Nonprofits - Get Your Blog On!

GET YOUR BLOG ON
HOW TO MAKE YOUR NONPROFIT BLOG
STAND OUT IN THE MASSES
HEATHER ACTON http://heatheracton.com @heatheracton78

WHAT IS A BLOG?
“ A blog (a blend of the term web log ) is a type of website or part of a website. Blogs are usually maintained by an individual with regular entries of commentary, descriptions of events, or other material such as graphics or video.”
- From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

WHY BLOG?
It’s a social space that YOU control
It serves as an online hub for your organization
Current and potential supporters want information - who better to provide it?
It fosters trust and shows that your org is vested online

WHERE DO I START?
Choose a platform based on your goals
Most nonprofits will prefer a self-hosted platform like WordPress.org
Secure your preferred domain name(s) for a length of time
Sign up for a hosting account
Follow instructions provided by your chosen platform to install software to your domain
Customize the look, feel, and functionality of your blog
Start adding content!
If you or someone in your org is not comfortable with doing the above, hire someone reputable to do it for you.

WHAT MAKES A BLOG GREAT?
Content
Design
User Experience
Security
Search engine optimization

CONTENT
Every blog should include:
Effective landing page - identity/purpose clearly portrayed, one main image, easy forms, all above the fold
http://www.netflix.com/
Logo/title area
Navigation
Main Content - blog posts, about page, contact form
Sidebar(s) - widgets for social networks, volunteering, donating, subscribing to newsletter
Footer - copyright information

CONTENT
Blog posts can:
Provide commentary
Teach how to do something
Recap an event
Share an enlightening story
Share news related to your topic
Via:
Written word
Photos
Videos
Links
Audio clips

CONTENT
Tips on writing great blog posts:
Each post should be useful and unique
Use proper grammar and punctuation
Use titles of posts effectively
Keep your posts scannable by using headlines to break posts into sections
Comprehensively, but not exhaustively, cover your topic
250-1000 words is probably ideal
Additional great help can be found here: How to Write Great Blog Content

DESIGN
Beautiful Design Consists of:
An appealing and useful layout
A pleasant color scheme
An interesting style
Appropriate use of typography
Strategic use of imagery
Credit: A great book on the subject is The Principles of Beautiful Web Design by Jason Beaird (affiliate link)

USER EXPERIENCE
A user needs to be able to do what they came to do...and quickly! If they can’t, they’ll leave to find/do it somewhere else.
Ensure that:
Your page loads quickly
You avoid use of popups
Your logo/title is obvious
Your navigation bar is easy to see and that navi items are clear in meaning
Calls to action (Donate, Volunteer, Subscribe) are strategically placed “above the fold”
Your content is easy for users to share (Retweet buttons, Like buttons, Share/Save icons)
Your site is viewable as intended in major browsers and on mobile devices

SECURITY
Routine backups
Automatic WordPress Backup for WordPress
Hack-proof your blog
Keep software versions up-to-date
Use strong usernames and passwords
Secure WordPress for WordPress
Block spam comments
Akismet for WordPress
Utilize Paypal or other reputable online transaction service to ensure secure transactions on your site

SEARCH ENGINE OPTIMIZATION (SEO)
Create unique and accurate post titles
Pick a friendly URL format
Organize your content well
HTML sitemap on your site, and XML sitemap in your root directory
Create compelling and useful content
Promote your blog on other blogs, forums, and networks
Hire an expert to help, but be aware of “Black Hat SEO” tactics
If it sounds too good to be true, it probably is...
Google’s SEO Guide for more

EXAMPLES & RESOURCES
American Cancer Society at http://www.cancer.org/
Kramden Institute Inc. at http://www.kramden.org/
Problogger at http://www.problogger.net

GET YOUR NONPROFIT BLOG ON! NONPROFIT BLOG ON!

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Nonprofits - Get Your Blog On!

by Heather Acton

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