New Media Tools for Preservation Projects

Getting the most out of an Internet that changes every second

Christine Halvorson Halvorson New Media halvorsonnewmedia.com

What we’ll cover…sort of

• Podcasts audio files posted on the internet for others to listen to; an iPod need not be involved

• MySpace/Facebook= ask anybody under 20

• Wouldn’t recommend nonprofits enter this territoryYouTube

• You gotta be on YouTube not just because it’s YouTube, but it’s a great way to get a correctly formatted file onto your blog…

• MAKING IT YOUR TELEVISION SHOW

• Which is what I’m really going to talk about..

Preservationists Poll

• Do you have your own website?

• Do you have your own blog?

• Process by which you update it?

• How much does it cost you?

•

Podcasts???

Audio files posted on the Internet for others to listen

to while at their computer or by downloading to a CD or

MP3 player.

An iPod need not be involved

MySpace/Facebook???

ask anybody under 20

Very limited business

application for these tools

YouTube--- YES!

not just because it’s YouTube, but it’s a great way to get a correctly formatted file onto your blog…

MAKING IT YOUR TELEVISION SHOWWhich is what I’m really going to talk about

It’s not just for dancing cats.

Why start a blog?• It’s a website

• Inexpensive

• Easy to update

• Non-technical, yet---your vehicle to multi-media

• Collaborate from anywhere—publicly or privately

• Easy way to document a project from start to finish & keep stakeholders informed

Christine Halvorson Halvorson New Media halvorsonnewmedia.com

• Noun:An on-line web-based log

• Web + log = blog

• Verb: The act of writing in an on-line web log is called blogging

What is a blog?

Build deeper relationships with existing customers/stakeholders; Build new relationships with new customers

Establish yourself as an authority

Communicate “news” that doesn’t quite rise to the level of a press release

Reasons to Consider Blogging

Communicate better with ______________ [the group of your choice]

Keep an on-line record of projects and discussions (formally called “knowledge management blogging”)

Facilitate a project among a lot of team players

It’s easier and more immediate than an e-newsletter

You’ll be prepared to court a younger audience

Reasons to Consider Blogging

Communicate better with ______________ [the group of your choice]

Keep an on-line record of projects and discussions (formally called “knowledge management blogging”)

Facilitate a project among a lot of team players

It’s easier and more immediate than an e-newsletter

Reasons to Consider Blogging

A blog can be your organization’s

• daily newspaper• e-newsletter • press release

distribution center• Record of project

activity

• On-line portfolio• interactive editorial

column• television station• radio station

It’s a hybrid between an e-newsletter, press releases, a chat room, dynamic web content

And, depending upon your needs, could eliminate some of the above

Challenges in doing a blog

• Keeping it up to date. It must be updated frequently or visitors will lose interest

Cool tools

Subscriptions*Visitor countersVoice--record and post by phonePhotosVideosSlide showsPolls--pre-programmed scripts blogpoll.com

Two leading blog programs

• Blogger

• Typepad

• There are others. I don’t like them.

Quick tour of Blogger

Christine Halvorson Halvorson New Media halvorsonnewmedia.com

Enter text here: If you can cut & paste in a word document, you can do this

My recommendation

• 1) Create a fake blog using Blogger, to teach yourself how it all works

• 2) Create a “real” blog using Typepad or Blogger

Christine Halvorson Halvorson New Media halvorsonnewmedia.com

Things to think about before deciding to blog

• Your time

• Your equipment—DSL is a necessity

• Who will do the blogging-one person? Team?

• Who has approval authority? Or what is editorial process?

• Plan for soft launch, then regular updates

Halvorson New Media, LLC halvorsonnewmedia.comChristine Halvorson Halvorson New Media halvorsonnewmedia.com

Once you decide

• Tell everyone in “traditional” ways—your email signature; a news release; alert your mailing list if you have one; put graphic on home page

• If you have a relationship with a local reporter, inform him/her to look for updates there

• Put your blog address ON EVERYTHING you do.

Halvorson New Media, LLC halvorsonnewmedia.comChristine Halvorson Halvorson New Media halvorsonnewmedia.com

Christine Halvorson Halvorson New Media