 Recently, the hard work of 3+ months came to fruition. The team at SankyNet and I launched the new Citymeals-on-Wheels website! It was a massive overhaul, both in terms of design and functionality, and it really helped streamline the senior meal delivery services' online presence. Since Citymeals has two main audiences – supporters and meal recipients – it was important to serve them both with equal attention. For those homebound seniors looking for meal deliveries or help, we built a simple "Get Meals" module with eligibility and meal centers, searchable by zip code. For supporters, the new site has rotating widgets for news, engaging meal recipient stories, as well as an easy and attractive donation form. This being my first full "idea-to-launch" website redesign at SankyNet, I wanted to share some of the lessons I learned along the way! Timeline Set a timeline and stick to it! This is the core of any project that relies on the coordination of many kinds of work. From concept, to design, to coding, each step pivots on the one before it. And when you hit snags, remember that one delay can lead to a domino effect. When setting a timeline, leave in some padding to minimize the impact of small delays. If you set a few dates that you know are easy to hit, that means that you can make up time if another part of the project is delayed, while still hitting your final launch date. Bring in all stakeholders early – but not too early Everyone at an organization will use the new site, but in order to make decisions, the whole process cannot be purely democratic. Bringing in everyone at the right time is important. Waiting until after the full site is launching to the public to show it to the staff means missing the chance to correct any specific issues they may have. A slow roll-out to the people inside of, or important to, an organization gives everyone a chance for their voice to be heard. Find a simpler way Fretting over multi-step functionality? Looking to have a complex, interactive flash slider? Want a "Title" field on a donation form with every kind of formality known to man? Here is a hint: Don't. We all love interesting and modern web sites, but the key is that they that do what we need them to. The problem is getting too caught up in flash – both in design and programming – and missing a simpler way to achieve the same goal. With every decision of function and design you should ask "Can we make it simpler and keep the same effect?" If so, you should. You will save time, money and a lot of future technical problems if you do. Browser Testing Not everyone uses your version of Firefox! Give yourself time to test every single page of your site in every single browser. It can be tedious, but catching a key mistake – especially on a critical page – can be well worth it. Keep everyone connected Because a full website redesign involves many kinds of people – designers and developers, clients and constituents – you need to keep everyone on the same page. Every design should go to a technical person before it ever sees the light of day, just to make sure it is feasible. And every technical decision that involves fonts, buttons or web safe colors should go by someone with an eye for design. You should also be connected to the client. Tell them about where you are in the timeline and let them know what to expect next. Also, don't miss this chance to share big news be to the constituents! Let the donors and supporters know you are getting ready for a new site – that way they won’t be surprised when they click the same URL to see a great new site Honesty Finally, the most important thing is being honest and upfront. This goes along with the previous point. Keeping the communication lines open is great – but you need to be 100% honest about everything that is being said. Even if the news it bad, or "That won’t work". Without honesty, the timeline won’t hold, people will be disappointed, and no one wins. The best part of working with my team was is the honest feedback on what is possible, when to expect it, and how we can do it better. Because we were able to trust that each part of the project was being done how and when it needed to, everything fit together smoothly in the end. The end result is a beautiful, easy to use site. Our team at SankyNet came out better and stronger for it, and – most importantly – our relationship with Citymeals continues to be a great one. Hopefully, with each website redesign I can learn a few more lessons, all while delivering a site that everyone can be proud of. Add Comment I attended a 501Tech NYC meetup on Monday night. I was one of many attendees live-tweeting updates, soundbytes, and thoughts to ponder from David Neff as he presented ideas from his new book The Future of NonProfits: Innovate and Thrive in the Digital Age. As a way of sharing what I gleaned from the event with the rest of the SankyNet team (and you!), I used Storify to curate some of the funniest and most salient points made during the live-tweet.  For many nonprofits, search engine marketing is an important part of online acquisition strategy. By bidding on mission specific keywords, organizations run a short text ad as a “paid search ” or "sponsored search result" on search engines Google, Bing or Yahoo. This can be a powerful tool, but there is a learning curve that many nonprofits find hard to navigate. The Google Grant program may give nonprofits a budget to work with, but it doesn’t come with easy "how-to" manual, leaving many organizations struggling with unfamiliar terminology and intimidating interface. To further complicate things, search engine marketing is widely used by commercial services, shopping sites, and just about anyone selling anything online – and these for-profit companies work with larger budgets as they compete for the coveted top-placed ad. Search for any term, and you get a range of ads, some of them relevant and some of them not. But the key is that they are specific to your search keywords – hitting you with targeted messaging when you are already seeking out that information. Some ads may even look too specific to your query – even replicating the exact language you typed into the search box. This is a technique called “Keyword Insertion”. Using a snippet of code when setting up a Google Adwords or Microsoft AdCenter ad, the advertiser pulls the user’s actual search terms and replaces part of the ad with the user-generated text. Data shows this is very effective – after all, what is more relevant to your search than the actual term you are looking for? For nonprofits, it’s essential to maintain integrity and avoid keywords that could be problematic when inserted into an ad. For example, don’t insert keywords into ads when bidding on terms that are related to your cause, but not actually a part of it. An example would be inserting the keyword "sponsor a child" when your organization provides direct aid, not child sponsorship. A misled or confused searcher will likely not be sympathetic to your cause. But many for-profit companies have no such reservations about inserting as many relevant keywords as possible, often across a wide range of topics. "Local" and "Buy Now" kinds of sites, which aggregate products and services across various markets, are notorious for bidding high for thousands of keywords, and using one generic ad with keyword insertion for them all. A nonprofit may want to bid on "Starving children" but a local service aggregator may also bid on “Starving” trying to target hungry shoppers. The result? Something we like to call "Keyword Insertion Failure".Take a look below at our favorite "fails" for some keywords that fit into many nonprofits’ missions (words in bold are the search terms appearing in the ads). And then try your own hand at Google and Bing. You can post your favorites to our Facebook page! The Best (Worst?) Examples...
Want more digital fundraising insights? Check out the SankyNet blog!  Friday night I had the chance to participate in the New York Public Library's Find the Future Game. Part of the Library's Centennial Celebration, the game selected 500 writers, artists and librarians to collaborate in a massive overnight game focused on the amazing historical artifacts are on display in the Library and write book of essays looking toward the next 100 years. The game itself was one part scavenger hunt, one part writing exercise, and one part footwork. All over the library, QR codes were attached to 100 objects on display – from Malcolm X’s briefcase to marble-carved Gargolyes. Using a slick app on a smart phone, each code was scanned and facts about the object display on the screen. Working toward the goal of activating all 100 objects, you gained a lot of knowledge about history, and the Library's role in preserving it. Once an object was activated, a special section of the game website opened up, with a writing prompt. These were mostly thought exercises on the greater meaning of an object, and how it relates to the future. Multiple players could answer the prompt for the same object, although the players tried to coordinate so that each object had a least two thoughtful entries. At the end, all the objects were activated, and 653 stories were written. The entries created that night will be laid out and hand-bound in a wooden book, which will become part of the Library's permanent collection. If this seems like a lot of work to take on voluntarily – that's because it is. Game designer Jane McDonigal writes in her book: "Games make us happy because they are hard work that we choose for ourselves, and it turns out that almost nothing makes us happier than good, hard work." This was apparent as bunch of 20-somethings chose to spend their night in the Library, running up and down marble stairs and hunkered down in front of computers, writing about history. Despite sleep deprivation, I can look back and remember most of the objects, and even of many facts. I would certainly consider it one model for educational games. But mostly, I remember how much the players pushed themselves that night – to learn a new app, a building plan and construct essays. It proves that people are willing – eager even- to rise to challenges, together. If mechanisms for meaningful reward are put into place around a goal, people don’t mind working hard. Volunteering projects – from construction to tedious cataloging – could benefit from instituting some game mechanics. Turn volunteers into players, and the "rules" of the game may gives them more reason to collaborate and try a bit harder. But what about more ambiguous projects relating to social change? Certainly the tasks are hard, and the end goal is deeply meaningful. Many organizations with missions related to environment change, equality or poverty alleviation may benefit from taking a look at what game mechanisms work for their goals. Small tasks that require collaboration are an amazing way to engage people with a larger mission that may seem intangible. Breaking down campaign goals may help people unfamiliar to an organization to grasp a very complex issue, and feel they can do something about it. The Library used it’s game as both a engagement tool and a celebratory promotion of its Centennial. For an organization 100 years old, creating a massive live-action game using new technology is no small feat. And certainly the great press coverage – and the lasting impact on 500 young– warrants the institutional investment. It cemented its status as an institution of open knowledge and a touchstone for the community of New York City. The New York Public Library created a lot of goodwill that night, and I am certain I and my fellow players, will remember what we learned about both history and creative collaboration for years to come. For pictures of all the fun, check out the Flickr album!  Tonight, my Friday is going to be pretty unique. I have been selected as one of the final 500 participants in a giant game taking place, overnight, at the New York Public Library! Apparently we will run the halls, smartphones in hand, logging items and writing away from 7pm - 7am. Will I sleep? Maybe. Will I drink way too much coffee. Most definitely. I am obviously excited, as a fan and a participant. But beyond that, I began thinking of the role this game plays in the marketing of the New York Public Library as a whole. This game, called "Find the Future", is part of a larger centennial campaign celebrating 100 years of learning at the Library. Over the past 2 weeks, the library has positioned itself as more than a brick and mortar building, with each element saying true to the mission of open knowledge. And each step has been timed and coordinated perfectly. Earlier this week the Library release a free app to browse history itself with Biblion, which received accolades from the techno-bloggers. Then yesterday, the Library handed out free copies of their essay collection by famous New Yorkers of all over NYC - for keeps! No late fees! Through savvy use of social media and blogging, the Library is positioning itself as more than stacks of books. It's walking that line as both a trusted source of information and research knowledge, and a site free and open exchange for the community.For such a tradtional and entrenched institution, all this new media connectivity is refreshing. After 100 years, the Library shows its still just as progressive as ever, and committed to the free and open flow of information. If the next 100 years are as committed to both following and driving innovative changes in engaging with knowledge, I'm certainly looking forward to spending more time with the Library - whether inside its stonework halls or on my iPhone.  I have started reading the book "The Thank You Economy" by Gary Vanerchuck, mostly because my friend pushed me to read something besides pulpy (yet very entertaining) science-fiction. So far, the book is great! And very applicable not only to my work in marketing nonprofits, but also to my daily life. Example. I ordered some salted edamame in bulk from an online store called NutsOnline. The price was great, the service was fast - and they engaged you every step of the site. The whole process was filled with positive reviews, recommendations and just a nice personal touch. Their Facebook page is human and engaging. The writing style feels like a a neighbor hanging over a fence. They send Thank You notes and samples. This is exactly the positive social layer described in the first chapter book! And guess what? It worked! I wrote a recommendation of my own, and when it came time to order some trail mix, guess where I went? I'll be posting more thoughts on the book as I go along so stay tuned! Being Real Online 03/09/2011
 Is is better to be yourself? That's what a lot of apps seem to be saying. Every online application I want to try these days wants to connect to my Facebook. That means they get access to my profile - and they know I am really who I say I am. Now that's not foolproof, certainly there are ways around it. But for most people, Facebook means you are really you. And that's a good thing. I remember when I was about 14, and surfing the web felt totally anonymous. That was the fun of it, after all. I could blog about my boyfriend with abandon. But now I am almost positive someone can trace almost anything I do, unless I take some serious precautions, and get back to the real me. That's good for most apps that are location based. When the goal is to meet and mingle, or get personalized recommendations, then we want to display out authentic selves. At least in theory. I have to admit I was nervous about putting my real picture on Foursquare. I used a snapshot of my dog as a cute way to throw off stalkers. I started thinking about how important being "real" is after reading Advertising Age's interview with Buddy Media's Michael Lazerow. He talks about why be bet long on Facebook: It has become cliche to call it (Facebook) a "parallel internet"; rather, Mr. Lazerow argues, it's a better internet, free of the anonymity, abuse, spam, comment trolls and viruses that plague the real web. Indeed, Facebook is the only major web property still in growth mode, and it's happening at the expense of all others. "How do people vote? With their money and with their time," Mr. Lazerow said. "If you look at the time, people are saying this is the better internet." So people want to be real? Or at least, the "real" Facebook version of themselves. Managing that profile is like investing in a social currency. Authenticity one thing the trolls and spambots can't steal, no matter how many automated direct messages they send! All in all, its like the Internet is splitting. "Real" people - authenticated, open, and safe for work. And the underside, the alternative emails and the "in-private" browsing. In the end, both types of interaction are what the internet is about. Connection is there, ready to happen. Privatized or Publicized, the user should have the power to choose. What Drives You? Men vs Women 01/29/2011
Trendspotting puts out reports on online trends, many of which relate closely to any kind of marketing strategy. Others are just pretty interesting as stand alone pieces of data. The title of one post certainly got my attention "Driving work forces behind millennial women". Well, that's me! Personal curiosity aside, for anyone who works in cause based marketing, Millennial women (age 18-25) are a really engaged group with "doing good". Because we are young, there is a lot of time before we enter the time of life with more financial stability becoming larger and devoted donors to a certain charity or cause later into careers. So what kind work are we doing, and why are we choosing it? The first chart shows that women tend to value work-life balance ( aka not being a workaholic ) - even when children aren't involved.  It's interesting when thinking about men and women I know, ad their concept of "work fulfillment" vs "salary". Do we still expect men to put aside their personal happiness for a better job? I don't know but from my personal experience, job with a high emotional fulfillment level - teaching, social work and work at nonprofits - are more often occupied by women. The post ends with a neat chart of some startling facts. For example: Only one out of 14 women earn more than $100,000 a year - compared to 1 out of 7 men. That's twice as many! Here's hoping the work-life balance is enough compensation.  A Trip to Luxembourg 07/23/2010
Unsilent Night = A Boombox Holiday Parade 12/16/2009
This was an amazing event put on by sound sculptor Phil Klein. His annual Unsilent Night is a parade using boomboxes to play his CD's of unique blend of chime and vocal holiday sounds. Updating the traditional caroling, around 200 people gathered in NYC's Washington Square Park to march through the East Village. They stopped traffic and inspired onlookers with the mystical sounds. It was a truly magical holiday event that showed the power of public participatory art to bring joy to the mundane. | Marketing
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