Nonprofit blog content:
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Write your blog,
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include valuable content,
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connect with your readership.
That?s what everyone tells you to do, but no one tells you what that content could be. SItting alone in front of the screen with the cursor blinking relentlessly can feel quite lonely when you are not sure where to begin.
Here are a few suggestions about how to start and what you might want to include to help you get this underway.
First:? Why?
Ask yourself why are you writing this blog ?and what do you want to accomplish with it?
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To share news, inform your readers
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To connect and engage with your membership, donors, interested guests
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To fundraise among your constituents
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To ??????, who else do you need to contact?
With some clarity about your purpose, organizing? the elements of your blog will more clear. When you know what you want to say, choosing the stories to share is much easier.?
Try these questions:
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What is the goal of your blog?
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What do your readers want to know more about?
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What kinds of things does your audience want to read?
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What do you think is critical to share with your readers?
With the answers to the above questions in hand, creating the actual content for the blog is next.? At first, it may seem as if there is not much to discuss, however you might be surprised what you have at your fingertips that will work well.
How To Write:
Write to your readers as if you were sitting across from them with a cup of coffee and chatting. Don?t worry about big words and large concepts, be simple and clear. ?Paragraphs need to be only a few sentences: the first sentence tells them what?s coming, then a few lines about that topic.
Keep your sentences short and to the point, don’t go on and on. Be conversational, look at the tone of articles you liked and the type of language those articles used.
Start Here: consider some of these topics
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Recent projects
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Upcoming conference information
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Upcoming events or campaigns
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Related news stories
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Success stories
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Updates, articles or letters from Board members,the Executive Director and ?Staff
Not sure what to say? ?Start by jotting down a few words for each topic, if you don’t have an answer for one, skip it. Review what you have, see what jumps out at you.?
Some Other Topics
Ask A Staff Member, Volunteer or Board Member these questions:
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When did you first join your organization and why?
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Was there something you saw or heard, or someone you met, that encouraged you to join?
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Did something shock you, good or bad; make you shake your head in wonder; make you laugh out loud, or cry? ?
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Why have you continued to be involved? What?s the best part and what needs work in your opinion?
What Goes On In the Office
Your programs are how you deliver your mission. Give your readers a more detailed picture of how they work.
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What is it you want to do?
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How do you do it?
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Who does it?
Don?t assume that others understand the nuts and bolts of how your programs work; describe?who does what, where, how is the project organized, who selects participants and how well they work. ?Describe how one program got started or how a new one is planned and delivered.?
? ? ?4. What?s new and in the pipeline?
? ? ?5. What?s coming up for review or being retired?
Your Events
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What?s up next on the calendar?
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What was your last event?Where, when, why and who was there. Ask attendees to share comments and pictures.
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What events work best for your group? What kind of events do they prefer?
Media: Books, Articles, Blogs ??
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Have you found a book or blog or article that is relevant or meaningful to your work, your mission or your organization?
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Add it to your blog with 1-2 short introductory sentences and a link to it.
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Maybe it’s a great quote or picture, be sure it is directly connected to your work in some way. And credited properly.
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Ask your readers for recommendations of articles or periodicals they have found helpful or interesting.
Your Volunteers
Your volunteers are the ones who choose to commit their time and energy to your mission and goals. Give your volunteers a high 5 in your blog post.
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Feature a volunteer, interview them, photograph them ( with permission, of course)
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Ask them to share their ideas and stories.
Write About Your Beneficiaries
Your organization is committed to change, who or what is changed by your organization?
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Who/what ?benefits from your work?
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The impact of your programs on the students and teachers.
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The companies, families, animals and environment that is better for having worked with you.
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Attitudes ?that have improved because of your involvement
Your Challenges
Nonprofit work comes with its own set of challenges: from not enough money to membership or board members spread out geographically,
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What challenges does your organization face as you advance your mission?
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What are some of the obstacles you face: Big ones ?Little ones?
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What do you do when these things come up?
Your Donors
Your donors are critical to the survival of your organization. They choose to support you with vital funds. Why do they do that?
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Give your donors a voice in your blog; what do they want to say to other doors??
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Share more about your donor: what they do, how they volunteer or participate, why they support you.
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As they for their connection to you, how they found you and what they believe is crucial about what you do.
Survey, Quiz, Questions
Everybody wants to give their opinion. This could be a rich source of subject matter, do think carefully about the questions you ask.
Survey Monkey?(click to see) is quick and easy, careful questions can produce a lot of valuable information for you.
Ask about the mission, the programs, the logo, the events, fundraising, PR, membership and how they envision the future of your organization.
Bottom Line:
There is lots of material, when you think about it.
Use this space and your times thoughtfully- choose what is important for your to say and share, and what will be interesting and important for your readers to see. What do you like to see and read from the blogs you read? Imagine yourself reading the blog you rodice, would you want to read it?
The information in your blog can be the connection to your members to keep them current on the activities of the organization and its people and engaged with what you do.
Need some guidance, some story ideas or some ret? Give us a call, we’ll get you on your way.? ?310 828 6979
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