The CEO/executive director blog works for small nonprofits whose executive director is the face of the organization. This type of blog also works for larger organizations looking to put a human face to their issues. A good example: The Humane Society of the United States' President and CEO Wayne Pacelle's blog, A Humane Nation.
Before diving into creating a blog, Leroux Miller suggested, organizations should ask themselves the following questions:
- Is transparency too scary? "If the idea of the cat looking at you in the fishbowl is too scary," she said, "blogging is not a good idea for you."
- Is writing quickly, in a personal tone, too hard? "That can be a real mind shift for some organizations," she said. If 15 people have to approve something before it can go out the door, blogging is not for you.
- Is criticism too scary? Turning off the comment feature is not a solution. If you only want to talk to people who are nice to you, you're missing the point of blogging, Leroux Miller said.
- Can you make the time? Blogging doesn't have to take a lot of time, but it should be consistent and at least somewhat regularly updated.
- Can you articulate the value of your blog? Know why you're blogging, Leroux Miller said.
She recommended reading blogs before you embark on writing one. Good places to look for nonprofit blogs are the Nonprofit Blog Exchange and Alltop's Nonprofit Page.
Finally, Leroux Miller finished the webinar by going over the why, who, what, when, where and how of nonprofit blogging — the details an organization should hash out to create the framework for its blog. They are:
WHY should we blog? Establish the ways in which the blog will be different from your Web site. What about your work is best suited to blogging? How would a blog fit into your marketing strategy? Don't just blog because everyone else is. Understand why it's right for your organization.
Blogging Tips, Traps and Tales
The CEO/executive director blog works for small nonprofits whose executive director is the face of the organization. This type of blog also works for larger organizations looking to put a human face to their issues. A good example: The Humane Society of the United States' President and CEO Wayne Pacelle's blog, A Humane Nation.
Before diving into creating a blog, Leroux Miller suggested, organizations should ask themselves the following questions:
She recommended reading blogs before you embark on writing one. Good places to look for nonprofit blogs are the Nonprofit Blog Exchange and Alltop's Nonprofit Page.
Finally, Leroux Miller finished the webinar by going over the why, who, what, when, where and how of nonprofit blogging — the details an organization should hash out to create the framework for its blog. They are:
WHY should we blog? Establish the ways in which the blog will be different from your Web site. What about your work is best suited to blogging? How would a blog fit into your marketing strategy? Don't just blog because everyone else is. Understand why it's right for your organization.