On April 26th through April 28th, we held the 2009 Nonprofit Technology Conference in San Francisco.  We presented nearly 100 sessions, on topics ranging from virtualization to branding in social media.  We were lucky to partner with ReadyTalk to present 6 live simulcast sessions.  Here, we give you the audio from one of those sessions.  Full recordings with the slides are available for download at nten.org/ntc:

On April 27th, we presented:

Google Media: Google Grants, Blogger, YouTube, Maps

Panelists:

Ramya Raghavan | Google
Kristie Ferketich | Google
Tanya Keen | Google
Rick Klau | Google

You've definitely heard of one of these Google products but how can you make them work at your nonprofit?  Take a close look at these Google tools that will making blogging a breeze, uploading a video a snap, and creating a custom map easy.  You will also learn about how nonprofits can take advantage of online advertising through the Google Grants program. Join the Google team to learn about the best ways to take advantage of the Google infrastructure.
Takeaways:

1. How to use YouTube, Google Maps/Earth, Google Grants, and Blogger to promote your organization and cause
2. How you can have a limited, recession-friendly budget and still have a successful online presence
3. How Google tools can work together to make your life easier

On April 26th through April 28th, we held the 2009 Nonprofit Technology Conference in San Francisco.  We presented nearly 100 sessions, on topics ranging from virtualization to branding in social media.  We were lucky to partner with ReadyTalk to present 6 live simulcast sessions.  Here, we give you the audio from one of those sessions.  Full recordings with the slides are available for download at nten.org/ntc:

On April 27th, we presented:

Online Organizing for Community Organizers (and vice versa)

Panelists:

Charles Lenchner | Working Families Party

Community organizing and online organizing - can they go together? An exploration of the differences between the two, resulting in a road map for community organizations starting to use online organizing tools.
Takeaways:

1.List of specific best practices for community organizers integrating online tools into their work. (As distinct from the HQ of community organizations utilizing email lists for fundraising and communications.
2. Review of the state of debate between community and online organizers. (Marshall Ganz versus MoveOn). The goal is to understand the resistance from community organizers and overcome it within the organization.
3. Folks coming from a serious online organizing background will be exposed to the basics of traditional ‘community organizing’ practices: one-on-ones, leadership training, lay leadership, local targets, strong geographic focus, emphasis on low income folks, especially from non-white communities.

On April 26th through April 28th, we held the 2009 Nonprofit Technology Conference in San Francisco.  We presented nearly 100 sessions, on topics ranging from virtualization to branding in social media.  We were lucky to partner with ReadyTalk to present 6 live simulcast sessions.  Here, we give you the audio from one of those sessions.  Full recordings with the slides are available for download at nten.org/ntc:

On April 27th, we presented:

DIY Search Engine Optimization (SEO)

Panelists:

Kevin Lee | Didit


Search Engine Optimization (SEO) is a great means for cash-strapped nonprofits to reach out to their constituents. SEO is becoming increasingly important, as people get online. After all, wouldn’t it be better for both clients and organizations if a person looking for, say, “after-school education in Chicago” or “housing for at-risk-youth in Jacksonville” find their local nonprofit instead of some for-profit company? SEO lets you do this! Organic search engine optimization, a way to get your organization to naturally achieve a higher listing on the search engines, is a perfect, free, way to get nonprofit organizations more clients, members donors and more. This workshop will educate and teach everyone, from the techie newbie to management, on why SEO is important and some easy steps to get the results.

Takeaways:

1. An understanding of SEO and how it applies to your website
2. How, where and why to do keyword research
3. SEO “roadmap” that they can take home and begin comparing against their current website

On April 26th through April 28th, we held the 2009 Nonprofit Technology Conference in San Francisco.  We presented nearly 100 sessions, on topics ranging from virtualization to branding in social media.  We were lucky to partner with ReadyTalk to present 6 live simulcast sessions.  Here, we give you the audio from one of those sessions.  Full recordings with the slides are available for download at nten.org/ntc:

On April 28th, we presented:

Unleashing the Ultimate Cool Factor: Case Studies of Conferences Energized Through Social Media

Panelists:

Maddie Grant | Socialfish, LLC
Chris Bucchere | The Social Collective
Lindy Dreyer | SocialFish, LLC
Susan Mernit | Pink Garage
Alison Potvin | Brave & Free Media

This session will consist of a panel presentation illustrating examples of popular conferences which are using social media to energize the event itself, enable face to face interaction among conference attendees, build buzz before the event and enable the long tail of sharing conference content after the fact. Find out how you can do the same for your non-profit events.
Takeaways:

1. Ideas and tools for building buzz
2. Ideas and tools for engaging your audience
3. Ideas and tools for reaching beyond a conference and enabling the long tail.

On April 26th through April 28th, we held the 2009 Nonprofit Technology Conference in San Francisco.  We presented nearly 100 sessions, on topics ranging from virtualization to branding in social media.  We were lucky to partner with ReadyTalk to present 6 live simulcast sessions.  Here, we give you the audio from one of those sessions.  Full recordings with the slides are available for download at nten.org/ntc:

On April 28th, we presented:

Confessions of a Social Media Campaigner

Everyone wants to talk about social media these days.  But how do you separate the reality from the hype?  You talk to the people actually doing it.

Panelists:

Carie Lewis | The Humane Society of the United States
Danielle Brigida | National Wildlife Federation
David J. Neff | American Cancer Society


In this session, panelists from difference nonprofits will share their insider secrets about what they’ve learned in executing some of the most successful social media campaigns. They’ll also share with you their deepest confessions about what has NOT worked and why. You’ve heard why you should use social media and you’ve seen what people have done. Now find out what it really takes and learn from their experiences.
Takeaways:

1. How much time and resources a social media campaign *really* takes
2. How to *really* get buy in from the top
3. What makes people *really* participate

On April 26th through April 28th, we held the 2009 Nonprofit Technology Conference in San Francisco.  We presented nearly 100 sessions, on topics ranging from virtualization to branding in social media.  We were lucky to partner with ReadyTalk to present 6 live simulcast sessions.  Here, we give you the audio from one of those sessions.  Full recordings with the slides are available for download at nten.org/ntc.

On April 28th, we presented:

Cloud Computing: More than just IT plumbing in the sky

We wanted to hear more about cloud computing that the usual "it makes computing cheaper and faster."  

Panelists:

Steve Hill Wright | Salesforce.com/Foundation
Lucy Bernholz | Blueprint Research & Design
Lalitha Vaidyanathan | FSG Social Impact Advisors

Cloud computing reduces IT infrastructure, reduces time spent on IT management and increases your return on investment for IT expenditures. This is nice. However, the cloud can also enable the social sector to collaborate in ways that have not been possible before. We are not corporations. While we are subject to a competitive funding marketplace, we are also participants in a more collaborative marketplace where we are working to drive social change. This session will discuss how the cloud can enable greater collaboration and, hopefully, increase our capacity to solve problems.
Takeaways:

1. Open Data: What is it, why do you want it and what are the implications for the social sector?
2. Philanthropic / Donation Marketplaces: What they are and what could they be?
3. Social Impact Metrics: How greater transparency and collaboration can help us move the needle?
4. Fancy pants are critical to a great presentation.

Do you know what DNSSEC is? I didn't either. I'm still not totally certain, but what I CAN tell you is this: It used to be that you didn't really have to worry about the kinds of security issues that plague big organizations, but the times are changing, and so are the hackers. More of us than ever are vulnerable to the kinds of security holes that hackers like to exploit.

Lucky for us, we have the Public Interest Registry on our side. Lance Wolack of PIR is leading a session at the NTC to help us untangle all the security mysteries that threaten our .org domains: "Building a Stronger and More Secured Online Community". We spoke about that session a while back:

If you need to go for a walk to clear your head after his session, Lance recommends checking out the park at the base of San Francisco's Golden Gate Bridge. Check out the park's web site for more details. 

This is the very last of my 2009 NTC Preview podcasts. It's also the longest, because Vince is a very interesting guy, with a lot of interests and a talent for connecting people and ideas. 

Vince is leading the 2009 NTC session, "Fundster: How Philanthropy is Adapting Social Network Practice". You may remember America's Giving Challenge. Or maybe you've already voted in the NetSquared Challenge. This is the sort of thing we're talking about -- transparent philanthropy driven by the people.  The idea of mixing social media and philanthropy certainly has its detractors, but there's no doubt that it's shaking up how we think about funding and fundraising. As Vince says in the podcast, "It's way too early for dogma."

As long as I had Vince on the phone, I wanted to get answers to all kinds of things I've been thinking about lately. When we finish talking about his session, we cover everything from We Are Media, to Vocalo, to how to save newspapers.  

Oh, and Vince professes his love for See's Candy, too. I wonder if he prefers the Bridge Mix or the Truffles?

There's one expression I never want to hear again: "If you build it, they will come." I love Kevin Costner as much as the next lady of a certain age, and I love baseball, but I think we need to give that phrase a rest.

It doesn't mean it isn't true, though. Just HOW to drive traffic to your site remains a bit of a mystery. I know that I, for one, am in a rut. When we have something on our site we want folks to find, I do the same three things to drive folks there. 

If you're in the same place, we should probably head over to Allan's session at the 2009 NTC, "25 Ways to Drive Traffic to Your Web Site".  Allan, who runs CharityFinders, shared some insight from his session with me:

If you have extra time in the Bay Area, Allan and I think you should check out the local theater scene. It's great stuff. Just drop by Union Square and find Tix, the half-price ticket booth.