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How to Create, Manage and Evolve Your Nonprofit Blog

Nonprofit Technology Network (NTEN) webinarMarch 28, 2012

Roger Burks, Co-Founder of Pictographers@loudmind

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Introduction

Roger Burks

Photo: Thatcher Cook for Mercy Corps

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The Mercy Corps Blog

From May 2009-August 2011:• 1,090 blog entries (about 39 blog entries per month)• 265 bloggers• 42 countries

• I wrote 127 blog entries• Other communications staff wrote 107 blog entries• The other 856 blog entries (79%) came from folks like

program officers, health workers and engineers

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Five truths to get started

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Truth #1

Blogs are highly personal.

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Truth #2

Organizations are made of people.

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Truth #3

People tell stories.

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Truth #4

Everyone in your organization experiences it differently.

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Truth #5

Your organization has all kinds of stories to tell.

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Creating your organization’s blog

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Think of it this way

Creating a blog should be an opportunity, not an obligation.

The most compelling blogs are born and grow from true curiosity, enthusiasm and exploration.

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Determine your blog’s focus

Identify your blog’s purpose in a tagline, phrase, sentence or title

This focuses your content, guides your writers and lets readers know what your blog’s about.

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Examples of nonprofit blog taglines

Mercy Corps: “A daily look into the work, thoughts and ideas of our team around the world”

International Rescue Committee: “Every day, IRC humanitarian aid workers are rescuing lives. Here, they offer a glimpse of their experiences, the challenges they face and the courageous people they meet by sharing videos, photos and stories.”

World Concern: “As an organization, we strive to be transparent and effective in how we help; this blog is a lens into our work.”

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Determine your core contributors

Come up with a list of 5-10 people that you think would be great bloggers

Make this a “wish list” – don’t assume they’ll say “no” before you even ask them.

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Determine your editorial structure

One possible approach: the “network news” model

AnchorReporter Reporter Reporter ReporterSpecialist Specialist Specialist Specialist Specialist Specialist

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Give credit where it’s due…and then some

Use author bylines that are linked to feature-rich vanity pages

Give your authors the chance to customize their vanity pages with photos and biographical information. Compile all their published blog entries here as well.

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Give credit where it’s due…and then some

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Give your readers – and staff – a way to share

Include social media links – Facebook, Twitter and email at the very least – on every entry

Sharing your organization’s blog entries is an easy way people can take action by spreading the word and showing support. Also offer the chance to subscribe.

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Give your readers – and staff – a way to share

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How often will you update your blog?

Establish an ambitious but realistic schedule

Like any project, blogs benefit from deadlines. Think about publishing on the same days each week – that will establish consistency for colleagues and readers.

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Starting off strong and confident

Game-plan your blog’s first 12-15 entries

Don’t let a lack of content stall your blog before it gets started. Work with collaborators to stockpile initial blog entries, creating a good foundation.

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Get the word out

Announce your organization’s new blog to the world

Send an email to your staff. Send another email to your supporters. Get it out in social media. Contact your local news outlets.

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Managing your organization’s blog

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And we mean to go on and on and on and on

You are the champions, my friends.

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Keep everyone informed

Send regular email updates on blog entries posted, new bloggers and things you need for the blog

A once-monthly email can go a long way toward building a blogging community, including recognizing regular bloggers and encouraging new bloggers to contribute.

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Meet regularly with key collaborators

Take time to informally talk over coffee, lunch or drinks with your core blog contributors

It’s important to keep nurturing the core of your community, touching base to brainstorm, share ideas and suggest improvements.

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Offer blog training opportunities

A little bit of training goes a long way in growing your roster of bloggers

Consider holding a half- or full-day workshop for your colleagues on topics such as writing, photography and video. These newfound skills and confidence will make your blog stronger.

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Be a good editor – but not too good

Edit blog entries for clarity and grammar, but not for style or voice

A blog’s strength is the personality of its authors. Work hard to preserve and amplify different voices by not trying to “organizationalize” style and substance.

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Step up when things get slow

You may have to write more entries or more assertively solicit content to fill gaps

As the blog champion, you serve many roles: managing editor, head writer, community leader and mentor. All these roles are important to your blog’s success.

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Be generous and proactive with blog content

Anticipate and meet marketing and communications needs with blog entries

Your blog can power your agency’s social media, but that’s not all. It’s also important in email appeals, advocacy campaigns, major donor outreach and more.

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Evolving your organization’s blog

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A changing blog is a sustainable blog

• Reach out to clients and donors to write stories• Immediately engage new colleagues as potential bloggers• Ask traveling colleagues to blog• Keep mentoring and offering constructive feedback• Give someone else the reins for a while• Always be open to suggestions and ideas

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A blog is personal – let colleagues make it their own

Imagesby Jameson Gadzirai (reprinted from the Mercy Corps Blog)

There areImages painted right in the core of your mind,No camera can take, nor video rewind;The sight of a young man carrying a new born calf in his handsTrudging open plains, mother cow in tow, lowing in reverenceCattle herders painting their skin grey,Dancing the night away naked,because the sun is awaySiblings holding hands and walking in the bright sun,Herding goats and sheep, this their funThe sound of laughter from cattle herders huddled around a fire,Cows and bulls surrounding them, safe because of their mastersImages of people gyrating and ululating;Drumbeats on a Sunday evening;Married with voices of people a-singing,Homage to the One that created all things Living!Pictures of the hopes and celebrations of a life so vibrantThese, the images one revels in,Forever imprinted on the minds of those looking in.

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A variety of stories to capture a variety of experiences

Some ideas for content you can feature on your blog:Beneficiary or client story Autobiographical pieceField visit Personal reflectionStaff profile/interview Program updateNews update Emergency updatePhoto essay Photo with long captionAudio slideshow Video with long captionRough video Stand-up videoPolished short-form video Polished long-form videoVideo interview Event- or campaign-driven videoWritten travelogue Technically-focused piecePoem Upcoming event

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Helpful tips borrowed from the storytelling approach

Four mantras to remember:

• Authenticity, not polish

• Encouragement, not pressure

• Quality, not quantity

• Show, don’t tell

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Thank you!

Roger Burks

Email: roger.o.burks.jr@gmail.comWeb: www.pictographers.orgTwitter: @loudmind