Apr 27, 2012
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written by Amy Flashenberg
This is the first in a series of blog posts about the tools offered by Google for nonprofits.
Google isn’t just the search engine giant most people know it to be, it’s also a facilitator of nonprofit fundraising and promotion through its Google for Nonprofits program. Its free, simple-to-use tools are easy to implement into your nonprofit’s fundraising, outreach and advocacy efforts.
In this post, I’ll be talking about Google+, Google’s social networking tool that allows organizations (as well as individuals and businesses) to connect with constituents in a unique way.
For explanation’s sake, I’ll compare it to Facebook, since most people are familiar with it. When an organization posts to their Facebook page, the post is broadcast to everyone who has “liked” the page, which can be problematic for many organizations that have different groups of constituents (i.e., volunteers, donors, members, advocates, etc.); there are times when you want to reach out to each group individually.
A main differentiating feature of Google+ is Circles, which allows organizations to segment their followers into groups for easier, more targeted and more effective communication.
Another advantage to having a Google+ profile is search engine rankings—Google ranks Google+ pages high in their search results, so just having a profile is likely to bring visitors to your page if they’re searching for your organization.
Google+ also features Hangouts—live video chats that your followers can join in on. Organizations can use Hangouts to hold discussions about the issues important to you and your audience, and use it as a platform to educate newcomers who may not be as familiar with your work.
To gain followers, you have to let people know you’re on Google+. To do this, you can integrate a +1 button on your website so people with a Google+ profile can share your website with their followers. Also, just as you would say “Follow us on Facebook” or include a Facebook button in a newsletter or mailing, you should add a “Follow us on Google+” message to get the word out there.
Most people today have a Google account, whether they use Gmail, YouTube, Blogger or another Google product, so if you’re on Google+, you may just be able to reach a large part of the population that didn’t know about your organization or hadn’t thought to join before!
Find more information about setting up a Google+ page for your nonprofit here.
Feb 13, 2012
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written by Amy Flashenberg
With a user count growing larger than 10 million, there’s no question that Pinterest, is the newest thing in social sharing sites. Pinterest, offers a simple, visual way to share
content on the web.
Nonprofits are taking advantage of the site’s growing popularity by creating their own pin boards, where they “pin” images that are relevant to their organization. For example, the National Wildlife Federation has several boards (which are basically just categories of content) such as “Nature Photography,” “Gardening for Wildlife” and “Squirrel Appreciation Day.” On these boards, NWF has pinned images from various sites that fit into these categories and give visitors a beautiful gallery of images to browse, “like” or share with others on their own pin boards.
Whereas other social sites are often used for marketing purposes, Pinterest is a nice departure, serving as a platform to simply share beautiful things with people who are interested in what you’re posting. Maybe simplicity is what people are craving in today’s information-overloaded world, so Pinterest might be a nice way to share content with your constituents without overwhelming them with information–that way you’re engaging with them and giving them something they enjoy without coming off like a salesman!
For some inspiration, here’s a great article highlighting how several nonprofits are using Pinterest: http://nonprofitorgs.wordpress.com/2012/02/13/11-must-follow-nonprofits-on-pinterest/
Jan 4, 2012
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written by Amy Flashenberg
It’s a new year, so how will your nonprofit communicate to constituents? According to this infographic by nonprofitmarketingguide.com, most nonprofits believe their websites will be most important for their communication efforts in 2012, followed by e-mail newsletters. What does this mean? It’s clear that nonprofits still consider their websites to be the main form of communication with their constituents, so if you’re in the same boat, makes sure you keep your website content fresh, dynamic and interesting so that people want to come back to see what’s new. As I always preach, images, video and other visual elements are key to capturing and keeping interest. A blog is also a good way to keep content fresh — updating weekly will keep people coming back to see what insights you’re sharing about your nonprofit’s cause and the work your organization is doing.
Dec 15, 2011
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written by Amy Flashenberg
A study of eye-tracking revealed what people look at when visiting Facebook brand pages, and as it turns out (as if this wasn’t obvious), content is king!
People spend less time viewing the page’s profile photo than they do looking at the page’s wall and the content that appears in that feed. But photos are certainly not overlooked — profiles that have the most images posted on the wall will get longer viewing time than those with fewer images.
So what’s the takeaway here?
- Make sure that what you post on your Facebook reflects the message you want to convey because people are looking at it. And since you know people are reading it, make sure to include the occasional call-to-action if you want your constituents to donate, join, volunteer, etc.
- Post images for more engagement with your constituents. People are naturally drawn to visual things, so make your Facebook page somewhere that’s naturally interesting to look at.
- The profile picture is not that important. So if you’re launching a specific initiative, maybe putting a campaign-specific banner/image as your profile picture isn’t the best way to bring attention to it — make sure to use your constituents’ inclination to read your wall posts to your advantage and tell them about the campaign and what you want from them.
For more details about the study, read the Mashable article here.
Dec 7, 2011
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written by Amy Flashenberg
According to a Mashable article, Facebook will be launching a “subscribe” button that will allow visitors to subscribe to a website’s Facebook updates right from the website (rather than having to go from the website to the Facebook page, then choosing to “Like” or “Subscribe” once on the fan page).
Organizations should considering adding this button to their websites to make it that much easier for constituents to engage with them and follow them for important updates.
Check out the Mashable article here: http://mashable.com/2011/12/07/facebook-subscribe-button-for-websites/
Oct 11, 2011
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written by Amy Flashenberg
According to a recent study, iPads are driving more web traffic than iPhones—a trend that organizations should keep in mind when thinking of interesting ways to reach out to more constituents using the devices they seem to be using.
Optimizing websites for mobile consumption is a good first step. Because of the iPad’s larger screen size, it’s more conducive to reading text, viewing images on larger scale, and watching videos than the iPhone, so including this type of content on the mobile site (while keeping it simple, as is customary with mobile sites) is a good idea.
Also, if a large portion of web traffic is coming through the iPad, apps are another feature organizations can consider. Apps that may not work on the iPhone because of its small screen size may be better suited for the iPad, so you can get creative when it comes to thinking about presenting your information in a more visual way.
Here is the Mashable article that has more details about the study: http://mashable.com/2011/10/11/ipad-web-traffic-2/
Be sure to consider not only the content that you put out in the Internet ether, but also how your viewers and readers are accessing that information.
Oct 11, 2011
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written by Vicky Vadlamani
At a panel I recently moderated on the Future of Digital Media during Ad Week DC 2011, leading-edge media figures, Breeanna Beckham of Carousel 30 (@breebeckham), Katie Harbath of Facebook (@katieharbath), and Peter Corbett of iStrategy Labs (@corbett3000), the future of social media channels and brand loyalty came into sharper focus for me and the packed audience attending.
Katie Harbath’s talk could not have been more timely. Just that morning, Facebook implemented some major changes to their appearance and introduced some new features, and was about to launch some more. All over the Twittersphere, users were up in arms over the changes, and luckily Katie addressed these complaints right off the bat, noting that the changes supported the ever-growing professional uses of Facebook. She emphasized that each person you bring onto your brand’s site has exponential value due to the constant sharing of information throughout each person’s network.
Beckham cautioned that simply having a social media presence isn’t enough. If brands have a Facebook page or Twitter feed, the question is why? Why follow you? Why write on your wall? Your goal should be to build a relationship and inspire people to invest in your brand. Traditional social media tactics are no longer enough, you have to give your audience something that appeals to them, build the relationship before making a sale.
Corbett focused on how social and physical environments impact brand engagement. He is fascinated by Foursquare. “It’s the dirtiest social porn on the planet. It’s completely useless, yet totally awesome.” Why do people settle for getting badges that are so short lived? Corbett believes that to keep users involved in the future, virtual rewards will have to turn into physical rewards. People will require real incentives. Here’s an example iStrategy Labs is working on now: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=L44YvOeK4jM
It will be interesting to see how brands adapt to the evolving trends of the digital space, especially as users expect higher returns for their brand loyalty.
Sep 29, 2011
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written by Amy Flashenberg
Facebook announced the release of its Timeline feature last week, and the social network is buzzing about how beautiful it actually is. The new profiles take photos, videos and other content that you’ve posted and lay it out in two-column format (divided down the middle by a timeline). The new look of these profiles is a far cry from the profiles of yesterday, making them more pleasing by focusing on visual content that’s been published.
So what does this mean for brand pages? Although they haven’t done it yet, this article from Mashable includes some examples of what brand pages could look like with the new profiles, and I have to say it’s looking good.
As some of these examples suggest, the profiles could emphasize images, video and other visual elements, so it might be in an organization’s best interest to start posting more of this kind of content—that way, when the timelines take effect, you will be taking full advantage of the new design.
Think photos of your events, videos that tell a story, and compelling content that complements these visual elements.
You can view the Mashable article here for inspiration.
Sep 15, 2011
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written by Amy Flashenberg
YouTube has released a new feature that allows users to edit their videos after uploading them.
Editing options range from trimming a video clip and stabilizing a shaky video, to adding filters, boosting colors and adding a soundtrack.
Now there’s no excuse to not post videos on your YouTube channel! Even the most casual video shooter will find the editing feature easy to use and intuitive—no expert knowledge needed.
Check out this video explaining the new feature:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_embedded&v=G-n9p28Yh8w
Aug 24, 2011
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written by Amy Flashenberg
On my way into the office this morning, a man standing outside a popular convenience store was holding a sign with the store’s logo, and a pack of cigarettes taped below the words “sells poison.”
Amateur artist’s rendering of the sign:
I told you it was amateur…
This was not the first time I had seen this man standing there with this sign. What was different about this morning was that he added another sign hung around his neck that had the YouTube logo on it, as if to encourage people to film his protest and post it online.
This guy, regardless of his views, understands that there is a link between social media and the real world, and that encouraging people to take his real-world protest online will get his message noticed by more people than just those shuffling by on their way to work.
There are a lot of ways to connect the real and social worlds. One example is QR codes, which can be placed on a poster or brochure (I’ve even seen them as standalone stickers affixed to lamp posts—I think this is illegal, so I’m not obviously not condoning it…). When scanned with a smartphone, the code links to a website, Facebook page, YouTube channel, etc. By doing this you’re generating a sense of intrigue and mystery by making the reader wonder what’s “behind” the code, while showing them to more information about your message and encouraging them to share it with their social networks.
Conferences and meetings can be social media-oriented too. Encourage attendees to “check in” via Foursquare or Facebook, thereby announcing to their friends and followers that they’re at your event or location.
Check out the creative way a Coca-Cola marketing event tracked Facebook users via RFID bracelets.
This is a trend we’ll be seeing more of, so be thinking about how your organization can bring the physical and digital worlds together.
