JournaMarketing

KidsCast video

KidsCast is an audio program we produce for the Missouri Division of Alcohol and Drug Abuse. The program's producer, Amy Winder, travels to schools throughout the state and speaks to kids about making healthy choices -- and records the kids narrating segments of the show. It's a really cool program because it helps the ADA reach directly into the classroom. We recorded some video of a couple of school visits, and produced this simple video. It's the kind of thing you can do for your organization without a big investment of time or money, and it's a really effective way to tell your organization's story.
Technorati Tags: KidsCast, Missouri, education, video

Copy editing and soul sucking

Seth Godin writes today about how "good" copy editing can suck the soul out of what you've written.

By sanding off every edge, removing every idiom, making each and every fact literally correct, she made it boring and dry and mechanical.

Next time you're writing copy for a brochure, remember this. Writing a brochure by committee is never a good idea. Just once, try correcting the typos and leaving everything else alone. You might be amazed at how much better the final product works.

Citizen journalism affects nonprofits

Elizabeth Toledo at PR Week writes about how changes in news gathering and the rise of citizen journalism are affecting nonprofits.

In the old model, advocacy organizations influenced the media by sending press releases, holding press events, submitting letters to the editor, and publishing newsworthy information. That model worked because an editor or columnist determined what was "newsworthy."

In theory, there was a professional lens that sifted through the massive number of claims and accusations. Organizations with a good reputation could generally count on professional journalists to dismiss accusations that did not have a solid foundation.

In the new world of media advocacy, the editor's role shrinks while the role of the "citizen journalist" grows. Leading news sites, such as cnn.com and nytimes.com, will invite the public to submit their own stories and, through a combination of popularity and relevance, the public will drive which stories make it through the firewall onto the evening news. It's not simply that more Op-Eds will make it onto the editorial pages - these citizen journalists will drive which stories grab the attention of the news reporters as well.

The reason I started this blog is to write about exactly this intersection. Journalism is something anyone can do -- and that includes you, as you engage others who are interested in the work your organization is doing. Instead of trying to get the attention of the people who write stories, you can write stories yourself. Instead of trying to get the attention of people who make videos, you can make your own videos. If your stuff is engaging and interesting and insightful, you'll get the attention of people you want to engage.
Technorati Tags: nptech, citizen journalism, blogging, news

New: iFoil Hat for iPhone

Eliminate unwanted speaker interference noise and government brain intrusion with the new iFoil Hat for iPhone.

Creating stuff isn't wasting time

Clay Shirky gives a long, impassioned defense of the online class of content creators. The popular view of those people (bloggers, podcasters, YouTube videographers, etc. -- me and maybe you) is that they're sitting around wasting time in their parents' basements, when they could be doing something productive. But Shirky points out that, for decades, our default use of free time has been watching television! There is nothing less productive than that.

The new content creators represent millions of hours of creative thought that did not exist a few years ago. This is a net good for society. And it's the reason you should not be embarrassed by the idea of blogging or podcasting or producing videos that tell stories. Whether lots of people want to experience your stories or not, when you engage in those activities, you're creating something. And that's a lot more productive than watching a sitcom.

Twitter packs

Here's an interesting way to find people to follow on Twitter. The Twitter Pack Project groups users by the kinds of things they post. You can even go add yourself to a Twitter pack, so others will know where to find you. The real value of Twitter is finding knowledgeable people who post interesting things about the stuff you need to know -- and being able to ask those people questions when you have them.

Animoto: more than a slideshow for promoting your organization

I'm playing with Animoto, which is a service that allows you to upload photos, pair them with music, and create a TV-quality graphic presentation. And it all happens magically, without knowing anything about graphic design. This is much more than a slideshow. The first 30-second video is free. For $30 a year, you can create all the shows you want.

How to get more blog comments

A lot of you have high hopes for your blog as a way to interact more effectively with the people who care most about your organization. But you struggle with getting readers to interact with you. The wonderful Duct Tape Marketing blog has 7 ways to get more comments on your blog. The top suggestion is simply to ask for comments! It's something I often forget to do myself. So if you have any of your own tips for getting comments on a blog, I'd love to hear them. Just leave me a comment!

Digital storytellers wanted

Steve Rubel lists three new careers to watch. One is a "digital storyteller."

Google is downplaying SEO and increasingly rewarding those who create quality content. This includes the pros/media, amateurs and brands. Blended Search - which integrates noteworthy videos, news and images with web results - is winning over users, according to Jupiter Research.

I think Rubel is right on here. We're finding more and more organizations that are looking for people who can help them tell their stories in a more engaging, entertaining way. The ones who find a way to do that are coming out ahead by creating better relationships with the people who are important to them.

Live streaming video

It's becoming easier and easier to engage people in real time. Whether you want to educate people or entertain them, services like uStream make it simple to deliver live video over the Web.