Community Organizer 2.0 - Latest Comments

Re: Facebook Timeline Apps: New Way to Engage?

Ehren Foss — Thu, 26 Jan 2012 12:41:19 -0000

Thought of one other thing - whether or not, and how, Timeline activity will be exposed through the News Feed and Profile Feed (http://developers.facebook.com.... For HelpAttack!, would people be able to give whenever they Read, Listen, Eat, or whatever else? Will that data be exposed to another app that also has permissions with that user?

I don't have any Timeline apps installed, but I did see that my engagement to Kim (a Timeline event) does not appear in my feed from the API.

No matter what the documentation says now, or the API sends now, it's probably subject to change. It looks like that data is not yet exposed.

Re: Facebook Timeline Apps: New Way to Engage?

John Haydon — Wed, 25 Jan 2012 14:47:44 -0000

Debra - One of the most powerful implications of timeline applications will be with mobile apps (iOS, Android...). If you only consider how people will be using these apps in a browser, then you're right - timeline apps aren't really different from other Facebook apps (aside from what you mentioned in your comment).

The reason that asking the user only once for permission is huge is so people can more easily use these apps on their mobile devices, and have those actions echoed on their Facebook timeline which promotes the application to the user's friends. Of the timeline applications already available, almost all of them can be found in the iTunes App Store. This reinforces my theory that their ultimate use is to capture actions from mobile users and not necessarily people using Facebook through a browser.

Re: Facebook Timeline Apps: New Way to Engage?

John Haydon — Wed, 25 Jan 2012 14:29:39 -0000

Debra - Very insightful post! I agree with you about the potential use for orgs in identifying core supporters. At the same time, I agree with Ehren's comments below about understanding the long-term implications of how an org would use a timeline app.

Re: Facebook Timeline Apps: New Way to Engage?

Debra Askanase — Wed, 25 Jan 2012 00:00:48 -0000

Ehren, thank you so much for your comment. When I was researching and writing the post, I was thinking that a developer would have a lot of insight into Timeline apps, so I'm especially glad you took the time to add your "developer" thoughts.

One thing I was struck by when thinking about Timeline apps was that they don't seem to be that different than regular apps, other than the automatic push notifications to the Timeline, and how they are set up. Am I wrong here? Just packaged and presented in a bit of a different way, with more options for publishing to a user's Timeline.

I agree with you that more nonprofits should use apps, but how they are used has always been the nonprofit's challenge. Given that, what I do like about Timeline apps are the noun-verb pairings (such as a GiveStrong idea you suggested) and how they convey an action a supporter is taking so easily.

Waiting until the bugs and quirks of Timeline have been worked out is definitely solid advice. Most nonprofits aren't early adopters, and most don't have a developer on site that can work to get an app ready quickly, but thinking and planning for a Timeline app would be worthwhile to do at this juncture.

Re: Facebook Timeline Apps: New Way to Engage?

Ehren Foss — Tue, 24 Jan 2012 17:15:05 -0000

Debra, you beat me to it. I was writing up a blog post on Sunday while playing around with the timeline developer tools.

I agree with most of what you say here, but might be able to extend some of it with my developer hat on.

Nonprofits can get the benefits of more data, and more knowledge, about supporters from any kind of Facebook app, not just timeline. Facebook permissions are complicated, but incremental. You can ask them to sign in using Facebook one time, then ask them to share their Likes for a different reason, and then ask them to add Timeline when you have a good reason to do so. It all ties back to the same profile, and the cause (or app developer) would have access to everything shared (per FB's privacy and TOS, of course). It's really not that hard to make a FB app, and I think more causes should have one.

Timeline is still fairly constraining - the main argument for making one is that your content shows up in more places, in different ways, and conforms to the internet's obsession with making nouns into proper nouns (Friend, Follow, Post...). This way, Important Words on your website become Important Words on Facebook, which can be critical for branding. I can see Komen getting in there with Cure, or Livestrong doing something with VerbStrong or NounStrong.

You can only use certain actions names, and certain objects, and you need to be careful how they'll appear in various Facebook phrases, titles, and contexts. Some of the sentences you wrote wouldn't be possible without simplification or grammatical gymnastics. Probably the biggest challenge with designing a timeline app is choosing terms that will suit your organization for years to come.

I think unless your team knew timeline was launching, and already have the perfect idea for it, I'd wait until it solidifies a little. Remember, Facebook features are known to change, and as of Sunday the "submit action" process had a bug.

Re: Rethinking the Annual Report for Video

Rob Wu — Thu, 19 Jan 2012 16:54:47 -0000

Debra -- What do you think of TEAM School's annual report?

http://www.teamschools.org/abo...

Re: Rethinking the Annual Report for Video

Debra Askanase — Fri, 13 Jan 2012 15:41:21 -0000

Nathan, agreed! Also, FYI, Socialbrite.org just picked up this blog post and ran it here (for more conversation) http://www.socialbrite.org/201...

Re: Rethinking the Annual Report for Video

Nathan Hand — Fri, 13 Jan 2012 15:02:09 -0000

I feel annual reports are primarily a medium to share success with current supporters, as opposed to a donor acquisition piece with tons of stories and program overviews. This one was a mix, which may alienate each side.

Re: Rethinking the Annual Report for Video

karvetski — Tue, 10 Jan 2012 14:17:15 -0000

I love the video idea, but when I produced ARs at Scenic Hudson, the donor list was the thing I lost the most sleep over. One year, due to production issues, we produced the donor list separately from the rest of the report, offering 2 pdfs on the website. Guess which one got downloaded more, but a 2--to-1 margin? Donor list! Also wondering about the SEO benefits of text annual report (today I'd use Issuu to publish a print AR). In a perfect world, I'd do a short video, a simple print report and an online text. Funders still need names and numbers.

Re: Rethinking the Annual Report for Video

Nicko M. — Tue, 10 Jan 2012 13:33:19 -0000

Thanks Debra! We find year-end videos are an effective way to keep our funders, small donors and fans informed about Sunlight's work. There are a few funders that require written reports, but we try to keep all aspects of our work as public and accessible as possible. To be more specific: we don't do a traditional annual report.

Re: Rethinking the Annual Report for Video

Debra Askanase — Tue, 10 Jan 2012 00:07:42 -0000

Thanks for the updated link - your videos are so much fun, while being informative. What is the primary reason behind making your year-end videos? Do you publish a PDF report as well?

Re: Rethinking the Annual Report for Video

Debra Askanase — Mon, 09 Jan 2012 16:26:51 -0000

Nathan - great find! I felt like the first 3 minutes were more of a promo video than an "annual report" per se, and the last 1:30 minutes were definitely the traditional annual report. Yet another variation. What do you think about Seattle Goodwill's report?

Re: Rethinking the Annual Report for Video

Nathan Hand — Mon, 09 Jan 2012 14:06:36 -0000

Another good one from Goodwill in Seattle - http://vimeo.com/32918625

Re: Rethinking the Annual Report for Video

Nicko M. — Fri, 06 Jan 2012 17:11:53 -0000

Thank you for featuring the Sunlight Foundation's year end video! Here's a link to the one we've done for 2011:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v...
Happy new year

Re: Rethinking the Annual Report for Video

Debra Askanase — Fri, 06 Jan 2012 15:39:21 -0000

Love your idea of adapting the video over time to incorporate comments posted around it? Sort of like an annual report Q&A. In fact, there could be an annual video report and a second one that is Q&A. Hebrew University has an "expert on the spot" video series on their Facebook page which is essentially a video Q&A response along those same lines...

Thanks for coming back and offering your ideas!

Re: Rethinking the Annual Report for Video

Jeff Stanger — Fri, 06 Jan 2012 14:50:38 -0000

I don't disagree. I think the items you list under "Bonus" are indeed great ways of taking a video-driven experience to the level of an interactive, social one. But we need to make sure we actually do these things, not assume that just because it's video rather than text, or online vs. offline, that it automatically becomes interactive, social and discursive.

What about video that customizes itself based on user inputs (active or passive)? What if the video adapts over time to actually incorporate comments posted around it? I think those are the sorts of things that become uniquely digital interactive experiences, perhaps more than a video posted on a website with comments enabled.

Re: Rethinking the Annual Report for Video

Debra Askanase — Fri, 06 Jan 2012 12:12:47 -0000

Hi Jeff, video can be inherently social, especially if joined with YouTube. The moderator function of YouTube enables voting on questions, comments on YouTube make the report interactive. You have a strong point that these examples given aren't that interactive, just really good at bringing people into the organization and rethinking the PDF annual report.

I think this is the beginning of what may be a trend, and if so, then the beginning of the social report. Some of the ideas offered toward the end of the post for further socializing the annual video report get closer to "social" and conversations than the examples that I found. How would you further socialize this concept?

Re: Rethinking the Annual Report for Video

Jeff Stanger — Fri, 06 Jan 2012 09:43:19 -0000

I think video is a great move… however, I don't see it as inherently "social" nor a "discussion." It might be better at spurring those things, but in itself, it's still a one-way communication, no? But I do agree it is a huge leap forward from a gigantic PDF document.

Re: Three Simple Rules on Twitter: Guest Post by Susan Perri

John — Wed, 30 Nov 2011 11:04:44 -0000

Susan:

Excellent article.

Re: Three Simple Rules on Twitter: Guest Post by Susan Perri

Philippa Willitts — Sun, 27 Nov 2011 05:04:14 -0000

Exactly. Most of us do some degree of self-promotion on there, but balance is key. And we might all get it wrong at times, but we have to keep trying to get it right.

Re: Three Simple Rules on Twitter: Guest Post by Susan Perri

Susan Perri — Fri, 25 Nov 2011 12:43:38 -0000

Thanks Philippa - I think it's really a balance. We expect and perhaps even anticipate a certain level of self-promotion/marketing via Twitter, which could potentially be more acceptable if those doing so would follow some basic niceties of engagement. It's that challenge that led me to write this post, and try to clarify the various types of users - specifically those that care to actually engage and those that are using Twitter as a self-promotion megaphone. It's an ongoing discussion and we are all having it everyday on Twitter. Glad you enjoyed the post!

Re: Three Simple Rules on Twitter: Guest Post by Susan Perri

Philippa Willitts — Fri, 25 Nov 2011 11:46:04 -0000

You are so right! You'd think it would be fairly obvious, to behave well on twitter, just like anywhere in life, but some people forget that people don't follow you to just have your business yelled at us four times a day!

Re: The Power of Dedicated Thanks and Followership

Debra Askanase — Tue, 22 Nov 2011 17:09:59 -0000

Lucy, thanks so much for your kind words. Loved that we got to meet in Boston - only wish we had talked more! Thanks for all that you do for the kids at your school - it clearly is changing lives and creating dreams.

Re: The Power of Dedicated Thanks and Followership

Debra Askanase — Tue, 22 Nov 2011 11:25:44 -0000

Joanne, anything you've given is deeply appreciated. If you didn't give to me, I hope you gave to John Haydon so we can all see him shave his head :)

Re: The Power of Dedicated Thanks and Followership

Lucykamptoni — Tue, 22 Nov 2011 11:21:16 -0000

Debra, you are truly amazing! Thank you so much for your continuing support. I'm glad we met in Boston two weeks ago. Nothing good as meeting people you value. Thanks for making this world a better place for so many of us. Love you!