What landing page elements can increase your online paid search conversions? Find out in this session! Multivariate optimization testing of images, headlines, description/copy, page layout, font, form field format, and other landing page elements can significantly increase the number of Google Grants or PPC visitors who complete a donation form, sign a petition, or sign up for email newsletters. Tools such as Google Website Optimizer generally use a single conversion rate to determine which combination of landing page elements are the winners with respect to driving conversions.  But, what about other valuable, more complex metrics such as Avg. Time on Page, Multiple Goal Conversion Rates, Bounce Rate, Exit %, and Full Navigation Analysis? Based on our PPC microsite landing page experiments utilizing a combination of Google Website Optimizer multivariate tests and also Google Analytics, we'll explain how you can find out which landing page elements not only increased conversion rates, but also led to in-depth visitor engagement in the content of the campaign microsite.

Session Takeaways:

1. Practical steps on defining your paid search campaign microsite landing page goals and formulating a test performance hypothesis

2. Guidelines on defining the best three to five initial page elements to test and setup tips on integrating conversion rate data with

3. Case studies from Google Grants and PPC campaign microsite landing page conversion optimization testing experiments

Level:  Intermediate

Causecast is a community of people who care.  Causecast provides several free tools that allow nonprofits to engage these people.  This workshop will show individuals how to use the tools, gain trust in the community, and advocate for their cause.

Session Takeaways:

1. Getting started with Causecast

2. Familiar with all of the basic tools on Causecast

3. Leveraging an existing/focused community

Level: Beginner

People want results. They don't necessarily care who creates them. Free or cheap tools, new online communities and the crumbling of traditional one-way media create conditions in which concerned citizens can create their own advocacy campaigns and directly raise money.

Is this a threat to non-profits? How do non-profits attract paying members/supporters in quantities and amounts sufficient to maintain their needs? If a motivated activist can create their own community around an issue, how does a non-profit maintain relevance on the topic?

Session Takeaways:

1.  Examples/stories of individual advocacy/fundraising.

2.  A better sense of how organizations find, communicate and work with outsiders that now have tools to make impact directly?

3.  How to celebrate and enjoy these changes, not fight them.

Level:  Intermediate

Websites are so central to our organization's communication strategies. Yet there often exists a paradox -- it's hard to get funding if your website isn't up-to-date; but it's hard to get (or keep) an up-to-date site without funding.

Never fear, there are a lot of little things that can be done quickly and inexpensively to make a big difference.

If you're planning to attend this session, and would like to have your website used as an example, please submit your URL ahead of time. We'll pick from these submissions when planning the session.

Couldn't decide until the last minute? No worries. Come anyway and we'll take Q&A at the end, and/or break into small groups to brainstorm.

Session Takeaways:

1.  Encouragement!

2.  Inspiration!

3.  Free and inexpensive tools!

Level: Beginner

In this session we'll take a look at five successful "house" social networks - social networks built on the nonprofit's own web site.  We includes examples for five very different communities - health services, employee portal, volunteer management, environmental advocacy, and immigration reform targeting millenials.

Session Takeaways:

1.  What is a house social network? Why are they important for nonprofits?

2.  Five examples of successful online communities

3.  Best practices for developing your own house social networks

Level: Intermediate

This session would approach the concept of knowledge sharing from a perspective of open access in an online environment. Today's options for resource sharing are endless, yet restrictive licenses and property rights still make our sector's knowledge largely inaccessible - even on the Internet.

The discussion can cover the ultimate benefits of open licensing for nonprofit-produced content such as research, video, presentations and other tools, and introduce specific technical pointers teaching the audience how to choose open licensing, how to track attributions, how to use Creative Commons and other existing tools, and how to measure the benefits for online nonprofit communications.

Session Takeaways:

1.  Open licences support and enhance online knowledge sharing

2.  It's easy for nonprofits to make work available for use and repurposing

3.  Open Access is a vital element in the process of using technology to affect social change

Level: Beginner

Just as the Obama presidential campaign gave us a whole new bag of online tricks for engagement and fundraising, the historic healthcare reform debate gave nonprofits the challenge to put those tricks in action, and create some new ones in the process.  In this session, we will hear from nonprofits who developed new techniques, some oldies but goodies and unique approaches to giving constituents across the country a voice in shaping health care legislation. 

Session Takeaways:

1. Learn techniques that shaped the healthcare debate that you can apply for your public policy activities.

2.  what worked and what didn't in online advocacy during the healthcare debate.

3.  See emerging tools in helping constituents influence public policy decisions.

Level: Beginner

Tired of your executive director asking you why your email list isn't as big as MoveOn's?  Well, we may not be able to answer that question, but we can give you the latest download on major techniques for email list growth, and talk about how to use them effectively, and what the pros and cons are of different strategies. Do you want to ramp up your paid ad strategy? Understand what a 'list swap' is and how to do it? (Hint: It doesn't actually involve swapping lists!) Have you considered an email append but didn't feel comfortable making the leap? Waiting for 'viral marketing' to take hold? Learn about these strategies and others, and how to evaluate what is really working!  In this interactive session, participants will be invited to design a list growth strategy on the fly!

Session Takeaways:

1. Overview of the major strategies for list growth and how they work

2.  Tips and tricks for getting the most out of your online recruitment efforts and avoiding common pitfalls

3.  Basic methods for calculating short and long term return on investment analysis

Level: Intermediate

Climate change. Homelessness. Poverty. Genocide. There are a number of organization dealing with the big picture problems. How does one begin to tackle these almost insurmountable issues?  Where does one even start?  

We'll hear from a panel of non-profit leaders making these larger issues more accessible to donors and activists through personal stories, smaller actions, focused donations and existing networks to achieve a big impact on some massive problems.

Whether you or your organization deals with these issues, we'll see how putting the personal before the general has worked in deepening engagement and bringing results to those who desperately need it.

Session Takeaways:

1.  Not losing the humanity in the technology

2.  The important role of story-telling, video, and photography can play

3.  Generating good content in social networks, not just numbers

Level: Intermediate

Social networking has already established itself as a key medium for growing your events, increasing donations and getting the word out about your organization. With minimal cost and just a little effort you'll have substantial opportunities to increase your organizations' presence in the marketplace with greater immediacy than ever.

This session details how Nonprofits can utilize Social Networking, in both public and private formats, as well as other Web 2.0 tools to promote their events and engage their communities.

With this presentation, you will receive precise information that will help you formulate the right event marketing strategy supported by the proper selection and utilization of the latest Web 2.0 tools. Whether you're of professional organizer or a small independent planner it's essential to stay informed with what's available and what's best for your organization. Remember it's a two communication built on interaction.

What are these tools and how can they favorably impact the overall success of your events? We'll provide an overview of growing technologies such as RSS Feeds, Blogs and Podcasts as well as popular websites such as Facebook, LinkedIn and Twitter. In addition, it's essential to understand the differences between public and private social networks and how to determine which option is best for your organization.

What's the end result of implementing these simple, cost-effective tools? You'll raise the profile of your organization, continue to grow your nonprofit organization and maximize your promotional and fundraising efforts.  

Session Takeaways:

1.  Determine how to easily leverage social media opportunities in the nonprofit community

2.  Explore intuitive ways to communicate via messaging, blogging & media posting in a private, controlled forum

3.  Learn how to acquire & keep your greatest assets, your members and donors, informed and active in your organization

Level: Intermediate

We're used to thinking of video as something passive: your organization posts a video and your audience watches it.  But times have changed, and video has finally grown up online.  Online video is becoming more of a conversation - users are creating mash-ups, video is becoming personalized, and organizations are creating opportunities to connect the video directly to action items.  Using case studies from some of the most innovative video examples online, we'll demonstrate the real possibilities that video hold in this new age of online media. 

Session Takeaways:

1.  Rethinking passive video

2.   How interactive video can help you meet your goals better

3.  Using YouTube to get interactive

Level: Beginner

By now you know short, online videos can have a great impact for non-profits.  You have a YouTube channel.  You know to end with a URL.  You've implemented video 101 for your organization.  Time for the next steps.

Now we're talking about how to best shape those videos around your policy work, your campaigns, and your ongoing communications strategy to maximize the impact on donors and constituents.  Stop aiming for the next viral video and start seeing your video help drive your individual actions and overall mission.

Session Takeaways:

1.   Replacing 'magic-bullet' video theories with practical applications

2.   New strategies in online video as a tool, not a solution

3.   Best practices and real examples of successful video campaigns

Level: Intermediate

Have you been to a web site and not found what you're looking for? Or tried to use an application, unable to complete a seemingly simple task?  User-centered design is a design approach that focuses attention on the user.  In this session, we'll examine a series of well-defined methods and techniques for analysis, design and evaluation of hardware, software and web interfaces, including usability goals, user characteristics, environment, tasks and workflow.

Session Takeaways:

1.  Increase the number of conversions on your website (donations, memberships, etc)

2.  Avoid unexpected future costs from failed designs

3.  Reduce your development costs by detecting problems early and increasing your web site or application's efficiency & focus

Level: Intermediate

Have you had a partner say "We want something on Facebook?"  This session will examine how to utilize social media into your cause marketing campaign.  We will examine how to best manage your partner expectations, how to integrate into your strategies and plans, and come away with some unique social media tactics to utilize on your future campaigns.

Session Takeaways:

1.  Outline for how to integrate social media into your cause-related marketing partnerships.

2.  Ideas how to maximize your cause-related partners.

3.  Advice on how to manage partner expectations.

Level: Intermediate

The Internet is live and in color - and your supporters are watching. Learn how micro-media services Twitter, FriendFeed, and Facebook can drive traffic to your site and engage your audience in real-time. See how interactive video streaming with UStream, Qik, and Stickam is changing communication, events, and activism. Learn how the emergence of smart phones is enabling mobile and location-aware (GPS) giving. Watch your web traffic live, host executive director fireside chats, use real-time search engines, and more. Bring your open mind, questions, and creativity as we discuss these emerging technologies and how your organization can use them to engage your supporters.

Session Takeaways:

1.  How to use Twitter, Facebook, and other social networks to engage your supporters right now.

2.  How to use streaming video, chat, mobile broadcasting to reach your audience.

3.  Ability to incorporate real-time search, analytics, and metrics into your socila media strategy.

Level: Intermediate

There are three main objectives for 'business' Web sites: (1) Information Distribution, (2) Business Process Support, and (3) Community Building.  This session would cover the key differences in each of the objectives and critical success factors to address with each.    Also covers a basic IT project plan using an iterative approach to building a site and identification and definition of the key roles needed for a successful Web site project.  Also includes an overview of Web site related IT risks when engaging in e-commerce (e.g. accepting donations).

Session Takeaways:

1.  Differentiate between different Web site objectives

2.  Identify critical success factors necessary for the success of your site

3.  Provide a framework to balance long-term and short-term value provided by web site initiatives

Level: Beginner

You managed to build a large Facebook or house social network at your organization, but now you're faced with the increasingly hectic job of managing your online community.  Learn how several nonprofits are managing (and moderating) their online communities - what works, what kind of resources you'll need, how to keep costs down,and how to ensure your community continues to thrive and grow.

Session Takeaways:

1.  What is Community Management and Moderation?

2.  Why do I need management and moderation for my organization's online social network?

3.  How to cost-effectively implement a successful community management and moderation program.

Level: Advanced

It is no secret that fundraising, event attendance and mission interest are all outreach efforts that can be enhanced through the use of social media.  More importantly these relationships can be tracked to build on the relationship you have built. All solutions utilized in this presentation are free for nonprofits and can be implemented with no start up costs.

Session Takeaways:

1.  How to set up a Twitter and Facebook account and what to do once you have it.

2.  Case Study of how it is being utilized successfully in a nonprofit setting.

3.  Track and manage your social media relationships so you can build on your success.

Level: Intermediate

It has never been a better time to be a small non-profit. Why? Because all the digital tools are free and young interns understand social media better than any other employee you have. It is your job to think outside the box and create the systems to use these free resources to make huge ROI in brand association, awareness and donations. Nothing is better than being the non-profit of 5 individuals that appears online to be the non-profit of 500 in terms of visibility. I will help you get there with real case studies and powerful tools.

Session Takeaways:

1.  Grow your Facebook Cause from 1 to 500,000 supporters in a year

2.  Have more followers on Twitter than non-profits 10x your size

3.  Build social media systems that allow you to nurture and respond to your supporter base without you lifting a finger

Level: Intermediate

In 2009, we presented the results of an industry survey focused on nonprofit's use of social networking. We'll return in 2010 with our 2nd annual report updating all of our statistics about nonprofit's tools, community sizes, internal resourcing, budgets, commercial network preferences (e.g. Facebook, Twitter, etc.) and much more.

Session Takeaways:

1.  How is the nonprofit industry using social networking in 2010?

2.  How has the industry's funding and use of social networks changed from 2009 to 2010?

3.  What are nonprofits planning for the future around social networking?

Level: Intermediate

Give your constituents the power to share and remix to spread your message.  This panel will include legal scholars, techies and npo staff to share best practices related to Terms of Service and copyright licensing.  Bring your questions and learn what mistakes to avoid while receiving practical takeaways for enabling remix or knowledge sharing for your org.  

Session Takeaways:

1.  Best practices for writing member friendly Terms of Service

2.  Tools for marking content to share with Creative Commons License

3.  Ideas from other NPO's that have already embraced communities of sharing

Level: Intermediate

So you'd like to test the viral video waters.  Come learn from the experts how to develop the right approach from audience assessment, to humor (or not!), to the right steps to take in development for a WILDLY successful video.

Session Takeaways:

1.  Get inspired with real world examples of successful viral videos

2.  Learn how to structure an effective project and its MANY moving parts (from strategy to video to integration) for success

3.  Learn the many pitfalls that can hang up a project and how to mitigate risk

Level: Intermediate

Discussion of how to turn your cause into more than another charity...how the power of purchase pervades into the realm of activism both online and off. In this group we will discuss how different organizations have effectively used physical products, social media and online/offline organizing to build a large constituency who stands as their megaphone for the cause. We assess the use of media (film and video) and how community is built around produced content and that created by the donor base. We learn how story telling and the use of social networking, by both the organization and the individuals, produces a large market of activists who do your work for you. By getting people to "buy into" the mission of the organization through product purchase, be empowered to organize their own events offline, and connect with each other online - these organizations build a movement that makes their cause, the cause of their constituents.

Session Takeaways: 

1. Physical product development and brand symbols.

2. Utilizing story telling to provide meaning to the product and the individual.

3. How to develop a movement around the product and offline organizing.

Level: Intermediate

You can spend months and months and thousands of dollars on one the campaign that will soar your cause to new levels, and not a single person will care. Why? They got lost, confused, bored or overwhelmed in the course of 2 seconds, and they'll never come back. Starting from the foundation of your brand to the layout of your website to clever tricks, learn about what you can do to keep your activists engaged and respecting your cause for enough time to take effective action.
 

Session Takeaways:

1. Where you should start in building your brand and what elements are the foundation that you decide from the beginning

2. What you want from your in-house or freelance designer

3. Examples of effective design for print, web and video

Level: Beginner

When video cameras are installed in every computer, phone and wristwatch, not to mention having 1001 video social networks options to upload to, storytelling is now as important as ever to engage with your audience and drive them to take action. Learn how to organize your thoughts into a coherent arc, connect with your audience, and leave them with the simplest directions to make the largest impact for your cause.

Session Takeaways: 

1. What should and shouldn't be included in your video.

2.  What equipment you want verses what you need to make a good video.

3.  Examples of what worked based on different campaigns and call-to-actions.

Level: Beginner