Showing posts with label technology. Show all posts
Showing posts with label technology. Show all posts
Saturday, 19 October 2013
Saturday, 12 October 2013
9 Tips For Nonprofit Social Media Content Marketing
Content marketing can be intimidating, especially for organizations that don’t have extensive teams or networks of content creators.
If the term “content marketing” evokes images of staff stuck on an assembly line, writing hundreds of blog posts and designing thousands of graphics to use on social media, take solace in knowing there’s an easy way to tackle the work. The notion that content creation takes hundreds of hours of work is one of the biggest myths in nonprofit social media marketing.
The nine tips below offer a simple and effective plan for nonprofits to generate content for their social media streams:
1. Find creative ways to use existing content
2. Use free social media and research tools
3. Partner with content producers
4. Experiment and test new ideas constantly
5. Use listening devices
6. Use the same content on multiple platforms
7. Take risks
8. Target and hyper-target content
9. Repurpose everything
Want to see all of this in action? Check out Media Cause’s social media platforms and see this post come to life:
Google+
Tumblr
By Cody Damon Posted in - Social Media Marketing
Thursday, 26 September 2013
3 Rules for Creating a Beautiful Online Portfolio
If you're a creative professional — e.g. a designer, photographer, writer or advertising exec — you'll likely need to show an online portfolio as part of the application process for any job.
But no matter what field you're in, having a permanent link where people can access your work has other benefits, too. It's standard practice these days for recruiters to Google candidates' names to see what they can dig up. And when they do, having a website that shows off the articles you've written, campaigns you've been a part of or other past work you're particularly proud of can be a huge asset.
In addition, an online portfolio allows you to easily collect all of your clips or work samples in one spot. When you need to pull together materials to showcase in an interview, you'll be happy that everything is available and up-to-date. I've found my collection of clips that I keep on Tumblr to be a great way for others to see my latest articles all in one place and for me to assess the trends and topics that I cover best.
Of course, before you start throwing things up on a website, you'll want to make sure that this micro-homepage is visually attractive and dynamic. There are plenty of platforms you can use (Carbo, DripBook, Krop and Carbonmade are some of the best), but regardless of which one you choose, these tips will help you convey the right message in your portfolio.
1. Get to the Point
Recruiters will usually make their hiring decision within the first minute of meeting you, and that same rule should apply when a potential employer views your online portfolio. From the second someone arrives on your page, you have to make sure he or she gets the best, most effective impression of you.
Besides having a clean and professional design, one of the easiest ways to do this is to have a single, compelling image to greet visitors at the top of your page. Even if you're not adept at shooting a camera yourself, you can use a stock photo that will represent you well. Just make sure that your selection matches the industry in which you're competing. For instance, if you're a PR professional, you'll want an image that shows activity and connectivity; if you're a writer, something that uses words, letters or writing tools.
No matter the industry, check out Curalate's infographic for guidelines on which types of images work best: Images that are reddish-orange, for example, perform better than images that are blue, and photos without people in them are shown to be more compelling.
2. Keep it Simple
During the interview process, you will have plenty of time to talk about your best projects and greatest achievements. On your online portfolio, though, you just want to whet people's appetites. Think of it like an auction — you get to see the item in a catalog and fall in love with it beforehand. Then, during the live portion of the event, the auctioneer will give you more info about the object up for sale.
Sell yourself in this same way by telling the story with less on your portfolio. For example, include the front page of the brochure that you designed and created — -not all 16 pages — or links to your top 10 articles, not top 100. Wait for a prospective employer to request the rest. It's a good sign. And once someone is interested in your work, you will have plenty of time to give him or her more information.
3. Give Your Interviewers What They Want to See
Found the perfect job to apply to? Great. Don't be afraid to adapt and adjust your portfolio from time to time, especially if you're interviewing for a specific position.
Pay particular attention to the skills advertised in the job description, then use that information to help guide you on what to put front and center on your portfolio. For instance, if you're interviewing with a healthcare company, make sure the work you've done for other healthcare clients is easily accessible — more so than say, your fashion, sports, and media work. It'll be comforting for the interviewers to see your relevant experience in action, and it could even help them carve out their vision for what they want for theirs.
Like your resume, your cover letter or anything else a potential employer might see, your online portfolio should showcase what you have to offer in a concise, compelling and interesting way. Keep these rules in mind, and you'll already be one step ahead of the competition.
Image by glassdoor.com
This article originally published at The Daily Muse here
Friday, 5 July 2013
Human Rights, Technology and Movement Building Around the World
Most of us see technology an essential tool,something that helps us do our jobs, implement our programs and reach our supporters; it is a tool that allows us to influence change. But rarely do we stop to think about technology as more than a tool, but as itself a powerful mechanism of change.
Last week’s Net Tuesday, presented by Christopher Tuckwood of The Sentinel Project and titled “Human Rights, Technology and Movement Building Around the World,” delved into this topic and explored some of the ways that new technologies present both opportunities and risks for people working on social change.
Christopher began the session by introducing us to The Sentinel Project, an organization using innovative technology to connect with threatened communities worldwide in an effort to prevent genocide and other mass atrocities. Some of their projects include the world’s online repository of hate speech, Hatebase, and the Twitter monitoring tool, Hatebot. Using these tools and others, they are currently monitoring “situations of concern” in Azerbaijan, Burma, Colombia, Iran, Kenya and Indonesia.
After introducing the work of The Sentinel Project, Christopher, posed an interesting question to the audience - “Why is technology relevant to human rights?”
As it turns out, technology presents opportunities and risks for both defenders of human rights and violators of human rights which is why, as a defender, it’s important to know how to both leverage technology to your advantage and use it for protection. Defenders of human rights can use technology to achieve a number of important objectives, including:
Christopher was quick to point out that there are some key principles to keep in mind whenever using technology to advance human rights objectives:
Consider your audience
In today’s world, even the most remote and isolated populations have access to some form of technology. What technology is prevalent within the population you are looking to support? Do they use mobile phones/SMS regularly? Or are they more likely to check Facebook messages?
Identifying prevalent technology is the first step however, it is also important to understand the level of trust associated with each technology. For example, if it’s common knowledge that a country’s government monitors Twitter and its citizens are uncomfortable using the technology for that reason, perhaps it’s not the best tool to relay your message or offer support.
Behavior is more important than tools
Technology is a great way to mobilize large groups of people, but the only way that real change occurs is if behavior changes. Using of technology should be part of a bigger strategy to further change.
Assess and manage risks
In some cases, a tool may create more danger than benefits. Christopher used the example of Haystack, a tool that was intended to allow users to circumvent internet censorship in Iran. Unfortunately, the tool turned out to be full of security holes and could have put many Iranian dissidents at risk, had it been widely adopted.
Before using any tool ask yourself if you fully understand the vulnerabilities of the tool and take steps to ensure that users are protected.
Take a people centred approach
It’s easy for technology to take centre stage, however it is critically important that technology never becomes more important than the people the technology is intended to assist. Keep the community at the heart of your campaign.
Link technologies to real world action
We’ve all heard the term “slacktivist” - or slacker activism. Any campaign the users technology as a communication tool is bound to come up against a wall of slacktivism at one point or another. That’s why it’s important for any campaign you undertake to be grounded in the real world, with actions and outcomes that create true change. How you do this is up to you and will be completely different for each and every initiative; be sure to consider this principle early and revisit it often.
Ensure redundancy, safety and security
Security, security, security. Ensuring user safety is paramount, especially when working in human rights, where the stakes couldn’t be higher.
Christopher’s presentation offered a number of fascinating examples that typify the principles mentioned above, from crisis mapping in Egypt to citizen journalism in Iran.
He ended the session with a quick overview of future technologies, including satellite imagery, unmanned aerial vehicles and big data, that are sure to have a huge impact in the human rights space in a few short years.
If you want to learn more about the intersection of technology and human rights Christopher is offering a course on the topic. Learn more at: www.facebook.com/stopgenocide
Presentation slides: http://www.slideshare.net/techsoupcanada/technology-human-rights-movement-building-around-the-world
Recording: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=h9m1RW6Anrg
Source: techsoupcanada.ca
Last week’s Net Tuesday, presented by Christopher Tuckwood of The Sentinel Project and titled “Human Rights, Technology and Movement Building Around the World,” delved into this topic and explored some of the ways that new technologies present both opportunities and risks for people working on social change.
Christopher began the session by introducing us to The Sentinel Project, an organization using innovative technology to connect with threatened communities worldwide in an effort to prevent genocide and other mass atrocities. Some of their projects include the world’s online repository of hate speech, Hatebase, and the Twitter monitoring tool, Hatebot. Using these tools and others, they are currently monitoring “situations of concern” in Azerbaijan, Burma, Colombia, Iran, Kenya and Indonesia.
After introducing the work of The Sentinel Project, Christopher, posed an interesting question to the audience - “Why is technology relevant to human rights?”
As it turns out, technology presents opportunities and risks for both defenders of human rights and violators of human rights which is why, as a defender, it’s important to know how to both leverage technology to your advantage and use it for protection. Defenders of human rights can use technology to achieve a number of important objectives, including:
- Mobilizing populations
- Documenting abuses
- Maintaining freedom of speech
- Understanding a crisis
- Giving a voice to the voiceless
Christopher was quick to point out that there are some key principles to keep in mind whenever using technology to advance human rights objectives:
Consider your audience
In today’s world, even the most remote and isolated populations have access to some form of technology. What technology is prevalent within the population you are looking to support? Do they use mobile phones/SMS regularly? Or are they more likely to check Facebook messages?
Identifying prevalent technology is the first step however, it is also important to understand the level of trust associated with each technology. For example, if it’s common knowledge that a country’s government monitors Twitter and its citizens are uncomfortable using the technology for that reason, perhaps it’s not the best tool to relay your message or offer support.
Behavior is more important than tools
Technology is a great way to mobilize large groups of people, but the only way that real change occurs is if behavior changes. Using of technology should be part of a bigger strategy to further change.
Assess and manage risks
In some cases, a tool may create more danger than benefits. Christopher used the example of Haystack, a tool that was intended to allow users to circumvent internet censorship in Iran. Unfortunately, the tool turned out to be full of security holes and could have put many Iranian dissidents at risk, had it been widely adopted.
Before using any tool ask yourself if you fully understand the vulnerabilities of the tool and take steps to ensure that users are protected.
Take a people centred approach
It’s easy for technology to take centre stage, however it is critically important that technology never becomes more important than the people the technology is intended to assist. Keep the community at the heart of your campaign.
Link technologies to real world action
We’ve all heard the term “slacktivist” - or slacker activism. Any campaign the users technology as a communication tool is bound to come up against a wall of slacktivism at one point or another. That’s why it’s important for any campaign you undertake to be grounded in the real world, with actions and outcomes that create true change. How you do this is up to you and will be completely different for each and every initiative; be sure to consider this principle early and revisit it often.
Ensure redundancy, safety and security
Security, security, security. Ensuring user safety is paramount, especially when working in human rights, where the stakes couldn’t be higher.
Christopher’s presentation offered a number of fascinating examples that typify the principles mentioned above, from crisis mapping in Egypt to citizen journalism in Iran.
He ended the session with a quick overview of future technologies, including satellite imagery, unmanned aerial vehicles and big data, that are sure to have a huge impact in the human rights space in a few short years.
If you want to learn more about the intersection of technology and human rights Christopher is offering a course on the topic. Learn more at: www.facebook.com/stopgenocide
Presentation slides: http://www.slideshare.net/techsoupcanada/technology-human-rights-movement-building-around-the-world
Recording: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=h9m1RW6Anrg
Source: techsoupcanada.ca
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