br />
<ul>
<li>The top 3 goals are engaging community, managing brand and reputation, and raising issue awareness. These have been the top goals for past years.</li>
</ul>
<ul>
<li>Nonprofit communicators feel the least skilled in graphic design, photography and analytics / measuring performance.</li>
</ul>
<ul>
<li>The word clouds of what nonprofit communicators want to do more and less this year was an interesting part of this report.<br /><br />
This was interesting because social media, content, and communications ranked high for both doing more and doing less.
<br /><br />Storytelling, community, audience, planning, measuring, analytics, donors, video, and writing ranked high for doing more. It was good to see blog ranked high too.</li>
</ul>
Emily Weinberghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07766106486115061919noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9575355.post-40600712550622243632017-08-31T16:40:00.000-04:002017-08-31T16:40:01.598-04:00Social Media, Technology, and Nonprofit Related Sessions at APA 2017 ConventionEarlier this month, I got to attend part of APA's Convention. Here is a summary of some of the sessions:<br />
<br />
<b>Activism - Can Psychologists Be Scholar Activists on Social Media?</b><br />
(notes from discussion session)<br />
<br />
Functional Building Blocks of Social Media<br />
<ul>
<li>Frequency: The number of times a post is displayed on social media platform ("going viral", #TrendingTopic)</li>
<li>Accessibility: Social media tools are generally available to the public</li>
<li>Immediacy: Social Media platforms provides instant information and response.</li>
<li>Usability: Anyone with access can operate the social media production</li>
</ul>
Social Media has transformed traditional media<br />
<ul>
<li>The public has the power to inform</li>
<li>Audience is less passive and more active</li>
<li>Traditional media utilizes social media</li>
</ul>
<div>
People use more than one social media site because:<br />
<ul>
<li>Each site is used for a different reason</li>
<li>Their personality can be shown in different ways</li>
</ul>
<br />
<b>#BeWell: The Organic Generation and Use of Hashtags to Promote Mental Health</b><br />
(poster session)<br />
<br />
This research looked at the content associated with hashtags on Twitter, Facebook, and Instagram that were created in response to some mental health event. Two hashtags, #YouGoodMan and #YesAllWomen, were looked at for this study. Both of these were trending and in news articles.<br />
<br />
Hashtags can be used to follow discussions about issues and events related to mental health. It was suggested that organically generated hashtags can be connected to organizational mental health awareness campaigns.<br />
<br /></div>
<b>Senior Citizen Volunteerism: It's Impact on the Provider and Recipient of Services</b><br />
(poster session)<br />
<br />
Recent research has confirmed that volunteering as an elder can lead to decrease in depression, improved physical health, higher life satisfaction, and may delay physical and cognitive decline.<br />
<br />
This research surveyed senior citizen volunteers and senior clients of the <a href="http://www.seniorcareinc.org/" target="_blank">RSVP SeniorCare Program</a>.<br />
<br />
The findings confirmed that both the volunteers and recipients showed improved mental and physical health.<br />
<br />
It was suggested in this poster that these benefits should be highlighted at local council of aging offices and social media to encourage seniors to volunteer.<br />
<br />
<b>The Availability of Online Resources for Psychological Adjustment After Adult Vision Loss</b><br />
(poster session)<br />
<br />
This study looked at 46 websites for organizations that provide blind rehabilitation to see what information they had about mental health. <br />
<br />
Findings:<br />
<ul>
<li>13 (28.3%) of these websites had information about psychological adjustment to vision loss and the need for mental health counseling</li>
<li>16 sites (34.8%) provided a list of books and websites about mental health adjustment post-vision loss</li>
</ul>
<div>
Their findings suggest that this issue is overlooked and patients will have a hard time finding these resources. It was suggested that these organizations need to offer more mental health services and to update their websites with this information.</div>
Emily Weinberghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07766106486115061919noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9575355.post-44127633218407734642017-04-17T20:52:00.002-04:002017-04-17T20:52:54.746-04:0010 Interesting Findings from the 2017 State of Blogging Report The <a href="https://convertkit.com/reports/blogging/" target="_blank">2017 State of the Blogging Industry Report</a> was recently released by ConvertKit.<br />
<br />
There were about 850 bloggers that were surveyed. I was surpised to see that nonprofit was in the bottom of the topics blogged about. Even though not many bloggers were nonprofit related, the findings are interesting for nonprofits to read.<br />
<br />
Here are some the findings and how it might relate to nonprofits:<br />
<ol>
<li>The 3rd and 4th top reasons for starting a blog was to build an audience and to teach what they know. Nonprofits start blogs to share what they know about their mission. They want to build an audience of readers who will support their organization.</li>
<br />
<li>The top blog topic was professional development. This fits well with the nonprofit blogs people are reading. When asking others about favorite nonprofit blogs, people mention blogs that are nonprofit related not blogs that an organization writes. These are blogs that nonprofit staff can benefit from. Topics include technology, communication, and fundraising.</li>
<br />
<li>The top 20 blog topics include marketing, technology, web design, and web development. These are some of the topics that are written about on nonprofit related blogs.</li>
<br />
<li>The only topic that could be nonprofit related in the top 20 is art.</li>
<br />
<li>The survey had an other category. Some of the write-ins were education and health.</li>
<br />
<li>Most of the bloggers intend to publish blog posts once a week, but they actually post more than once a day. Every organization is different and there isn't an answer on how often to post. It depends what is best for your organization. It's suggested to at least post once a week.</li>
<br />
<li>Bloggers measure success on their blogs post the most by website visitors and e-mail subscribers. Social shares was also one of the top ways.</li>
<br />
<li>Bloggers grow their audience by using social media and e-mail marketing. Nonprofits can gain new readers by including links to blog posts in their e-newsletters. </li>
<br />
<li>Facebook and Twitter are used the most to promote blog posts. </li>
<br />
<li>Finding time and growing audience were two top struggles that bloggers have. These are the same struggles nonprofits have.</li>
</ol>
Emily Weinberghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07766106486115061919noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9575355.post-29054520738015013622017-04-09T22:21:00.000-04:002017-04-09T22:21:08.949-04:00What I Learned About Digital Inclusion at the 2017 Nonprofit Technology ConferenceI attended the Nonprofit Technology Conference two weeks ago. Most of the sessions I attended were about digital inclusion, which will help me improve <a href="http://community.nten.org/digital-inclusion" target="_blank">NTEN's Digital Inclusion Online Community </a>that I organize.<br />
<br />
<br />
<b>NTEN’s Digital Inclusion Toolkit: Resource Sprint</b><br />
<br />
This session was to brainstorm ideas to add to <a href="https://nten.org/NTEN_images/reports/2016.DIF_Toolkit.pdf" target="_blank">NTEN's Digital Inclusion Toolkit</a>. We divided up into 6 groups, one for each topic. After 10 minutes, we switched to another group.<br />
<br />
Topics were:<br />
<ol>
<li> Participant Outreach & Engagement, Engaging Volunteers and Staff</li>
<li> Partnerships</li>
<li> Classroom Management and Development</li>
<li> Curriculum and Tools</li>
<li> Connecting to the Digital Inclusion Community and Staying Informed</li>
<li> Devices and Access</li>
</ol>
<div>
Here is what was discussed in my groups:</div>
<div>
<ul>
<li>There are many digital literacy resources available so there is no need to create from scratch.</li>
<li>Focus on activities that are already successful and bring in technology. One example was shared where there was a job fair and then computers were available to use.</li>
<li>A beginner class teaches how to use a mouse and Windows.</li>
<li>Customize training for what people need.</li>
<li>People don't have time to learn technology skills.</li>
<li>People don't see how the skills will help improve their lives.</li>
<li>Have incentives for people who attend classes.</li>
<li>Partnerships are important to find clients, spread the word, and to get devices.</li>
</ul>
<div>
<br /></div>
</div>
<div>
<b>Same Issues, Different Contexts: Digital Literacy in Schools, Libraries, and Housing</b></div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
This session was a brainstorming session where barriers and solutions were shared. </div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
One barrier that I thought was interesting was that there is a lack of knowledge about digital inclusion is. People think everyone has access to technology and that digital inclusion issues end with just being connected. </div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
One solution I really liked was to have more storytelling. </div>
<div>
<b><br /></b></div>
<div>
<b>Connect: Digital Inclusion</b></div>
<div>
<b><br /></b></div>
<div>
This session was a smaller discussion about digital inclusion. Here are a few things that were discussed:<br />
<br />
<ul>
<li>Making technology accessible for people with disabilities</li>
<li>Some staff at organizations are from low-income areas - how to train them to do their job</li>
<li>Older workers have done the same things for years and don't want to change with new technologies</li>
<li>Smaller organizations and businesses can't afford technology products and are falling behind</li>
</ul>
</div>
<div>
<b><br /></b></div>
<div>
<b>Tech within Reach—Best Practices for Including No-Tech and Low-Tech Communities into our Work</b><br />
<br />
This was probably my favorite session at NTC. Some of the information shared in this session was about DC, which is local to me to it was very interesting.<br />
<br />
<ul>
<li>Older Adults - make tech relevant for daily life</li>
<li>LinkedIn is a great tool for SEO</li>
<li>It's a success hearing "I want to use this again"</li>
<li>Make programs tech-based</li>
<li>1 in 4 homes in DC lack broadband service</li>
<li>People aren't online because of relevance (34%), skills (32%), cost (19%), and access (7%)</li>
<li>People aren't online are low-income residents who are seniors, returning citizens, or ESL residents</li>
</ul>
<br />
Byte Back is an organization in DC that provides technology training and career services. Here are some facts about them:<br />
<ul>
<li>Job seekers are their target audience.</li>
<li>They find that young adults are literate with mobile, but they do not know how to use a desktop computer. They don't know how to type or use Microsoft Office.</li>
<li>Outreach includes word of mouth, bus & metros ads, Facebook ads, and partners.</li>
</ul>
<br /></div>
Emily Weinberghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07766106486115061919noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9575355.post-32460153000408202462017-04-02T13:30:00.000-04:002017-04-02T13:31:34.412-04:00How Buttons and Stickers Can Inspire You to Create VisualsThere were lots of buttons and stickers at the 2017 Nonprofit Technology Conference. It seems like the ones that were the most popular were ones with catchy phrases. The ones that weren't as popular were ones that just had logos of a company or organization.<br />
<br />
The image below has some of the ones I collected.<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi6SpYuU-NB1dtHUNoqYpqkh6S460zFhESLN8ndF4SAf2ews90Kx3aLm6RJ-2LjJ80TmhM_sZKckbuxGrOwdN5JI5tFZWV-6xBFRC8gDB4ck3KmMv9Hl4NYF7UnE37JailgNW6jSw/s1600/ntcbuttons_stickesr.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="237" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi6SpYuU-NB1dtHUNoqYpqkh6S460zFhESLN8ndF4SAf2ews90Kx3aLm6RJ-2LjJ80TmhM_sZKckbuxGrOwdN5JI5tFZWV-6xBFRC8gDB4ck3KmMv9Hl4NYF7UnE37JailgNW6jSw/s320/ntcbuttons_stickesr.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
<br />
<br />
My favorite ones were:<br />
<ul>
<li>"My database is like me: open to new connections"</li>
<li>"Small Dollars. Big Change."</li>
<li>"I want the data and I want it meow"</li>
<li>"Build the world you want"</li>
</ul>
<br />
What does this have to do with creating visuals?<br />
<br />
Posting visuals on social media is something organizations and companies are doing more of. People will share a visual if it is interesting. One of the most popular topic boards on Pinterest is inspirational quotes.<br />
<br />
If visuals were created like these buttons and stickers, imagine how often these would be shared.<br />
<br />
Companies and organizations can experiment with this idea by putting a catchy phrase and their name on a graphic.Emily Weinberghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07766106486115061919noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9575355.post-23617206540630269992017-02-23T22:34:00.001-05:002017-02-23T22:34:16.690-05:00Broadband Access in Public SchoolsThe <a href="http://stateofthestates.educationsuperhighway.org/" target="_blank">2016 State of the States report</a> on the state of broadband connectivity in the nation’s K-12 public schools was recently released by <a href="https://www.educationsuperhighway.org/" target="_blank">EducationSuperHighway</a>.<br />
<br />
Here are some of the findings:<br />
<ul>
<li>75% of all students in America are connected to high-speed broadband</li>
<li>10.4 million more students became connected in 2016</li>
<li>88% schools are ready for digital learning</li>
<li>11.6 million students in over 19,000 schools do not meet the FCC 100 kbps per student minimum connectivity goal</li>
</ul>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
EducationSuperHighway has a tool called <a href="http://stateofthestates.educationsuperhighway.org/" target="_blank">Compare & Connect K-12</a> where you can find out which school districts are falling behind. </div>
Emily Weinberghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07766106486115061919noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9575355.post-32059348107620240572016-10-30T21:15:00.001-04:002016-10-30T21:15:24.971-04:003 Things I Learned About Data VisualizationLast week I attended the Netsquared event in DC about data visualization.<br />
<br />
Here are three things I learned:<br />
<br />
1. The planning process for data visualization is like every other technology planning process. You have to figure out your audience and what their needs are.<br />
<br />
2. Data visualization is another form of storytelling. You have to look at your data to figure out what story you want to tell.<br />
<br />
3. Use of color is important.Emily Weinberghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07766106486115061919noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9575355.post-40890163153844352372016-05-15T18:54:00.001-04:002016-05-15T18:54:33.520-04:002016 Digital Outlook Report SummaryThe 2016 Digital Outlook Report was recently released. This was the second year for this report.<br />
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
Here are some of the findings:</div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
<ul>
<li>61.06% of respondents had at least one staff member dedicated solely to online digital strategy</li>
<li>52.09% of respondents have a team of at least 2-5 people focused on digital strategy</li>
<li>The biggest challenges with regards to planning new and concentrated digital strategy are staff shortages and budget restraints. These were the top two challenges in 2015 as well. Last year staff shortages was at a higher percentage with a 10% difference and this year they were both tied. Coming up with engaging content was the 3rd challenge and lack of training on new digital strategies was the 4th. In 2015, both of these challenges were tied at 40%. This year they were both above 50%</li>
<li>Nonprofits will be focusing their efforts the most on videos in 2016. This was the same finding in 2015. 69.3% will be focusing more on videos this year. Website conversion optimization will be the second thing nonprofits will be focusing their efforts on in 2016 (61.9%). Images was the third thing nonprofits will be focusing their efforts on in 2016 (60.4%), which was also in the top three in 2015. </li>
<li>56% will be looking to test content strategy in 2016</li>
<li>23% of respondents have created supporter personas, while 61% have not done this</li>
</ul>
</div>
Emily Weinberghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07766106486115061919noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9575355.post-57643072262220598042016-04-03T16:49:00.000-04:002016-04-03T16:52:29.058-04:00Notes from NetSquared DC's Crafting Amazing Stories<b>Speaker #1 - Melissa from Stone Soup Films</b><br />
<div>
<br /></div>
Shared a <a href="https://vimeo.com/144676630" target="_blank">video from Wise Young Builders</a> about math being used in building. This was to show how math is used in real life. <br />
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
Shared a <a href="https://vimeo.com/107078014" target="_blank">video from DC Diaper Bank</a> about a question they get all the time about why they don't use cloth diapers. </div>
<div>
<br />
<div>
Finding Stories</div>
<div>
<ul>
<li>Biggest obstacles and frustrations in communication (Example- DC Diaper Bank)</li>
<li>Who is your audience</li>
<li>Finding main characters</li>
</ul>
</div>
<div>
Story Content Basics</div>
<div>
<ul>
<li>Make audience care or take action</li>
<li>Show journal/transformation (beginning, middle, end)</li>
<li>Keep message simple</li>
</ul>
<div>
Rules</div>
</div>
<div>
<ul>
<li>Show don't tell (Example- Wise Young Builders)</li>
<li>Don't overburden with facts and figures</li>
<li>Shorter, the better</li>
</ul>
<div>
<br />
<b>Speaker #2 - Vladimir</b></div>
</div>
<div>
<ul>
<li>People don't connect with organizations, they connect with other people</li>
<li>Make it personal</li>
<li>We all love stories</li>
<li>Two questions to ask - Who is your audience? What is your goal?</li>
<li>Use same footage for different social media sites</li>
<li>Promote video on social media, e-mail, and ads on Facebook</li>
</ul>
<div>
<br />
<b>Speaker #3 - Tanya from Machinists Union</b></div>
</div>
<div>
<b><br /></b></div>
<div>
Basics</div>
<div>
<ul>
<li>Who is audience?</li>
<li>Tell both sides or all sides (different points of views)</li>
<li>The story structure should have a beginning, middle, and end. <br>(How did the issue come about? What is happening now? What’s next?)</li>
</ul>
</div>
Advocacy Journalism<br />
<ul>
<li>Show why position is important</li>
<li>Advocate for certain point or position</li>
<li>Back it up with facts</li>
</ul>
<div>
Advice</div>
<div>
<ul>
<li>Be different</li>
<li>Take notes</li>
<li>Search everywhere for stories</li>
<li>Get people to realize that they have a story that can help other people</li>
</ul>
<div>
<br />
<b>Speaker #4 - Brandi from Vanguard Communications</b></div>
</div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
Stories come from your network.</div>
<div>
There are more tools now to capture stories and share them.</div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
Science of Stories</div>
<div>
<ul>
<li>Engage more parts of the brain</li>
<li>Generate interest and engagement</li>
</ul>
<div>
How to Ask</div>
<div>
<ul>
<li>Invite people to share</li>
<li>Provide guidelines for content and an easy way to submit </li>
<li>Offer an incentive</li>
<li>Get releases (it is ok to use content submitted for website, blog, or social media)</li>
</ul>
</div>
</div>
<div>
<div>
Farm Aid Example</div>
</div>
<br />
<div>
<ul>
<li>They wanted stories and set up a submission form</li>
<li>500+ people shared #Road2FarmAid stories</li>
<li>Stories collected helped with content</li>
<li>Social Media Results - 6,416 new Facebook followers, reached 5 million Twitter accounts, generated 15.4 million Twitter
impressions, generated 9 million+ Instagram impressions</li>
</ul>
</div>
</div>
Emily Weinberghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07766106486115061919noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9575355.post-46439608311517297202016-03-03T14:52:00.000-05:002016-03-03T14:52:08.309-05:003 Nonprofit Technology Tips You Can Learn From Dr. Seuss <br />
1) <b>"The more that you read, the more things you will know. The more that you learn, the more places you'll go.”</b><br />
<br />
The more you read nonprofit blogs and keep up with the latest trends in technology and nonprofit technology,
the more things you will know. The more that you learn, the more places your nonprofit will go.<br />
<br />
<br />
2) <b>“Today is your day! Your mountain is waiting. So get on your way!”</b><br />
<br />
Today is your day to find new supporters and get the word out about what your organization is doing. Your
fans, followers, and website visitors are waiting for you! Update your content today!<br />
<br />
<br />
3) <b>"A person's a person, no matter how small."</b><br />
<br />
A fan is a fan, follower is a follower, and an e-mail list subscriber is a subscriber no matter how much they
engage with your organization.Emily Weinberghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07766106486115061919noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9575355.post-47662029430010247502016-01-24T15:46:00.000-05:002016-01-24T15:46:31.452-05:00How To Share Nonprofit Social Media Content in a Blog PostI was inspired by the article on sfist.com titled <a href="http://sfist.com/2016/01/18/bay_area_animal_shelters_worth_a_fo.php" target="_blank">Bay Area Shelters Worth a Follow on Social Media</a>.<br />
<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEge3-E4noBdfs3Sx5cZNFxzdQK4herQJQ4aLwkh1PyB8W7f945cV8swDRoKtk4EkAZAdasdVb-xQj5WsYnnA59R_khIKmieLOuuJeOjko43FSFOuczvctCfr1vfiog2q6qba1xTJQ/s1600/sfistarticle.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEge3-E4noBdfs3Sx5cZNFxzdQK4herQJQ4aLwkh1PyB8W7f945cV8swDRoKtk4EkAZAdasdVb-xQj5WsYnnA59R_khIKmieLOuuJeOjko43FSFOuczvctCfr1vfiog2q6qba1xTJQ/s400/sfistarticle.jpg" width="218" /></a></div>
This article has screenshots of 13 animal shelters in the San Francisco area that are using Facebook, Twitter, or Instagram. This brings awareness of how local shelters are using social media and readers can view these pages to learn more about the organizations.<br />
<br />
<br />
It even started some conversation in the comments section. People mentioned other animal shelters in the area that have a social media presence. One person mentioned that they volunteered at one of the shelters. Another person was heartbroken about seeing all the dogs that needed to be rescued.<br />
<br />
This is a great way to bring awareness of nonprofit organizations that are using social media.<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
Here are some ideas on what to share in an article similar to this:<br />
<br />
<ul>
<li>Local news websites/blogs can share content like this one for a specific cause</li>
</ul>
<ul>
<li>Organizations that have members or chapters can share their social media content</li>
</ul>
<ul>
<li>Nonprofit bloggers can explore an awareness day or some other theme and show what organizations are posting on social media</li>
</ul>
<br />Emily Weinberghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07766106486115061919noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9575355.post-79327995946119223402016-01-05T22:01:00.004-05:002016-01-05T22:01:52.385-05:00Great Nonprofit Blog Posts from 2015 about Technology, Communications, and Fundraising<span style="background-color: white; font-family: Arial, Tahoma, Helvetica, FreeSans, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px; line-height: 18.48px;">Every month I post a roundup of nonprofit blog posts on the </span><a href="https://nonprofitblogexchange.wordpress.com/" target="_blank">Nonprofit Blog Exchange</a><span style="background-color: white; font-family: Arial, Tahoma, Helvetica, FreeSans, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px; line-height: 18.48px;">. The links below are my favorite posts in 2015 that were linked in the roundups.</span><br />
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<span style="background-color: white; font-family: Arial, Tahoma, Helvetica, FreeSans, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px; line-height: 18.48px;">Listed below are links to 27 blog posts from 15 blogs.</span><br />
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<b>Ann Green’s Nonprofit Blog</b><br />
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<span style="background-color: white; font-family: Arial, Tahoma, Helvetica, FreeSans, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px; line-height: 18.48px;">According to my stats for 2015, her blog had the most clicks from The Nonprofit Blog Exchange blog. Here are 3 posts I included in the roundups this year: </span><br />
<ul>
<li><a href="http://anngreennonprofit.com/2015/05/11/get-noticed-in-an-instant-with-a-visual-story">Get Noticed in an Instant With a Visual Story</a> </li>
<li><a href="http://anngreennonprofit.com/2015/05/04/why-you-need-to-tell-your-stories">Why You Need to Tell Your Stories</a> </li>
<li><a href="http://anngreennonprofit.com/2015/12/03/make-it-easy-to-stay-in-touch-with-your-donors-by-using-a-communications-calendar" target="_blank">Make it Easy to Stay in Touch with Your Donors by Using a Communications Calendar</a></li>
</ul>
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<b>Kivi’s Nonprofit Communications Blog</b><br />
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<span style="background-color: white; font-family: Arial, Tahoma, Helvetica, FreeSans, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px; line-height: 18.48px;">According to my stats for 2015, her blog had the 2nd most clicks from The Nonprofit Blog Exchange blog. (same as last year) Here are 3 posts I included in the roundups this year:</span><br />
<ul>
<li><a href="http://www.nonprofitmarketingguide.com/blog/2015/07/16/5-super-solid-ways-to-engage-your-supporters-online-plus-28-affordable-tools-to-help-you-do-it/">5 Super Solid Ways To Engage Your Supporters Online (PLUS 28 Affordable Tools to Help You Do It)</a> </li>
<li><a href="http://www.nonprofitmarketingguide.com/blog/2015/08/27/show-us-your-lists-8-ideas-for-nonprofit-twitter-lists/">SHOW US YOUR LISTS! 8 Ideas for Nonprofit Twitter Lists</a> </li>
<li><a href="http://www.nonprofitmarketingguide.com/blog/2015/09/14/sharing-your-progress-12-phrases-that-give-your-donors-credit-for-helping/">Sharing Your Progress: 12 Phrases that Give Your Donors Credit for Helping</a> </li>
</ul>
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<b style="background-color: white; font-family: Arial, Tahoma, Helvetica, FreeSans, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px; line-height: 18.48px;">npENGAGE</b><br />
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<span style="background-color: white; font-family: Arial, Tahoma, Helvetica, FreeSans, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px; line-height: 18.48px;">According to my stats for 2015, their blog had the 3rd most clicks from The Nonprofit Blog Exchange blog. (was also in the top 3 last year) Here are 2 posts I included in the roundups this year: </span><br />
<ul>
<li><a href="http://npengage.com/nonprofit-fundraising/story-led-change-a-photojournalists-thoughts-on-the-power-of-storytelling/">Story-Led Change: A Photojournalist’s Thoughts on the Power of Storytelling</a></li>
<li><a href="http://npengage.com/nonprofit-fundraising/designing-your-event-website-a-little-bling-goes-a-long-way/">Designing Your Event Website: A Little Bling Goes A Long Way</a> </li>
</ul>
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<b>Non-Profit Marketing Blog</b><br />
<ul>
<li><a href="http://www.nonprofitmarketingblog.com/site/blogging_lessons_from_make_a_wish_america">Blogging Lessons from Make-a-Wish America</a> </li>
<li><a href="http://www.networkforgood.com/nonprofitblog/9-super-scary-nonprofit-website-mistakes/">9 Super Scary Nonprofit Website Mistakes</a> </li>
<li><a href="http://www.networkforgood.com/nonprofitblog/6-things-you-need-for-a-successful-year-end-email/">6 Things You Need for a Successful Year-End Email</a> </li>
</ul>
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<b>Engaging Volunteers</b></div>
<ul>
<li><a href="http://blogs.volunteermatch.org/engagingvolunteers/2015/02/10/5-ways-to-motivate-your-nonprofits-volunteers/" target="_blank">5 Ways to Motivate Your Nonprofit’s Volunteers</a><a href="http://blogs.volunteermatch.org/engagingvolunteers/2015/02/10/5-ways-to-motivate-your-nonprofits-volunteers/"></a> </li>
<li><a href="http://blogs.volunteermatch.org/engagingvolunteers/2015/07/20/why-fundraising-events-are-about-more-than-money/">Why Fundraising Events Are About More Than Money</a></li>
<li><a href="http://blogs.volunteermatch.org/engagingvolunteers/2015/12/15/how-to-maintain-relationships-with-volunteers-using-the-internet/">How to Maintain Relationships with Volunteers Using the Internet </a> </li>
</ul>
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<b>Event Fundraising Blog</b><br />
<ul>
<li><a href="http://www.event360.com/website-outage/">Six things to consider when your website goes down</a> </li>
<li><a href="http://www.event360.com/10-tips-for-rocking-your-event-social-media/">10 Tips for Rocking Your Event Social Media</a> </li>
<li><a href="http://www.event360.com/five-ways-to-develop-your-blog-strategy-to-educate-event-participants/">Five Ways to Develop Your Blog Strategy to Educate Event Participants</a> </li>
</ul>
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<b>Wild Apricot</b><br />
<ul>
<li><a href="http://www.wildapricot.com/blogs/newsblog/2015/01/09/social-media-to-recruit-engage-grow-membership">Using Social Media to Recruit, Engage and Grow Your Membership</a> </li>
<li><a href="http://www.wildapricot.com/blogs/newsblog/2015/05/11/6-mistakes-associations-make-with-websites">6 Mistakes Associations Make with Their Websites</a> </li>
</ul>
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<b>A New Marketing Commentator</b><br />
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<a href="http://anewmarketingcommentator.com/2015/07/07/how-10-nonprofit-brands-roll-on-twitter/">How 10 Nonprofit Brands Roll on Twitter</a><br />
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<b>Double the Donation</b><br />
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<a href="https://doublethedonation.com/blog/2015/07/5-steps-to-easy-online-donations/">5 Steps to Easy Online Donations</a><br />
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<b>Get Fully Funded Blog</b><br />
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<a href="http://getfullyfunded.com/10-non-profit-fundraising-lessons-from-my-garden-2/">10 Non-profit Fundraising Lessons From My Garden</a><br />
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<b>Neighborworks Blog</b><br />
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<a href="http://www.neighborworks.org/Top-7-Online-Giving-Tips-for-Nonprofits" target="_blank">Top 7 online giving tips for nonprofits</a><br />
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<b>Red Rooster Group</b><br />
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<a href="http://www.redroostergroup.com/2015/01/08/using-infographics-in-your-nonprofit-annual-report/">Using Infographics in Your Nonprofit Annual Report</a><br />
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<b>See What’s Out There</b><br />
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<a href="http://blog.see3.com/5-social-media-lessons-for-nonprofits/">5 Social Media Lessons for Nonprofits</a><br />
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<b>The Storytelling Non-Profit</b><br />
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<a href="http://www.thestorytellingnonprofit.com/blog/how-to-organize-your-stories/">How To Organize Your Stories</a><br />
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<b>Wild Woman Fundraising</b><br />
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<a href="http://wildwomanfundraising.com/a-recipe-for-the-perfect-nonprofit-e-newsletter/" target="_blank">A Recipe for the Perfect Nonprofit E-Newsletter</a><br />
<br />Emily Weinberghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07766106486115061919noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9575355.post-17638851380144643982015-12-28T14:04:00.000-05:002015-12-28T14:04:46.594-05:00Improve Your Nonprofit Blog in 2016 With These 4 Things<b>1. A blog title</b><br />
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The title of the blog is what you see in the browser window. Many blogs have a header on the page with the name of the blog but they don't have a descriptive title for the blog. <br />
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Titles like Blog or Untitled page are not descriptive enough.<br />
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A more descriptive title would be "[name of organization]'s Blog",<br />
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<b>2. A date on your posts</b><br />
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This is something that many blogs are not including. Readers would like to know when you wrote each post and if your blog is current.<br />
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<b>3. An archive</b><br />
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Don't hide your old posts! Don't just have one page of entries and not include links to previous entries.<br />
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Readers want to know how long your organization has had a blog and read your old entries. They want to know what you have accomplished over the years.<br />
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You can show links to your old posts in either in a sidebar or put page numbers on the bottom of the page.<br />
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<b>4. A link back to your organization's website</b><br />
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Make sure that people who find your blog through an internet search or social media know that you have a website too. Make it easy for them to get to your website. Don't make them take an extra step to search the internet to see if you have one. <br />
<br />Emily Weinberghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07766106486115061919noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9575355.post-82776963421137999192015-11-24T10:01:00.000-05:002015-11-24T10:06:28.619-05:006 reasons I am thankful for being part of the nptech communityThe nonprofit technology community has been a big part of my life for the past 10 years. It's hard to believe it has been this long since since I have been involved. I am thankful to be part of this community and listed below are reasons why.
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<b>1) My Blog</b>
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When I first learned about nptech, I also learned about blogs. I started reading them and decided to start one on my own. Without my involvement in nptech, I would have never started blogging. </div>
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Happy 10 years to my blog!</div>
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<b>2) Meeting New People</b></div>
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The best part about being part of the nptech community is meeting new people both on the internet and in person. </div>
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<b>3) Learning</b></div>
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Reading blog entries and attending events has allowed me to learn about topics related to nonprofits and technology. I have also gained experience using social media and other technologies because of my involvement. </div>
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<b>4) Leadership</b></div>
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I have been a leader in NTEN in various roles.</div>
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About 9 years ago, I created a group for nonprofit bloggers. In 2014, the group transitioned to the Nonprofit Digital Communications CoP. I organized this new group for about a year where I planned conference calls and compiled a list of resources on topics people enjoyed learning about. </div>
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I've been a member of the research committee for the past two years. </div>
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I led a few tweetchats for the commbuild CoP.</div>
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I also led a few sessions at conferences about blogging. </div>
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<b>5) Happiness</b></div>
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It makes me happy to see that people in nptech are enjoying my blogs and the resources I share. </div>
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As CoP organizer, I was happy to see that people enjoyed participating in the group I created.</div>
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A few months ago at work, I saw the documentary Happy and a sheet was handed out about <a href="http://www.popsugar.com/smart-living/Lessons-From-Happy-Documentary-34465863" target="_blank">lessons learned</a> from the movie. As I was reading it, I realized one of the lessons learned described me and my involvement with nptech. </div>
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This lesson was about finding your flow, which I found in nptech. I get lost in my zone when I look for resources to share with others, read articles about nptech, and write about nptech. </div>
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Being CoP organizer brought me happiness every day while I was leading the group. I really got lost in my zone when researching topics for the group to discuss, finding articles to share, and finding new ways to increase membership & improve the group. </div>
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<b>6) Reaching Goals</b></div>
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I set goals for myself to reach when working on nptech stuff. Goals have included compiling a list of resources on a particular topic or writing a blog entry. </div>
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Most importantly, I finally reached the goal I have been trying to reach for 10 years. I learned about nptech while trying to figure out my place in the nptech world. It took 10 years, but I finally work at an organization in a technology related position.</div>
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Emily Weinberghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07766106486115061919noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9575355.post-1635330975410438482015-10-16T10:05:00.000-04:002015-10-16T10:05:46.319-04:00Blog Action Day - Nonprofits Raising Their Voice Through StoriesToday is Blog Action Day and this year's theme is Raise Your Voice.<br />
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Nonprofits raise their voice by sharing their success stories on their websites and blogs. They want people to know what a difference they are making.<br />
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Nonprofits can also share stories written by people who gained something from their organization. People submit their stories so they can raise their voice so others will learn how the organization impacted them. Nonprofits post these stories so people will know that they are really making a difference for others.<br />
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Here are examples of nonprofits that are sharing stories on their website about people they have helped-<br />
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<b>American Red Cross</b>- <a href="http://www.redcross.org/stories/more-stories" target="_blank">Real Life Stories</a> has stories about the people they have helped<br />
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<b>Communities in Schools</b> - <a href="http://www.communitiesinschools.org/our-results/success-stories/" target="_blank">Success Stories Page</a> has stories about the students they have served<br />
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<b>United Way- </b>Their <a href="http://www.unitedway.org/our-impact/stories" target="_blank">stories page</a> has stories about the lives they have changed<br />
<br />Emily Weinberghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07766106486115061919noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9575355.post-67999437902977066352015-06-16T13:16:00.000-04:002015-06-16T13:17:12.386-04:0010 Ways Candy Crush and Nonprofits Are AlikeI have been busy playing Candy Crush over the past couple of years.<br />
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There are many ways Candy Crush and nonprofits are alike. Here are 10 ways I came up with:<br />
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<ol>
<li>In Candy Crush, the goals for each level are not the same. This is just like how each campaign for a nonprofit has a different goal.</li>
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<li>In Candy Crush, you might have to replay levels more than once to achieve the goal. This is just like how a nonprofit may not reach their goals right away and have to keep trying to reach them.</li>
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<li>In Candy Crush, you feel accomplished after completing a level. This is just like how a nonprofit feels after having a successful campaign.</li>
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<li>In Candy Crush, there are different strategies to complete levels. This is just like how nonprofits need different strategies to reach their goals.</li>
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<li>In Candy Crush, you have bombs that you must clear before you get to 0. This is just like how a nonprofit has a certain amount of time to raise money for a campaign or get signatures for a petition.</li>
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<li>In Candy Crush, you have to make enough points to pass a level. This is just like how a nonprofit has to raise enough money to make a difference.</li>
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<li>In Candy Crush, not all levels of the same type (jelly, ingredients, order) are exactly the same. This is just like how nonprofits have types of supporters who are either volunteers or donors. Each volunteer and each donor are not exactly the same.</li>
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<li>In Candy Crush, you have order levels where you have to collect different types of candies. Sometimes you have to create candy bombs, striped candies, and wrapped candies. This is just like how a nonprofit needs to create different content for their different audiences.</li>
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<li>In Candy Crush, you can only play when you have lives. You run out of lives and have to wait for it to recharge. This is just like how a nonprofit collects item donations. Nonprofits may not have a big supply of items and they have to wait to have a bigger supply.</li>
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<li>In Candy Crush Soda, you have to find the bears. This is just like how nonprofits have to find people to support their organization.</li>
</ol>
Emily Weinberghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07766106486115061919noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9575355.post-76015981092039173602015-05-04T09:57:00.001-04:002015-05-04T09:57:44.808-04:002015 Nonprofit Benchmarks StudyThe <a href="http://mrbenchmarks.com/" target="_blank">2015 Nonprofit Benchmarks Study</a> has recently been released.<br />
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Here are some of the findings:<br />
<ul>
<li>Environmental group experienced the most growth in email list size and saw the greatest increase in the number of online gifts. This was the only group to send more advocacy email than fundraising email.</li>
<li>Health organizations sent the fewest fundraising emails. </li>
<li>Hunger/Poverty organizations had the highest website donation conversion rate — 3.6% of their website visitors made a donation. </li>
<li>Wildlife/Animal Welfare groups posted at a greater rate than anyone else on both Facebook and Twitter.</li>
</ul>
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<b>E-mail List Growth</b></div>
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<li>Environmental was the only group that saw an increase. (from 20% to 32%)</li>
<li>Wild/Animal Welfare stayed the same at 21%.</li>
<li>Hunger/Poverty went way down from 58% to 15%.</li>
<li>Medium organizations was the only size that increased. (10% to 15%)</li>
<li>Both small and large organizations decreased. Small organizations went from 29% to 13% and large organizations went from 16% to 8%.</li>
</ul>
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<b>E-mails</b><br />
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<li>Hunger/Poverty organizations sent the most fundraising messages. They also only sent one newsletter during the year.</li>
<li>Rights organizations sent out the most newsletters during the year. (9)</li>
</ul>
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://mrbenchmarks.com/#infographic" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="http://mrbenchmarks.com/2015/images/infographic2015.jpg" height="275" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
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<br />Emily Weinberghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07766106486115061919noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9575355.post-23927894272912483552015-01-21T11:47:00.001-05:002015-01-21T11:48:03.224-05:002015 Nonprofit Communications Trends ReportThe <a href="http://www.nonprofitmarketingguide.com/resources/2015-nonprofit-communications-trends-report/" target="_blank">2015 Nonprofit Communications Trends Report</a> was recently released. Here are some of the findings:<br />
<ul>
<li>The three most important communications goals are engaging our community (57%), retaining current donors (53%), and brand awareness (51%). It is interesting to see that these were also the top three goals found in the nonprofit content marketing report that was released a few months ago.</li>
<li>The biggest challenge is still lack of time to produce quality content.</li>
<li>The most important communication channels are websites, e-mail marketing, and traditional social media. </li>
<li>Facebook is still the most important social media site and Twitter is the second. These results were the same findings from the nonprofit content marketing report.</li>
<li>Nonprofit communicators spend the most time producing content for Facebook and E-Newsletters. </li>
</ul>
Emily Weinberghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07766106486115061919noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9575355.post-43455055377876055432015-01-02T15:14:00.002-05:002015-01-02T15:17:47.960-05:00Great Nonprofit Blog Posts from 2014 about Technology, Communications, and FundraisingEvery month I post a roundup of nonprofit blog posts on the <a href="http://nonprofitblogexchange.wordpress.com/" target="_blank">Nonprofit Blog Exchange</a>. For 2014, I decided to make a list of my favorite posts throughout the year that were linked in the roundups.<br />
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Listed below are links to 66 blog posts from 25 blogs.<br />
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<b>npENGAGE</b><br />
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Blackbaud’s blog, npENGAGE, is one of my favorite nonprofit related blogs. I always include their posts in my roundups. According to my stats for 2014, their blog had the most clicks from The Nonprofit Blog Exchange blog. Here are 7 posts I included in the roundups this year:
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<ul>
<li><a href="http://npengage.com/nonprofit-marketing/10-must-have-elements-for-nonprofit-websites/" target="_blank">10 Must-Have Elements for Nonprofit Websites</a> </li>
<li><a href="http://npengage.com/nonprofit-marketing/how-healthy-your-nonprofit-website/" target="_blank">How Healthy is your Nonprofit Website?</a></li>
<li><a href="http://www.npengage.com/event-fundraising/curating-content-how-leverage-stories-from-your-community/" target="_blank">Curating Content: How to Leverage Stories from Your Community</a></li>
<li><a href="http://www.npengage.com/content-marketing/five-actions-enable-efficient-two-way-communication/" target="_blank">Five Actions to Enable an Efficient Two-Way Communication</a> </li>
<li><a href="http://www.npengage.com/online-fundraising/9-underutilized-emails-improve-donor-retention-2/" target="_blank">9 Underutilized Emails that Improve Donor Retention</a> </li>
<li><a href="http://npengage.com/nonprofit-fundraising/4-things-successful-fundraising-appeals-have-common-and-how-get-the-right-mix/" target="_blank">4 Things Successful Fundraising Appeals Have in Common and How to Get the Right Mix</a></li>
<li><a href="http://npengage.com/nonprofit-fundraising/what-humans-new-york-can-teach-you-about-end-year-fundraising/" target="_blank">What 'Humans of New York' Can Teach You About End of Year Fundraising</a></li>
</ul>
<b>Kivi’s Nonprofit Communications Blog</b><br />
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Kivi’s Blog has always been one of my favorite blogs about nonprofit communications. Her posts are always included in my roundups because they have great information nonprofits can learn from. This year she added more guest posts to her blog. According to my stats for 2014, her blog had the 2nd most clicks from The Nonprofit Blog Exchange blog. Here are 8 posts I included in the roundups this year:<br />
<ul>
<li><a href="http://www.nonprofitmarketingguide.com/blog/2014/03/26/kick-start-yourself-with-a-communications-grid/" target="_blank">Kick-Start Yourself with a Communications Grid</a> (Guest post)</li>
<li><a href="http://www.nonprofitmarketingguide.com/blog/2014/04/02/6-steps-to-building-an-engaged-staff-writing-team/" target="_blank">6 Steps to Building an Engaged Staff Writing Team</a> (Guest post )</li>
<li><a href="http://www.nonprofitmarketingguide.com/blog/2014/02/04/how-are-you-segmenting-your-email-list/" target="_blank">How Are You Segmenting Your Email List?</a> </li>
<li><a href="http://www.nonprofitmarketingguide.com/blog/2014/10/14/5-steps-to-discovering-great-stories-for-your-organization-even-if-youre-a-policy-organization/" target="_blank">5 Steps to Discovering Great Stories for Your Organization (Even if You’re a Policy Organization)</a> (Guest post)</li>
<li><a href="http://www.nonprofitmarketingguide.com/blog/2014/09/10/how-to-make-online-donations-simple-for-potential-donors/" target="_blank">How to Make Online Donations Simple for Potential Donors</a> (Guest post)</li>
<li><a href="http://www.nonprofitmarketingguide.com/blog/2014/09/09/your-favorite-engagement-asks/" target="_blank">Your Favorite Engagement Asks?</a></li>
<li><a href="http://www.nonprofitmarketingguide.com/blog/2014/10/22/social-media-awareness-that-works-smores-in-the-outdoors/" target="_blank">Social Media Awareness That Works: S’mores in the Outdoors</a> (Guest Post)</li>
<li><a href="http://www.nonprofitmarketingguide.com/blog/2014/12/04/mind-your-microcontent-8-little-bits-that-can-make-a-big-difference-in-your-next-email/" target="_blank">Mind Your Microcontent: 8 Little Bits That Can Make a Big Difference In Your Next Email </a></li>
</ul>
<b>The Non-Profit Marketing Blog</b><br />
<br />
The Non-Profit Marketing Blog is the blog for Network for Good. According to my stats for 2014, their blog had the 3rd most clicks from The Nonprofit Blog Exchange blog. Here are 6 posts I included in the roundups this year:<br />
<ul>
<li><a href="http://www.nonprofitmarketingblog.com/site/how_to_make_2014_the_year_of_the_donor" target="_blank">7 Ways to Make 2014 the Year of the Donor</a></li>
<li><a href="http://www.nonprofitmarketingblog.com/site/11_great_online_giving_tips_for_givingtuesday_and_every_day" target="_blank">11 Great Online Giving Tips for #GivingTuesday and Every Day</a></li>
<li><a href="http://www.nonprofitmarketingblog.com/site/use_your_newsletters_to_keep_donors_loyal_focused_and_giving" target="_blank">Use Your Newsletters to Keep Donors Loyal, Focused, and Giving</a></li>
<li><a href="http://www.nonprofitmarketingblog.com/site/6_types_of_stories_that_spur_giving" target="_blank">6 Types of Stories that Spur Giving</a> </li>
<li><a href="http://www.nonprofitmarketingblog.com/site/is_your_nonprofit_content_urgent" target="_blank">Is your nonprofit content urgent?</a></li>
<li><a href="http://www.nonprofitmarketingblog.com/site/how_great_content_can_help_you_raise_more_money" target="_blank">How great content can help you raise more money</a></li>
</ul>
<b>Beth’s Blog</b><br />
<br />
Beth Kanter's blog is the most well known nonprofit blog. Her blog has been part of the exchange for the longest. Here are my favorite posts from her blog this past year:<br />
<ul>
<li><a href="http://www.bethkanter.org/content-curation-3/" target="_blank">Content Curation: The Art and Science of Spotting Awesome</a></li>
<li><a href="http://www.bethkanter.org/social-research/" target="_blank">How Many Social Channels Should Our Nonprofit Use?</a></li>
<li><a href="http://www.bethkanter.org/quote/" target="_blank">7 Tips for Using Quotes for Your Nonprofit’s Content Strategy</a></li>
</ul>
<b>J Campbell Social Marketing</b><br />
<ul>
<li><a href="http://jcsocialmarketing.com/2014/05/3-reasons-nonprofits-dont-storytelling-solutions/" target="_blank">3 Reasons Why Nonprofits Don’t Do Storytelling</a></li>
<li><a href="http://jcsocialmarketing.com/2014/05/10-ways-build-loyalty-among-online-community-members/" target="_blank">10 Ways to Build Loyalty Among Online Community Members</a></li>
<li><a href="http://jcsocialmarketing.com/2014/06/5-quick-ways-improve-nonprofit-email-newsletter-today/" target="_blank">5 Quick Ways to Improve Your Nonprofit Email Newsletter</a></li>
<li><a href="http://jcsocialmarketing.com/2014/05/10-ways-nonprofits-can-succeed-visual-marketing/" target="_blank">10 Ways Nonprofits Can Succeed with Visual Marketing</a></li>
<li><a href="http://jcsocialmarketing.com/2014/09/4-questions-need-answer-raising-money-online/" target="_blank">The 4 Questions You Need To Answer When Raising Money Online</a>/</li>
</ul>
<b>Ann Green’s Nonprofit Blog</b><br />
<ul>
<li><a href="http://www.anngreennonprofit.com/2014/02/dont-let-your-donors-pack-up-and-leave.html" target="_blank">Don't Let Your Donors Pack Up and Leave</a></li>
<li><a href="http://www.anngreennonprofit.com/2014/04/show-your-donors-how-you-are-making.html" target="_blank">Show Your Donors How You Are Making a Difference</a></li>
<li><a href="http://anngreennonprofit.com/2014/12/04/stay-connected-throughout-the-year-by-using-a-communications-calendar/" target="_blank">Stay Connected Throughout the Year by Using a Communications Calendar</a></li>
<li><a href="http://anngreennonprofit.com/2014/12/11/five-ways-to-improve-your-fundraising-and-communications-in-2015/" target="_blank">Five Ways to Improve Your Fundraising and Communications in 2015</a> </li>
</ul>
<b>Red Rooster Group’s Blog</b><br />
<ul>
<li><a href="http://www.redroostergroup.com/2014/09/23/4-tips-to-stand-out-from-the-nonprofit-crowd/" target="_blank">4 Tips to Make Your Nonprofit Stand Out from the Crowd </a></li>
<li><a href="http://www.redroostergroup.com/2014/06/17/do-nonprofits-really-need-a-brand/" target="_blank">Nonprofits Need Strong Brands to Achieve Their Missions</a> </li>
<li><a href="http://www.redroostergroup.com/2014/05/20/building-a-case-for-support/" target="_blank">Building a Case for Support </a></li>
<li><a href="http://www.redroostergroup.com/2014/04/22/is-it-time-to-rebrand/" target="_blank">Is It Time to Rebrand</a></li>
</ul>
<b>Techsoup's Blog</b><br />
<ul>
<li><a href="http://forums.techsoup.org/cs/community/b/tsblog/archive/2014/11/14/4-ways-to-use-your-nonprofit-blog-for-givingtuesday-storytelling.aspx" target="_blank">4 Ways to Use Your Nonprofit Blog for #GivingTuesday Storytelling</a> </li>
<li><a href="http://forums.techsoup.org/cs/community/b/tsblog/archive/2014/06/18/learning-from-failure-building-online-communities.aspx" target="_blank">Learning from Failure: Building Online Communities</a></li>
<li><a href="http://forums.techsoup.org/cs/community/b/tsblog/archive/2014/04/22/the-nine-steps-of-planning-a-successful-technology-project.aspx" target="_blank">The Nine Steps of Planning a Successful Technology Project</a></li>
<li><a href="http://forums.techsoup.org/cs/community/b/tsblog/archive/2014/09/25/do-you-need-a-new-website-check-out-idealware-new-free-workbook.aspx" target="_blank">Do You Need a New Website? Check Out Idealware’s New Free Workbook</a></li>
</ul>
<b>The Fundraising Resource Group's Blog</b><br />
<ul>
<li><a href="http://www.thefundraisingresource.com/wp/uncategorized/10-social-media-tips-for-non-profit-organizations/" target="_blank">10 Social Media Tips for Non-Profits </a></li>
<li><a href="http://www.thefundraisingresource.com/wp/marketing/nonprofit-marketing-learn-why-your-website-visitors-arent-donating/" target="_blank">Nonprofit Marketing: Learn Why Your Website Visitors Aren’t Donating</a> </li>
<li><a href="http://www.thefundraisingresource.com/wp/marketing/nonprofit-marketing-10-web-design-tips-that-will-increase-your-online-donations/" target="_blank">Nonprofit Marketing: 10 Web Design Tips That Will Increase Your Online Donations</a></li>
</ul>
<b>ASU Lodestar Center Blog</b><br />
<ul>
<li><a href="http://blog.lodestar.asu.edu/2014/03/four-online-fundraising-pitfallsand-how.html" target="_blank">Four Online Fundraising Pitfalls-And How to Avoid Them</a></li>
<li><a href="http://blog.lodestar.asu.edu/2014/10/nonprofit-marketing-beyond-social-media.html" target="_blank">Nonprofit Marketing: Beyond Social Media</a></li>
</ul>
<b>Communicate and Howe!</b><br />
<ul>
<li><a href="http://www.communicateandhowe.com/2014/05/22/nonproft-communications-strategy-evaluation/" target="_blank">Nonprofit Communications Strategy: Did you succeed?</a></li>
<li><a href="http://www.communicateandhowe.com/2014/12/02/think-can-blog-keeping-posts-pages-blogs-straight/" target="_blank">Know your blogging terminology</a></li>
</ul>
<b>Event Fundraising Blog</b><br />
<ul>
<li><a href="http://event360.com/blog/10-tips-on-how-to-rock-your-event-social-media/" target="_blank">10 Tips on How to Rock Your Event Social Media</a></li>
<li><a href="http://event360.com/blog/five-best-practices-and-tips-for-hosting-tweet-chats-and-twitter-parties/" target="_blank">Five Best Practices and Tips for Hosting Tweet Chats and Twitter Parties</a></li>
</ul>
<b>Frogloop (Blog for Care2)</b><br />
<ul>
<li><a href="http://www.frogloop.com/care2blog/2014/12/12/3-best-practices-to-rock-your-blog.html" target="_blank">3 Best Practices to Rock Your Blog</a></li>
<li><a href="http://www.frogloop.com/care2blog/2014/11/19/10-must-have-year-end-fundraising-tips.html" target="_blank">10 Must Have Year-End Fundraising Tips</a></li>
</ul>
<b>Fundraising Coach</b><br />
<ul>
<li><a href="http://fundraisingcoach.com/2014/06/03/4-disney-lessons-transform-donor-retention/" target="_blank">4 Disney Lessons to Transform Your Donor Retention</a> </li>
<li><a href="http://fundraisingcoach.com/2014/06/17/nonprofit-marketing-tips-19-experts/" target="_blank">Nonprofit Marketing Tips from 19 Experts</a> </li>
</ul>
<b>The Storytelling Non-Profit</b><br />
<ul>
<li><a href="http://www.thestorytellingnonprofit.com/blog/using-donor-stories-for-a-successful-giving-tuesday/" target="_blank">Using Donor Stories for a Successful Giving Tuesday</a> </li>
<li><a href="http://www.thestorytellingnonprofit.com/blog/how-to-make-your-non-profit-stand-out/" target="_blank">How To Make Your Non-Profit Stand Out </a></li>
</ul>
<b>About.com Nonprofit Charitable Orgs</b><br />
<b><br /></b>
<a href="http://nonprofit.about.com/b/2014/01/28/drowning-in-content-curated-link-roundups-can-help.htm" target="_blank">Drowning in Content? Curated Link Roundups Can Help</a>
<b><br /></b><br />
<b>Donation Pay's Blog</b><br />
<b><br /></b>
<a href="https://www.donationpay.org/site/2014/12/questions-to-ask-about-your-fundraising-halfway-through-the-holiday-push/" target="_blank">Questions to Ask About Your Fundraising, Halfway Through the Holiday Push</a><br />
<br />
<b>Double The Donation Blog</b><br />
<b><br /></b><a href="https://doublethedonation.com/blog/2014/05/nonprofits-how-to-use-social-media-to-build-donor-loyalty/" target="_blank">Nonprofits - How to Use Social Media to Build Donor Loyalty</a><br />
<br />
<b>Engaging Volunteers</b><br />
<b><br /></b>
<a href="http://blogs.volunteermatch.org/engagingvolunteers/2014/03/27/winning-people-over-to-your-cause-part-one-welcome-change/" target="_blank">Winning People Over to Your Cause - Part One: Welcome Change</a><br />
<b><br /></b>
<b>Get Fully Funded</b><br />
<b><br /></b>
<a href="http://getfullyfunded.com/evaluation-tips-resources/" target="_blank">Tips and Resources for Evaluating your Fundraising Efforts</a><br />
<br />
<b>Getting Attention</b><br />
<br />
<a href="http://gettingattention.org/2014/11/nonprofit-website-design/" target="_blank">How Great Website Design DRIVES Action</a><br />
<b><br /></b>
<b>LipmanHearne Commons</b><br />
<br />
<a href="http://www.lipmanhearne.com/website-redesign-steps/" target="_blank">Five Steps to Take Before Starting a Website Redesign</a><br />
<b><br /></b>
<b>Michelle Chaplin’s Blog</b><br />
<b><br /></b>
<a href="http://www.michellechaplin.org/10-easy-ab-tests-for-your-email/" target="_blank">10 Easy A/B Tests for Your Email</a><br />
<br />
<b>The Collins Group Blog</b><br />
<b><br /></b>
<a href="http://collinsgroup.com/general/tech-changing-fundraising/" target="_blank">How Tech is Changing Fundraising</a><br />
<br />
<b>Wild Apricot</b><br />
<br />
<a href="http://www.wildapricot.com/blogs/newsblog/2014/03/07/from-the-olympics-to-the-oscars---non-profit-newsjacking-gold" target="_blank">From the Olympics to the Oscars - Non-profit Newsjacking Gold</a><br />
<br />
<br />
<i>Want your nonprofit blog listed in the roundups? <a href="http://nonprofitblogexchange.wordpress.com/about/submitnonprofitblog/" target="_blank">Learn more</a> about signing up your blog. Blogs included are blogs for organizations and blogs about nonprofits.</i>Emily Weinberghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07766106486115061919noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9575355.post-69909977251167441532014-12-16T14:54:00.001-05:002014-12-16T14:54:36.095-05:00Summary of 2015 Nonprofit Content Marketing ReportThe <a href="http://www.slideshare.net/CMI/nonprofit-content-marketing-2015-benchmarks-budgets-and-trends-north-america-by-cmi-blackbaud-and-sponsored-by-fusion-spark" target="_blank">2015 Nonprofit Content Marketing Report</a> was recently published by Blackbaud and The Content Marketing Institute.<br />
<br />
Here are some of the findings:<br />
<ul>
<li>35% of the respondents said their content marketing is effective in their organization.</li>
<li>The top two goals for nonprofit content marketing are brand awareness (87%) and engagement (84%)</li>
<li>The top three metrics used to measure content marketing success are increased event attendance/participation (55%) , website traffic (54%) and increased fundraising (44%). Website traffic and increased fundraising were also the top three metrics last year.</li>
<li>50% of the respondents created more content over the past year compared to last year.</li>
<li>The average number of marketing audiences is 4.</li>
<li>The top six ways nonprofits market their content are social media content-other than blogs (93%), in person events (89%), e-newsletters (88%), articles on website (86%), illustrations/photos (86%), and videos (82%). </li>
<li>The social media site used the most is Facebook at 94%. Facebook was also the most used last year. Last year's data showed Twitter as the second most used site at 69% and this year it is also the second most used at 84%. It is interesting to note that each social media site used has increased over the past year. </li>
<li>Facebook is also the most effective social media site used.</li>
<li>48% of nonprofits publish new content daily or multiple times a week.</li>
<li>The top three challenges nonprofit marketers face are lack of budget (56%), measuring content effectiveness (52%), and producing engaging content (49%).</li>
<li>Nonprofit marketers are currently working on becoming better storytellers (66%), creating visual content (63%), creating more engaging/higher quality content (62%), better understanding of audience (59%), and organizing content on website (59%). </li>
</ul>
Emily Weinberghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07766106486115061919noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9575355.post-8890699394507696832014-11-26T16:49:00.001-05:002014-11-26T16:49:29.510-05:00The Impact of Tigers for TigersThe <a href="http://www.t4tcoalition.org/" target="_blank">National Tigers for Tigers Coalition</a> (T4T) is a student conservation organization for colleges with the tiger mascot. The purpose of this organization to help save tigers and increase awareness of the issues tigers face. <br />
<br />
This is such a great idea for schools to increase awareness of their mascots.<br />
<br />
T4T recently held their first National Tiger Awareness week. They posted an infographic on their blog about their impact during the week. This is a great example of the type of content nonprofits can share to show their impact.<br />
<br />
Here is the infographic they posted-<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://media-cache-ec0.pinimg.com/736x/37/2c/fc/372cfc88629e631b297afb9cdc26c9ec.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://media-cache-ec0.pinimg.com/736x/37/2c/fc/372cfc88629e631b297afb9cdc26c9ec.jpg" height="312" width="400" /></a></div>
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<br />Emily Weinberghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07766106486115061919noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9575355.post-70607230435155776412014-10-29T15:53:00.001-04:002014-10-29T15:54:04.435-04:002015 B2B Content Marketing Research Report The Content Marketing Institute and MarketingProfs recently released their <a href="http://contentmarketinginstitute.com/2014/10/2015-b2b-content-marketing-research/" target="_blank">2015 B2B Content Marketing Research Report</a>.<br />
<br />
Here are some of the findings that I thought were interesting:<br />
<br />
<ul>
<li>The key theme from the research is to have a documented content marketing strategy. 35% have a documented content marketing strategy, 48% have one not documented, and 14% do not have a strategy.</li>
<li>84% said brand awareness was their most important goal of content marketing.</li>
<li>Website traffic (at 63%) was the metric used the most to assess content marketing success. The lowest metric was subscriber growth at 30%.</li>
<li>Content marketing tactics used the most was social media at 92%, e-newsletters at 83%, website articles as 81%, and blogs at 80%.</li>
<li>The top four challenges marketers face are producing engaging content (54%), producing content consistently (50%), measuring content effectiveness (49%), and producing a variety of content (42%). </li>
<li>Creating more engaging content is the top content marketing initiative. 69% are currently doing this and 19% are planning to do this within the next 12 months.</li>
<li>55% are currently trying to have a better understanding of what content is effective and what isn't. 31% plan do this within the next 12 months.</li>
<li>63% are currently trying to find more and better ways to repurpose content. 23% plan to do within the next 12 months.</li>
<li>63% are currently trying to better understand their audience. 21% plan to do this within the next 12 months.</li>
<li>62% are organizing content on website. 21% plan to do this within the next 12 months and 12% said it is not a priority.</li>
<li>55% of the respondents that have a documented content strategy publish new content daily or multiple times a week. </li>
</ul>
<div>
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<br />Emily Weinberghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07766106486115061919noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9575355.post-13349530322150725442014-09-22T15:32:00.000-04:002014-09-22T15:38:51.725-04:00How Digital Content Helps MuseumsLast week was #askacurator day on Twitter. I followed along to see what tweets were about digital content. I also tweeted a question about this topic and got some great responses. Listed below is a summary of what I learned from my question and other related information.<br />
<br />
<br />
How do websites, social media, and blogs help museums?<br /><br />
<ul>
<li>Increased engagement with existing and new audiences</li>
</ul>
<ul>
<li>Increased accessibility to collections otherwise just kept in storage and seen by no one</li>
</ul>
<ul>
<li>Great way to connect with people around the world whether or not they visit museums in person</li>
</ul>
<ul>
<li>Great way to share expanded content beyond the content in museum</li>
</ul>
<ul>
<li>Great way to tell stories</li>
</ul>
<ul>
<li>Helps publicize events</li>
</ul>
<ul>
<li>It helps present artifacts museums would not have room to show</li>
</ul>
<ul>
<li>Blogs & social media help make collections more visible and accessible</li>
</ul>
<ul>
<li>Social media helps people learn about museums.</li>
</ul>
<ul>
<li>Online presence helps share material with the world</li>
</ul>
<ul>
<li>Online exhibitions are a way to bring a museum to the people and can live beyond the life of the physical exhibition</li>
</ul>
<ul>
<li>Social media is becoming a much bigger part of museum marketing strategies</li>
</ul>
<ul>
</ul>
<br />
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="color: #292f33;"><span style="line-height: 24px; white-space: pre-wrap;">Mini Case Studies </span></span></span><br />
<br />
<ul>
<li>The Smithsonian National Postal Museum uses Twitter, Facebook, Pinterest, YouTube, and Flickr. They plan to experiment with Instagram and Tumblr next. They also have a blog where they write about postal history stories, objects, famous/rare stamps, and behind the scenes at the museum. People learn about the museum through social media and it helps when others spread the word about the museum.</li>
</ul>
<ul>
<li>The Everhart Museum uses Twitter every day and Facebook a few times a week. They are trying to do more on Pinterest and Instagram. They post content about current exhibits (facts & objects), collections, and programs & partners. Social media is a great way to spread the word about the museum and interact with people.</li>
</ul>
<ul>
<li>The Children's Museum of Indianapolis uses social media because that is where their visitors "live". Social media is a great way for visitors to share their memories immediately after their visit.</li>
</ul>Emily Weinberghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07766106486115061919noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9575355.post-67445392092391141982014-08-22T15:52:00.000-04:002014-08-22T15:52:38.970-04:00Ice Bucket Challenge RoundupThe <a href="http://www.alsa.org/fight-als/ice-bucket-challenge.html" target="_blank">ALS Ice Bucket Challenge</a> has been a trending topic on the Internet. Many people in the nonprofit sector and social media have shared their thoughts about why this challenge has been successful.<br />
<br />
Here is a roundup of these articles-<br />
<br />
<a href="http://www.nonprofitmarketingblog.com/site/why_the_icebucketchallenge_works" target="_blank">Why the #IceBucketChallenge works</a> (from the Nonprofit Marketing Blog)<br />
<br />
<a href="http://jcsocialmarketing.com/2014/08/social-media-success-als-icebucketchallenge-can-teach-nonprofits" target="_blank">What the Social Media Success of the ALS #IceBucketChallenge Can Teach Nonprofits</a> (from J Campbell Social Marketing)<br />
<br />
<a href="http://www.nonprofitmarketingguide.com/blog/2014/08/21/creating-your-nonprofits-version-of-the-icebucketchallenge" target="_blank">Creating Your Nonprofit’s Version of the #IceBucketChallenge</a> (from Kivi's Nonprofit Communications Blog)<br />
<br />
<a href="http://www.gailperry.com/2014/08/board-needs-know-icebucketchallenge/" target="_blank">How to Knock Off the Ice Bucket Challenge and Make Social Media Work for Your Cause</a> (from Fired Up Fundraising)<br />
<br />
<a href="http://www.bethkanter.org/icebucket-challenge" target="_blank">Is A Downer News Cycle A Factor in the ALS Ice Bucket Challenge Success?</a> (from Beth Kanter)<br />
<br />
<a href="http://www.business2community.com/social-media/als-ice-bucket-challenge-3-lessons-social-media-strategy-0979474#!bHKyli" target="_blank">The ALS Ice Bucket Challenge: 3 Lessons In Social Media Strategy</a> (from Business 2 Community)<br />
<br />
<a href="http://www.forbes.com/sites/jimstengel/2014/08/20/four-lessons-brands-ice-bucket-challenge" target="_blank">Four Lessons Brands Can Learn From the ALS Ice Bucket Challenge</a> (from Forbes)<br />
<br />
<a href="http://www.marissagarza.com/posts/2014/8/20/haters-gonna-hate-ice-bucket-challenge-edition" target="_blank">Haters Gonna Hate: Ice Bucket Challenge Edition</a> (from Marissa Garza)<br />
<br />
<a href="https://www.linkedin.com/today/post/article/20140820173937-51713233-changing-the-world-one-bucket-of-ice-at-a-time" target="_blank">Changing the World One Bucket of Ice at a Time</a> (LinkedIn post by Nicholas L.)<br />
<br />
<a href="https://www.linkedin.com/today/post/article/20140819021617-201269877-the-ice-bucket-challenge-and-the-art-of-storytelling" target="_blank">The Ice Bucket Challenge and the Art of Storytelling</a> (LinkedIn post by Amanda S.)<br />
<br />
<a href="https://www.linkedin.com/today/post/article/20140819124035-17473192-7-reasons-behind-the-fundraising-success-of-the-ice-bucket-challenge" target="_blank">7 Reasons behind the Fundraising Success of the Ice Bucket Challenge</a> (LinkedIn post by David W.<span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; font-weight: inherit; line-height: 16px;">)</span><br />
<br />
<a href="https://www.linkedin.com/today/post/article/20140819133122-25518108-what-the-als-ice-bucket-challenge-teaches-us-about-social-media" target="_blank">What the ALS Ice Bucket Challenge Teaches Us About Social Media</a> (LinkedIn post by Frank G.)<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
Know of any other articles that explain why this challenge is a success and what nonprofits can learn from it?<br />
<br />Emily Weinberghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07766106486115061919noreply@blogger.com0