Blogging For Non Profits Preservation

New Media Tools for Preservation Projects

Getting the most out of an Internet that changes every second

Christine Halvorson Halvorson New Media halvorsonnewmedia.com

What we’ll cover…sort of

• Podcasts audio files posted on the internet for others to listen to; an iPod need not be involved

• MySpace/Facebook= ask anybody under 20

• Wouldn’t recommend nonprofits enter this territoryYouTube

• You gotta be on YouTube not just because it’s YouTube, but it’s a great way to get a correctly formatted file onto your blog…

• MAKING IT YOUR TELEVISION SHOW

• Which is what I’m really going to talk about..

Preservationists Poll

• Do you have your own website?

• Do you have your own blog?

• Process by which you update it?

• How much does it cost you?

•

Podcasts???

Audio files posted on the Internet for others to listen

to while at their computer or by downloading to a CD or

MP3 player.

An iPod need not be involved

MySpace/Facebook???

ask anybody under 20

Very limited business

application for these tools

YouTube--- YES!

not just because it’s YouTube, but it’s a great way to get a correctly formatted file onto your blog…

MAKING IT YOUR TELEVISION SHOWWhich is what I’m really going to talk about

It’s not just for dancing cats.

Why start a blog?• It’s a website

• Inexpensive

• Easy to update

• Non-technical, yet---your vehicle to multi-media

• Collaborate from anywhere—publicly or privately

• Easy way to document a project from start to finish & keep stakeholders informed


• Noun:An on-line web-based log

• Web + log = blog

• Verb: The act of writing in an on-line web log is called blogging

What is a blog?

Build deeper relationships with existing customers/stakeholders; Build new relationships with new customers

Establish yourself as an authority

Communicate “news” that doesn’t quite rise to the level of a press release

Reasons to Consider Blogging

Communicate better with ______________ [the group of your choice]

Keep an on-line record of projects and discussions (formally called “knowledge management blogging”)

Facilitate a project among a lot of team players

It’s easier and more immediate than an e-newsletter

You’ll be prepared to court a younger audience


Communicate better with ______________ [the group of your choice]

Keep an on-line record of projects and discussions (formally called “knowledge management blogging”)

Facilitate a project among a lot of team players

It’s easier and more immediate than an e-newsletter


A blog can be your organization’s

• daily newspaper• e-newsletter • press release

distribution center• Record of project

activity

• On-line portfolio• interactive editorial

column• television station• radio station

It’s a hybrid between an e-newsletter, press releases, a chat room, dynamic web content

And, depending upon your needs, could eliminate some of the above

Challenges in doing a blog

• Keeping it up to date. It must be updated frequently or visitors will lose interest

Cool tools

Subscriptions*Visitor countersVoice--record and post by phonePhotosVideosSlide showsPolls--pre-programmed scripts blogpoll.com

Two leading blog programs

• Blogger

• Typepad

• There are others. I don’t like them.

Quick tour of Blogger


Enter text here: If you can cut & paste in a word document, you can do this

My recommendation

• 1) Create a fake blog using Blogger, to teach yourself how it all works

• 2) Create a “real” blog using Typepad or Blogger


Things to think about before deciding to blog

• Your time

• Your equipment—DSL is a necessity

• Who will do the blogging-one person? Team?

• Who has approval authority? Or what is editorial process?

• Plan for soft launch, then regular updates

Halvorson New Media, LLC halvorsonnewmedia.comChristine Halvorson Halvorson New Media halvorsonnewmedia.com

Once you decide

• Tell everyone in “traditional” ways—your email signature; a news release; alert your mailing list if you have one; put graphic on home page

• If you have a relationship with a local reporter, inform him/her to look for updates there

• Put your blog address ON EVERYTHING you do.

Halvorson New Media, LLC halvorsonnewmedia.comChristine Halvorson Halvorson New Media halvorsonnewmedia.com

Christine Halvorson Halvorson New Media

Technology

Blogging For Non Profits Preservation