Using Ning To Connect With Your Community

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Using Ning to Connect with your Community October 15, 2009Audio is only available by calling this number:Conference Call: 866-740-1260; Access Code: 6339392

Sponsored by

Using Ning to Connect with your CommunityConference Call: 866-740-1260 Access Code: 6339392 or 6339349

Using ReadyTalk

• Chat & raise hand • Mute = *6,

Unmute = *7• If you lose your

internet connection, reconnect using the link emailed to you.

• If you lose your phone connection, re-dial the phone number and re-join.

• ReadyTalk support: 800-843-9166


You are being recorded…

• This seminar will be available on the TechSoup website along with past webinar presentations:– www.techsoup.org/go/webinars

• You will receive a link to this presentation, material and links.

• After the webinar, you can ask follow-up questions in the Virtual Community Forum:– tinyurl.com/yjf6e5c

• Twitter hashtags: #tsning

talks!

Using Ning to Connect with your Community

Manny Hernandez (@askmanny, @ningfordummies)

Sponsored by


Today’s Speakers

Kami GriffithsTechSoup

Manny Hernandez

Ning for Dummies


Personal Background

• Web Products, Social Media: 10+ yrs• Diagnosed with diabetes: Oct-02• Launched TuDiabetes on Ning: Mar-

07 • Worked for Ning: Jan to Apr-2008• Nonprofit management: since Apr-08• Published Ning For Dummies: Apr-09


What to Expect from this Webinar• What is Ning?• How can nonprofits use Ning?• Setting up a network on Ning• Managing and growing your network• Fundraising and other Ning Apps• Examples of networks on Ning• Advantages/disadvantages of Ning


What is Ning?

• Ning is a social media platform• Lets you create your own social

network– “Your Facebook with your own brand.”

• Powers more than 1.5MM networks• Free to set up and run• Premium services to further customize


Why Ning for Nonprofit/Libraries?• New way to engage with constituents

– Blogs, forums, videos

• Foster and solidify offline connections– Events, groups

• Increased outreach possibilities– Sharing mechanisms– Export member data

• Fundraising


Ning and your Social Media Strategy• Two great references:

– Beth’s Blog - How Nonprofits Can Use Social Media: http://beth.typepad.com

– Amy Sample Ward, 5 steps to a successful social media strategy: http://bit.ly/u6cNd

• Your social media strategy may contain a lot of elements

http://beth.typepad.com/

http://bit.ly/u6cNd

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Setting up a Network on Ning





Managing your Network

• Who can become a new member– Moderate members

• Who can remain a member– Enforce the guidelines for your network

• What content can live in your network– Moderate or remove content if needed

• All of this requires time!


Managing your Network

• Hours dedicated based on activity• Administrators

– Up to a few hundred members, one person can do most of the management

– Very hard to keep up for one person past 1,000 members

• “Economies of scale” and self-policing help


Growing your Network

• By yourself: 5+ hours per week• Through your members:

– Invitations, badges, embeddable content

• Through network RSS feeds– TwitterFeed feeding Twitter, FB page

• Through bloggers• Through existing offline efforts


Popular Features in Ning

• Blogs, Forum, Chat – build community

• Videos, Photos – visual outreach• Events, Groups – offline connections• Go Ad Free – premium service• Ning Apps – more features…

Fundraising Through Ads

Social Giving Through a Ning App

Impact Challenge: Another Ning App

Google Docs: Another Ning App


Other Ning Apps for Nonprofits

• Ustream: to broadcast streaming video

• PollDaddy: to poll your members• Box.net: to share files with others• CartFly: to sell merchandise• Others: for event ticket sales


TuDiabetes: a Network on NIng

• Launched in March 2007• 5-10% growth every month• Mid-October 2009:

– 11,200 members– 100,000 monthly visits– 500,000 monthly pageviews– 5 minutes average session

TuDiabetes Diabetes Awareness Project: Word in your Hand

http://tudiabetes.com/notes/Word_In_Your_Hand

TuDiabetes Diabetes Awareness Project: Making Sense of Diabetes

http://tudiabetes.com/notes/Making_Sense_of_Diabetes


Other Social Networks on Ning

200,000+ members• “…a community of

individuals who support reducing our nation’s dependence on foreign oil through the use of domestic energy alternatives.”

push.pickensplan.com


Other Social Networks on Ning

2,000 members• “The List Project

created Netroots to help recent Iraqi arrivals with the resettlement process by connecting Americans and Iraqis across the nation.”

netrootsthelistproject.ning.com


Advantages of Ning

• Very affordable– Free basic service– Premium services

• Solid product• Customizable

– Appearance and features

• Network and member privacy controls


Disadvantages of Ning

• You can’t “host” the network yourself:– You depend on Ning being “up” – You depend on Ning being “in business”

• Network members are also members of Ning.com


Alternatives to Ning

• To create your own social network:– http://traffikd.com/resources/build-your-own-social-netw

orking-site

• To create your own blog:– http://www.socialbrite.org/2009/05/09/seven-blogging-to

ols-reviewed

• To create your own web site:– http://sites.google.com and many more…

• White Label Social Networking PlatformsA Comparison Chart by TechCrunch– http://www.techcrunch.com/wp-content/

wlsn_comparison_chart.html


Additional Resources

• http://help.ning.com• http://www.getsatisfaction.com/ning • http://blog.ning.com• http://is.gd/p7kv (Ning for Nonprofits

chat)• http://developer.ning.com (advanced)


Manny’s Contact Information

• Email:– [email protected]

• Book:– http://bit.ly/ningfd

• Twitter:– @askmanny– @ningfordummies

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Questions?

Submit your questions using the chat box.


Continue the Discussion…

• Additional questions can be answered by posting in the Virtual Community Forum:– http://tinyurl.com/yjf6e5c


Digital Storytelling Challenge

• The Challenge: Tell us your digital story• Submit a 5-panel image story to Flickr or

a 60 second video or audio visual Goldmail

• Submissions should demonstrate your organizational mission/goals/needs in a thoughtful and creative way.

• More info at www.techsoup.org/go/tsdigs-challenge


Get the Most Out of TechSoup

• At TechSoup, you’ll find a range of technology services to help your nonprofit:

– Read helpful articles in our Learning Center– Request donated software, hardware, and

online services– Join our community forums to learn from

your colleagues– Browse upcoming events and conferences


Upcoming Webinars

• Organize Your Donor Data with Telosa – Wednesday, October 21, 10 a.m. Pacific

• Hidden Gems: TechSoup Donation Partners Every Librarian Should Know– Wednesday, October 28, 11 a.m. Pacific

• Green Tech Tips from Microsoft– Wednesday, November 4, 11 a.m.

Pacific


Thank you to our Webinar Sponsor!

ReadyTalk offers dedicated product demos for TechSoup organizations 4 times per week:Monday 1:00 pm Mountain Standard Time (MST)Wednesday 9:00 am MSTThursday 1:00 pm MSTFriday 9:00 am MST

For more information: pages.readytalk.com/techsoup.html

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Thank you! Please complete the post event survey!

Kami Griffiths, [email protected], 415-633-9392

Technology

Using Ning To Connect With Your Community