using blogging to build supporter engagement
DESCRIPTION
Given at the Charity Comms seminar on Thursday 23rd July 2009TRANSCRIPT
CharityComms seminar23rd July 2009
Using blogging to build supporter engagement
Jonathan [email protected]/jon_bedford
Blogs
How many read them? 66%UK Internet
users
17.8 millionIn UK
http://icanhaz.com/universal
Blogs – how to get started
http://icanhaz.com/blogplatform
Blogs - strategy
Plan the topics you will cover – your categories
You need commitment – once you start, you can’t stop!
Set yourself an ambitious target for frequency of posting & get into a routine
Write about things you’re passionate about
Don’t forget to read other people’s blogs too
Examples - a network of blogs http://blogs.oxfam.org
Examples - a network of blogs www.msf.org.uk/blogs.aspx
You don’t have to be big http://www.youthnet.org/blog
It’s about telling a story http://blog.childsifoundation.org
Comments allow people to get involved
Comments also allow people to have their say
What is your comment policy? What will you allow?
Arguing with commenters can make things worse
Try and find ‘evangelists’ to support you
Try and email everyone who comments
Get people to focus on reading, approving & replying to comments
Dealing with comments
Search on Google blog search or Technorati for a relevant topic
http://blogsearch.google.com
http://technorati.com
Read
Comment
PR - ask to be on someone else’s blog
Bloggers/online PR– how *not* to pitch them
Don't have your office intern haphazardly send out a canned pitches, get to know the bloggers first
Don't have your first point of interaction be a request to blog about your program
Don't overwhelm the blogger with requests and information
Do mention a post the blogger has previously written
Do comment on posts before making the ask – plan ahead
Email the right person, spell their name correctly
http://icanhaz.com/bethk
When online PR goes bad
“Unfortunately we are unable to respond to your inquiry because Target does not participate with non-traditional media outlets,” a public relations person wrote to ShapingYouth.
http://icanhaz.com/targetPR
Learn from others’ success - PR WIN Blog
http://prwin.tumblr.com/
http://blogs.amnesty.org.uk
One last (great) example
The ultimate engagement
Contact me
Jonathan Waddingham
twitter.com/jon_bedford
charities.justgiving.com
http://icanhaz.com/PFJW