Tag: community

Great reads from around the web on June 11th

By BylineAmy Sample Ward on

I come across so many great conversations, ideas, and resources all over the web every day. Here are some of the most interesting things I’ve found recently (as of June 11th). You can join the conversations in the comments, or click through to the original posts to find what others are saying.

To follow more of the things I find online, you can follow @amysampleward on Twitter (which is just a blog and resource feed), or find me on Delicious (for all kinds of bookmarks).

  • An open letter to companies planning online communities | Community Building – I love this "open letter" from Martin Reed at CommunitySpark – it touches on so many "cultural" and infrastructure needs that organizations should think about BEFORE creating an online community space. I think it's great to revisit a list like this even if you are already working with your community online to be sure you haven't forgotten about some of the key foundations that will help you succeed.
  • Red Cross and URDB Break Record for Most SMS Donations in One Room – "The Universal Record Database — a rad online resource that allows the Average Joe to make and break a myriad of records online — succeeded in breaking the record for most online donations made by text message in one room today — all with the help of the attendees of the Mashable Media Summit."
  • Nine Ways Networked Nonprofits Use Slideshare | Beth’s Blog – Beth has a great post up about how organizations can use SlideShare. Are you familiar with the tool? It's a great online space to upload your presentations, notes and documents. I use it for all my presentations and it even allows me to share my speaker notes since most of my slides are usually just pictures. So, even when folks can't attend a presentation in person, they can still get all the content. Here are 9 ways Beth recommends organizations try out the tool.
  • What is a nonprofit network builder? – "As nonprofits increasingly use social media as part of their fundraising, communications and educational strategies, nonprofit staff are stepping up to lead and manage those efforts. Recently, the Case Foundation hosted a group of these emerging nonprofit network managers for a conversation about what we called “network building.” We will share the highlights of this discussion in two posts. The first below, is focused on what network builders do and the second will discuss where this function is heading and the outstanding questions surrounding the role."
  • Sixty days to turn one-off donors into regular givers – Third Sector – "One-off charity donors become much less likely to sign up to become regular givers after 60 days have passed since they made their donation, according to research by direct marketing agency DMS."

… Continue readingGreat reads from around the web on June 11th

Great reads from around the web on May 20th

By BylineAmy Sample Ward on

I come across so many great conversations, ideas, and resources all over the web every day. Here are some of the most interesting things I’ve found recently (as of May 20th). You can join the conversations in the comments, or click through to the original posts to find what others are saying.

To follow more of the things I find online, you can follow @amysampleward on Twitter (which is just a blog and resource feed), or find me on Delicious (for all kinds of bookmarks).

  • Social Media Strategy for Nonprofits and Businesses – Debra's latest post has a list of ten guiding principles for social media in our work – they aren't necessarily new, but they are incredibly important and true! "A recent Reuter’s article: Top Ten Trends in Sustainable Business, focuses on the best trends in “green business,” I’m struck by how many of the points are applicable to sustainable social media. Here are my top trends in sustainable social media (hat tip to Reuters)."
  • AGC Coversational Case Studies: Students for a Free Tibet: A mindful social media strategy for campaigns or contests – Beth Kanter and Allison Fine are evaluating the second America's Giving Challenge and are sharing case studies from the winners. They are hoping to start conversations and hear feedback about the competitions, the fundraising techniques and more. This is the latest in the series. What do you think?
  • Nonprofit Marketing Plan Template | Nonprofit Marketing | Getting Attention – Here's a great resource from Nancy Schwartz – if you're looking for an example or template to help you create a marketing plan for your organization, this is it! "I outlined the value of planning and evaluating your nonprofit marketing in a recent post, and clearly hit a nerve. Many of you are frustrated by “just doing it,” and feeling that your nonprofit communications impact suffers as a result. And I heard from many of you eager to plan, but not knowing how to start or where to find the time. In response to your requests, I’ve developed this ready-to-use nonprofit marketing plan template for you to download."
  • ClientTrack | Win ClientTrack Express – "For the first time in our company's history, we are giving away one full use license of ClientTrack Express for one (1) year, including the server space required at our secure data location. The software helps social service organizations enhance how they collect, use, and report client information (compliance reports, outcomes reporting, and more). The total value of the prize could be up to $7,200! Interested organizations can register to win and find out more at http://www.clienttrack.com/WinClientTrackExpress.aspx But, it's only going until June 4th, 2010, so they'll need to get on it pretty quick to be part of it."
  • Facebook Limits Landing Tabs To “Authenticated Pages” – "This afternoon Facebook announced via the developer forum that Facebook Pages now need to be authenticated in order to have landing tabs. This means any new visitor to your Facebook Page will not be able to land on a custom tab unless you have greater than 10,000 fans or the Page administrator has worked with an ads account representative. This is a massive blow to smaller companies (or individuals) looking to build their presence through Facebook Pages."

… Continue readingGreat reads from around the web on May 20th

Great reads from around the web on April 21st

By BylineAmy Sample Ward on

I come across so many great conversations, ideas, and resources all over the web every day. Here are some of the most interesting things I’ve found recently (as of April 21st). You can join the conversations in the comments, or click through to the original posts to find what others are saying.

To follow more of the things I find online, you can follow @amysampleward on Twitter (which is just a blog and resource feed), or find me on Delicious (for all kinds of bookmarks).

  • Social Media’s Changing Landscape to Make A Profit – Online Fundraising, Advocacy, and Social Media – frogloop – I'm really looking forward to this conversation – what do you think? "Admit it – you don’t like when things that you are quite comfortable with suddenly change. As social networks try and become profitable they are experimenting with new ad models and trying to drive more traffic to increase ad revenue. Twitter’s beta advertising model via "Promoted Tweets" and Facebook’s new Fan Page “Like” button (which is replacing the “Become a Fan” button) is buzzing with critics’ opinions. Are these changes good for nonprofits bottom line too? The jury is out."
  • From Social Entrepreneurship to Social Interpreneurship — Social Edge – There's a great post and conversation starter from Peter Deitz up on the Social Edge blog talking from social interpreneurship. "What is social interpreneurship you ask? I’m not entirely sure, in light of its classified nature, but I would hazard a guess that it’s two parts Internet, five parts Interaction, and ten parts Interdependence. Flipping through the Skoll World Forum program and rerunning the highlights in my head, I see evidence of social interpreneurship at every turn." Join the converstaion!
  • Chris Brogan Talks Nonprofits and Trust Agents – netwitsthinktank.com – One of the basic best practices I am always talking about with organizations starting out with social media is to be a real person – not an "organization" online. Have real pictures and have real conversations. Here's a great video with Chris Brogan and next steps for being "real" online.
  • Advice & Resources for Your Online Organizing Career – Check out this great round up from the presenters at the "Online Organizing – Career Night event that includes lessons, insights, and even job opportunities!
  • Grizzard Communications Group – Free social media tools & the ‘experts’ who can’t answer “How?” – Eric has a great list of free social media tools to help you find content, monitor trends and much more! "In the last week, I attended both the NTEN Nonprofit Technology Conference and the AFP 2010 Conference. One problem that I saw in many social media sessions at both – and a problem that I see far too often at social media conferences, seminars, and How To sessions – is that speakers and panelists rarely provide tangible How To advice to people struggling to get started. They tell you you should do something, “Start up a Facebook Fan Page and start posting content interesting to your fans,” but regardless of how hard they are pushed, they rarely can say how to go about figuring out what content your fans find interesting or maybe even how to gain new fans."
  • 10 Take-Aways from SXSW for Nonprofits — Nonprofit Geekery – Happy that I came across Matt Koltermann's wrap up from SXSW. It was a few weeks late but better than never! My favorite take away from this list: 4. Make sure your website behaves like an approachable and likable person. "The annual SXSW Interactive conference in Austin, TX—which brings together tech geeks, social media peeps, and other online folk—wrapped-up yesterday after five intense and inspirational days. I attended a bunch of sessions focused on how nonprofits, in particular, can take advantage of technology to meet their mission—here’s a short-list of ten things that really stuck."

… Continue readingGreat reads from around the web on April 21st