Using blogging to build supporter engagement

CharityComms seminar
23rd July 2009
Using blogging to build supporter engagement
Jonathan Waddingham
jonathan@justgiving.com
twitter.com/jon_bedford

66%
UK Internet users
Blogs
17.8 million
In UK
How many read them?
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 - anetwork of blogs
http://blogs.oxfam.org

Examples - anetwork 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

Dealing with comments
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

Comment
PR - ask to be on someone else’s blog
Search on Google blog search or Technoratifor a relevant topic
http://blogsearch.google.com
http://technorati.com
Read

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/

One last (great) example
http://blogs.amnesty.org.uk

The ultimate engagement

Contact me
Jonathan Waddingham
jonathan@justgiving.com
twitter.com/jon_bedford
charities.justgiving.com
http://icanhaz.com/PFJW

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Using blogging to build supporter engagement

by Jonathan Waddingham on Jul 23, 2009

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Using blogging to build supporter engagement — Presentation Transcript