Blogging for Organizations

It used to be so simple. Mail a quarterly newsletter. Build a Web site. Distribute a news release. Email a resume. Develop a CV.

Then Web 2.0 burst onto the scene, with blogs, RSS, social networking and wikis.

Organizations and individuals now feel the pressure to not only understand these new media opportunities, but adopt them as well.

The trouble is, there's too much information out there. It's easy to become overwhelmed by the sheer number of blogging programs and other online services. How do we cope? Where's the best place to start?

Start here: consider how a blog will help communicate your brand, mission, vision and values and become a dynamic component of your communications plan.

PART 1: I KNOW NOTHING ABOUT BLOGS!

What is a blog?
Blog is short for “Web log.” It’s a Web site, with some limitations, that allows anyone to easily add text without knowing having to learn CSS, HTML, Java, and other Web-based programming. The limitations usually center around “bells and whistles” such as drop-down menus, animation, etc. Even these few limitations, however, can be worked around or even made into features on a blog site.

We already have a Web site - How is this different?
A blog is basically a Web site - but it's a Web site that allows you to quickly and easily post your most up-to-date information. You don't have to know HTML and other Web programming language to make changes yourself. Think of a blog as somewhere between an email and a full-fledged site.

Why not just send out an email every day?
One word: SPAM. All of our in boxes are flooded each day with worthless information, making it difficult for us to concentrate on those few emails that are relevant to our work. You could send something interesting each day to your constituents and networking contacts, but it would battle for view along with the dozens, if not hundreds, of junk email solicitations constantly streaming into our computers. Developing a blog allows for the customer or audience to seek you out every day, if they know they’ll find something interesting and relevant for them.

PART 2: I’M INTERESTED, BUT I HAVE SOME RESERVATIONS.

Where am I going to find the time to get up to speed?
Many people share your predicament - especially when you find that there are now approximately 57 million blogs out there!

57 million blogs? Where do I start?
Start by getting familiar with one of the blogs referenced below. Or go to www.technorati.com or Google (click on “more” on Google for blog search) and do a search on one your key words. See what is revealed, and glance over the blogs that are returned to you. Put the URL of any blog you find interesting in your “bookmarks,” and make a point of visiting it for a few minutes every day for a week.

Specifically for organizations: How is this relevant to our mission?
There are quite a few blogs covering management, fundraising, and communications. You may find one of the following helpful:

Fundraising and Donor Relations: Donor Power Blog

Communications and Marketing: Katya’s Non-Profit Marketing Blog

Management and other resources: Nonprofit Blog Exchange

How much is this going to cost?
Blogger, Wordpress offer their services for free. Other programs charge less than a yearly subscription to a national magazine or newspaper.

PART 3: I’M CONSIDERING…BUT WHO’S GOING TO RUN IT?

Who should write for it?
Your audience might respond best to the thoughts of your board members and upper level management. Or you may have a dedicated volunteers who would jump at the chance to publish online. It’s up to you.

Do we have to put something online every day?
It helps to post something of value to your blog at least 3-4 times each week. Think of it as saying something interesting to your audience every day. You don’t have to write a white paper, news article, or doctoral dissertation each day. Think about small snippets of information your audience would visit your site every morning to find out. References and links to timely news articles, updates on organizational news, or even your top leaders weighing in on current issues of importance to your constituents, make good blog posts.

How do we keep just anybody from gaining access and writing whatever they want?
For any blog, you have the option of specifying exactly who is able to gain access to your blog. This can be done through easily set up passwords, or you can contribute a list of individuals who can download information. However, it could be very beneficial to your mission to let the blog be accessible by all. You could even find that mainstream media starts visiting your blog for up-to-date information… and will contact you for more!

How much time is this going to take?
Once you map out your blog, and decide to update frequently, that update may take 15 minutes to an hour each day.

How do I get members/subscribers/affiliates/customers to pay for this service?
That’s a tough one, and no one’s come up with the definitive answer. Almost everyone, though, expects to find information for free online. Very few newspapers require paid subscriptions to access their Web version (The Wall Street Journal being the biggest exception.) The Internet has revolutionized the way we create and disseminate information. What was once a “fee-for-service” is now a “service-for-free.” Many organizations find they are rethinking their communications plans, and some are even finding new ways of communicating with their audiences. It’s up to each organization to analyze their fee-based offerings. And there is information out there to help with this analysis.

PART 4: WHAT'S MY ONE "TAKE AWAY" IDEA?

Something Interesting
Think of a blog as a way of saying something interesting to your audience, customers, constituents, members, or grantees, every single day.