Group items tagged

Interesting distinction between blogging and writing articles. Kevin O'Keefe's blog on January 16, 2014 Blogging is done to engage others in a conversation by recognizing the post is one in a series on a topic. Writing an article is to get your point of view out there. Excerpt: I have always viewed blogging as all together different than writing an article. Blogging is a conversation where by listening to relevant discussion you engage those in the conversation. Social media consultant, Jayne Navvare (@jaynenavvare), made the point as well as anyone in her post today. If you want to post "articles" to the web using a blog platform, fine, but do not confuse that with blogging. Articles are static. Blogging is dynamic. Bloggers do more than just write posts. They socialize. Articles are one way. I write it. I distribute it. You read it. Think magazines, newspapers, and newsletters. Circulation and eyeballs are measures of success. Blogs engage. Blogs mix it up with readers and other bloggers. Relationships and word of mouth reputation are measures of success.

Pretty amazing list of influences that lead to engagement, by Tom Vander Ark, August 12, 2015 on his Getting Smart site

Harold Jarche from 2014 on engaging knowledge artisans. "Complex environments are the new normal. Relationship building is needed in order to share complex knowledge. Implicit knowledge takes time to share, so time has to be set aside for sense-making, reflecting, and conversing. These are significant workplace changes, but can be mastered with a stable foundation of PKM practiced by interdependent and autonomous knowledge artisans. When everybody is engaged in sense-making, then any organization can better sense where it needs to go."

Mark Athitakis at AssociationsNow on supporting remote workers through regular communication and involvement to engage them more effectively

Nice blog by Danielle Holly, Common Impact, on engaging remote employees and skilled volunteers with good sources cited in the article, May 17, 2016. If everyone is remote, everyone is equal, but skilled management is still needed.

Great infographic by Shea Bennett on December 16, 2013 on how to increase Twitter success Section on what to tweet is interesting, i.e., engagement is 200% higher for tweets with image links, 21% higher when you ask a question, 86% higher when you ask readers to retweet, and 17% higher if tweets are 100 characters or less. Another assertion: Get real followers. It's better to have 100 real followers who engage than 1000 random followers who do you no good. Real followers are more likely to buy from you, will want updates on products, will offer ideas and feedback, etc.

Blog post by Joe Rominiecki, June 11, 2014, on how staid organization--American Neurological Association--changed admission requirements and found new-"old ways" to engage with younger, newer members in the course of the first year of membership. 300 out of 1,880 at end of 2013 were new, often younger members. ""We have quite a few committees, and the committee work is a lot. The annual meeting programming is extremely scientific, so their participation in our interactive lunch workshop committee or our faculty development committee or our scientific programming committee is critical to the success of the meeting," Smith says." Excerpt: I'm a strong believer that the type of volunteering offered to young members is crucial, too. It has to be meaningful work. If I'm offered a choice between joining a group for young professionals or joining a planning committee for a particular association function (event, publication, education, etc.), I'll take the latter. I'd rather not just be lumped in with other young pros, fenced off in a separate little play area. I want to be doing some real work for the association. And DTV says I'm not alone: In that study, "I can do something for a profession or cause that is important to me" ranked as the most important reason for volunteering in associations, and that was true for all generations.""

A really wonderful look at community engagement--how to measure, make it happen, etc. Rachel Happe, Community Roundtable.

Blog post by Gerry Moran, 3.9.13, at Marketing Think on how to calculate your Facebook and Twitter success Excerpt for how B2B brands need to use social media: Amplify: Increase the awareness of the brand story and solutions. Engage: Drive customer and prospect engagement with related content. Convert: Provide a way for the customer to convert interest after they become aware and have consumed enough content to move to the next step in the buying journey. To help you understand if you are reaching your goal, it is important for you to understand the right questions to ask to get the right social media measurement. Marketers need to map key social metrics to strategic questions vs. just measuring and blindly reporting how a channel performs.

excellent interview with Liz Coleman, former president/reformer of Bennington College on action, engagement, learning, real-time issues, etc.

Connected Learning, a new research-driven initiative was introduced at the Digital Media and Learning Conference 2012. This blog post by Jackie Gerstein discusses its essence and includes TED video of Henry Jenkins and separate video of Mimi Ito. See excerpt on core values and principals of connected learning: At the core of connected learning are three values: Equity - when educational opportunity is available and accessible to all young people, it elevates the world we all live in. Full Participation - learning environments, communities, and civic life thrive when all members actively engage and contribute. Social connection - learning is meaningful when it is part of valued social relationships and shared practice, culture, and identity (http://connectedlearning.tv/connected-learning-principles). This initiative is being driven by the following design principles: Shared purpose - Connected learning environments are populated with adults and peers who share interests and are contributing to a common purpose. Today's social media and web-based communities provide exceptional opportunities for learners, parents, caring adults, teachers, and peers in diverse and specialized areas of interest to engage in shared projects and inquiry. Cross-generational learning and connection thrives when centered on common interests and goals. Production-centered - Connected learning environments are designed around production, providing tools and opportunities for learners to produce, circulate, curate, and comment on media. Learning that comes from actively creating, making, producing, experimenting, remixing, decoding, and designing, fosters skills and dispositions for lifelong learning and productive contributions to today's rapidly changing work and political conditions. Openly networked - Connected learning environments are designed around networks that link together institutions and groups across various sectors, including popula

Very interesting blog post on how to convert casual readers into activists on Mashable by Geoff Livinston, May 13, 2010. 1. Stop thinking of them as slacktivists 2. Steward people up the Twitter engagement ladder from very low involvement (reads the tweet) to medium (retweets) to high (makes a donation or takes action) or very high (takes action and actively encourages others to do so). 3. Reevaluate the donor funnel to see where people are talking about issue online, listen, reflect back on what you're hearing, invite small acts of engagement, thank people and tell them the difference their acts made, listen some more, invite them to speak... 4. Shift your attitude to understand what hot buttons are to trigger support, cultivate them and make them feel appreciated. 5. Create new calls to action.

blog by Martin Davies for Wiley.com on value of eLearning programs for professional membership groups

Very interesting blog post at Meetingsnet.com on how to create a viral spread of ideas/content/connections at meetings. Written by Alison Hall, August 5, 2013. Stresses that millenials, the focus of many women's organizations recruiting efforts rely on social media and technology to get through each day. They are completely connected, which has implications for how organizations need to use content generated in f2f meetings to attract engagement by people well outside the event itself. Excerpt: 12 Tips for Share-worthiness 1. Think from your audience's POV: What will they find interesting? What will help them prove the value of their industry, or their position? 2. Entertain. Infographics, photos, and (appropriate) humor have great pass-along value. 3. Feel good. What will make the world better? Emotional content spreads because it moves people. Find a way to make your content connect on a deeper level. 4. Plan your meeting with the idea that all content (with the exception of content at proprietary meetings) will be shared. 5. Loop in your presenters. Get their key insights ahead of time so you can "lock and load" content that's ready to go in real time. 6. Remember that real-time marketing only works if your audience can connect. Work diligently with your venue to ensure Wi-Fi is accessible and bandwidth is sufficient. Consider (sponsored!) charging stations to keep attendees powered up throughout the meeting. 7. Lead the way. Sharing will be (and should be) organic, but you need to be the guide. Start promoting hashtags and social channels at your event Web site and in your online registration process. On site, brand all event signage with the hashtags and channels. 8. Talk back. Hear what your audience is saying and participate in conversations. Deliver social value back to them by retweeting or sharing their content. 9. Make it easy. All content should have a one-click sharing option. Don't rely on the audience to cut and paste. Videos and phot

Although from 2006, this is an interesting take on preparing students to really engage in online discussion. The faculty, Edward J. Gallagher, creates scaffolds for student engagement principles and practice, has students read the course constitution, and structures the course around the discussion vs. content.

something to think about to scaffold discussion groups

AssociationsNow blog, July 30, 2014 "Toronto-based software company Wild Apricot, identified the same top three priorities reported in last year's survey: Small-membership organizations are most concerned about increasing membership, increasing member engagement, and demonstrating member value. Among the challenges that respondents said they face were attracting and engaging millennials and getting their boards and members to adopt new technologies. The survey gathered input from 487 organizations that represent fewer than 500 members and have operating budgets of less than $500,000. The findings provide a glimpse into the many facets of running a small-membership organization, including information about membership growth, recruitment and retention, membership models, and finances."

"This leadership is less about current position, authority, management, or control, and much more about facilitating the work of others: engaging, connecting, and catalyzing people, and helping them to self-organize and innovate around shared goals. It requires new mindsets, tools, and skills" This leadership is less about current position, authority, management, or control, and much more about facilitating the work of others: engaging, connecting, and catalyzing people, and helping them to self-organize and innovate around shared goals. It requires new mindsets, tools, and skills. nice graphic of ALF journey to impact

cute infographic on engaging elearners

Interesting round-up of engagement techniques for the classroom but at least some could be adapted for online adult work. Contained in a Google docs; came to me via weekly PLP social media roundup

five tips by Jeremy B. Koch on storytelling effectively to engage listeners in your nonprofit