Why a New Media ToolKit?
New tools are emerging every day for telling stories, engaging audiences and monitoring online impact. How can nonprofits and ethnic and community news organizations use these tools to their advantage? How can beginners sort through the overwhelming volume of all the different available technologies? And how can those wishing to improve their digital skills find the best resources?
The Renaissance Journalism Center curated this comprehensive collection of tools, tutorials and resources to help you navigate the often confusing and intimidating world of online media. The site was designed specifically for those working at small to medium-sized nonprofits and community and ethnic news organizations, as a way to help you jump-start your efforts in social media, video, audio, blogging, and monitoring and metrics. The site is intended to serve as an accessible gateway for beginners, with plenty of resources and tips for those ready to advance their skills and knowledge.
Why Bother with Social Media?
Social media tools can help you raise awareness about your mission and are an easy and inexpensive way to connect with like-minded people online. For example, the Angela Shelton Foundation, an advocacy group for survivors of domestic violence and sexual abuse, discovered that its supporters were connecting with each other through social media and even forming their own fundraising groups. On Facebook, the Nature Conservancy raised more than $400,000 in 2010; the Campaign for Cancer prevention raised more than $240,000; and an effort to help survivors of the earthquake in Haiti raised more than $140,000. Read more stories about organizations using Facebook Causes successfully.
Tell Powerful Stories with Video & Audio
Video and audio can be powerful tools for storytelling, and the costs of getting started are relatively low. Easy-to-use, affordable cameras, recorders and editing programs make video and audio production accessible to nearly everyone. Video and audio can bring your stories to life and help your message reach online audiences. For example, the NRDC Action Fund, an affiliate of The Natural Resources Defense Council, uploaded short videos to YouTube about the dangers of oil drilling in the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge. The videos have been viewed tens of thousands of times. Another nonprofit, called charity: water, raised $12,000 in one day through advertising on YouTube.
Don’t Forget To Measure Impact!
Whatever your level of experience with social media and video may be, it’s critical to understand the impact of your online media strategy to gauge its effectiveness. That’s why we’ve featured a number of online monitoring and metrics tools. One such tool, Google Analytics, is a popular way to measure user engagement with your website. See these case studies to learn more, for example, how the American Cancer Society used Google Analytics to increase its return on investment on the Web, and how New York Public Radio used it to create content and find new revenue streams.
