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Entries categorized as ‘Optimization’

3 Tips for Creating Content for Your New Site

November 2, 2009 · 1 Comment

Should you want to create the content for your site redesign, this is typically considered the “heavy lifting” portion for the client. Content can include items such as copy, images, videos, audio files and PDFs. Compiled below are a few helpful tips before you begin.

The Use of “Click Here”
Try not using “click here” in your copy, as it typically does not align with best web practices for some of the following reasons (more…)

Categories: Copywriting · Improving Your Website · Nonprofit · Optimization
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Online Video Tips for Nonprofits

March 5, 2009 · 3 Comments

Kivi Leroux Miller, from NonprofitMarketingGuide.com made a request on Twitterfor guest blogger posts regarding nonprofit video, so I will attempt to accommodate her request.

Equipment
If you are a 501(c)(3) organization, you can apply for a Flip Video Spotlight kit to be used by untrained staff and constituents to help highlight your work with video.

Filming
» Each shot should be between 10 and 15 seconds
» Shoot close ups whenever possible
» Film people – create a personal story

Editing
» Keep your total video length under 2 minutes
» If you want to create a longer video, break it into episodes
» Adding words? Translations? Remember that online video typically is in a smaller viewing pane, so keep in legible
» End with a call-to-action and provide users with a URL shortcut to a page with additional information & a donation opportunity

Posting
» Create a YouTube channel for your nonprofit
» Insert the video into widgets that can be spread virally
» Add a video index on your site

View some great examples of nonprofit videos at: 
http://helpCUREnow.org/videos.

Categories: Improving Your Website · Nonprofit · Optimization
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Missed Opportunity: The 404 Page

February 3, 2009 · Leave a Comment

The 404 page is what a user sees when they go to a page that no longer exists on the site. Are you missing an opportunity to keep a user engaged when they visit one of these pages?

Mistype a URL shortcut on your site. What does your 404 page look like? Is there an opportunity to optimize this page with links back to the homepage or most visited pages on the site?

Or, perhaps, could you even invent a user experience that (more…)

Categories: Improving Your Website · Optimization
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Provide Easy Access to Social Networking Tools

December 18, 2008 · Leave a Comment

The American Red Cross has created a great page that outlines all their various disaster relief tools that are available. Some of their social networking and web 2.0 tools include banners, Facebook resources, flickr tools, texting, videos and widgets.

Unfortunately, this great resource is hidden and is not easy to find from the main website. Participants may also want to participate by telling others about how they donated blood or volunteered. The American Red Cross could make this page more generic and less about “disaster relief” in order to expand its reach to a wider audience.

CURE International developed this concept in a different way (more…)

Categories: Ideas · Improving Your Website · Nonprofit · Optimization · Social Networking
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