talks!

Using Ning to Connect with your Community

Manny Hernandez (@askmanny, @ningfordummies)

Sponsored by

Using Ning to Connect with your CommunityConference Call: 866-740-1260 Access Code: 6339392 or 6339349

Today’s Speakers

Kami GriffithsTechSoup

Manny HernandezNing for Dummies

Using Ning to Connect with your CommunityConference Call: 866-740-1260 Access Code: 6339392 or 6339349

Personal Background (Manny)

• Web Products, Social Media: 10+ yrs• Diagnosed with diabetes: Oct-02• Launched TuDiabetes on Ning: Mar-07 • Worked for Ning: Jan to Apr-2008• Nonprofit management: since Apr-08• Published Ning For Dummies: Apr-09

Using Ning to Connect with your CommunityConference Call: 866-740-1260 Access Code: 6339392 or 6339349

What to Expect from this Webinar• What is Ning?• How can nonprofits use Ning?• Setting up a network on Ning• Managing and growing your network• Fundraising and other Ning Apps• Examples of networks on Ning• Advantages/disadvantages of Ning

Using Ning to Connect with your CommunityConference Call: 866-740-1260 Access Code: 6339392 or 6339349

What is Ning?

• Ning is a social media platform• Lets you create your own social network– “Your Facebook with your own brand.”

• Powers more than 1.5MM networks• Free to set up and run• Premium services to further customize

Using Ning to Connect with your CommunityConference Call: 866-740-1260 Access Code: 6339392 or 6339349

Why Ning for Nonprofit/Libraries?• New way to engage with constituents

– Blogs, forums, videos

• Foster and solidify offline connections– Events, groups

• Increased outreach possibilities– Sharing mechanisms– Export member data

• Fundraising

Using Ning to Connect with your CommunityConference Call: 866-740-1260 Access Code: 6339392 or 6339349

Ning and your Social Media Strategy• Two great references:

– Beth’s Blog - How Nonprofits Can Use Social Media: http://beth.typepad.com

– Amy Sample Ward, 5 steps to a successful social media strategy: http://bit.ly/u6cNd

• Your social media strategy may contain a lot of elements

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Setting up a Network on Ning

Setting up a Network on Ning

Setting up a Network on Ning

Setting up a Network on Ning

Using Ning to Connect with your CommunityConference Call: 866-740-1260 Access Code: 6339392 or 6339349

Managing your Network

• Who can become a new member– Moderate members

• Who can remain a member– Enforce the guidelines for your network

• What content can live in your network– Moderate or remove content if needed

• All of this requires time!

Using Ning to Connect with your CommunityConference Call: 866-740-1260 Access Code: 6339392 or 6339349

Managing your Network

• Hours dedicated based on activity• Administrators

– Up to a few hundred members, one person can do most of the management

– Very hard to keep up for one person past 1,000 members

• “Economies of scale” and self-policing help

Using Ning to Connect with your CommunityConference Call: 866-740-1260 Access Code: 6339392 or 6339349

Growing your Network

• By yourself: 5+ hours per week• Through your members:

– Invitations, badges, embeddable content

• Through network RSS feeds– TwitterFeed feeding Twitter, FB page

• Through bloggers• Through existing offline efforts

Using Ning to Connect with your CommunityConference Call: 866-740-1260 Access Code: 6339392 or 6339349

Popular Features in Ning

• Blogs, Forum, Chat – build community

• Videos, Photos – visual outreach

• Events, Groups – offline connections

• Go Ad Free – premium service• Ning Apps – more features…

Fundraising Through Ads

Social Giving Through a Ning App

Impact Challenge: Another Ning App

Using Ning to Connect with your CommunityConference Call: 866-740-1260 Access Code: 6339392 or 6339349

Other Ning Apps for Nonprofits• Ustream: to broadcast streaming video

• PollDaddy: to poll your members• Box.net: to share files with others

• CartFly: to sell merchandise• Others: for event ticket sales

Using Ning to Connect with your CommunityConference Call: 866-740-1260 Access Code: 6339392 or 6339349

TuDiabetes: a Network on NIng

• Launched in March 2007• 5-10% growth every month• Mid-October 2009:

– 11,200 members– 100,000 monthly visits– 500,000 monthly pageviews– 5 minutes average session

TuDiabetes Diabetes Awareness Project: Word in your Hand

TuDiabetes Diabetes Awareness Project: Making Sense of Diabetes

Using Ning to Connect with your CommunityConference Call: 866-740-1260 Access Code: 6339392 or 6339349

Other Social Networks on Ning

200,000+ members• “…a community of individuals who support reducing our nation’s dependence on foreign oil through the use of domestic energy alternatives.”

push.pickensplan.com

Using Ning to Connect with your CommunityConference Call: 866-740-1260 Access Code: 6339392 or 6339349

Other Social Networks on Ning

2,000 members• “The List Project created Netroots to help recent Iraqi arrivals with the resettlement process by connecting Americans and Iraqis across the nation.”

netrootsthelistproject.ning.com

Using Ning to Connect with your CommunityConference Call: 866-740-1260 Access Code: 6339392 or 6339349

Advantages of Ning

• Very affordable– Free basic service– Premium services

• Solid product• Customizable

– Appearance and features

• Network and member privacy controls

Using Ning to Connect with your CommunityConference Call: 866-740-1260 Access Code: 6339392 or 6339349

Disadvantages of Ning

• You can’t “host” the network yourself:– You depend on Ning being “up” – You depend on Ning being “in business”

• Network members are also members of Ning.com

Using Ning to Connect with your CommunityConference Call: 866-740-1260 Access Code: 6339392 or 6339349

Alternatives to Ning

• To create your own social network:– http://traffikd.com/resources/build-your-own-social-networking-site

• To create your own blog:– http://www.socialbrite.org/2009/05/09/seven-blogging-tools-reviewed

• To create your own web site:– http://sites.google.com and many more…

• Social Networking Platforms Comparison Chart:– http://www.techcrunch.com/wp-content/wlsn_comparison_chart.html

Using Ning to Connect with your CommunityConference Call: 866-740-1260 Access Code: 6339392 or 6339349

Additional Resources

• http://help.ning.com• http://www.getsatisfaction.com/ning • http://blog.ning.com• http://is.gd/p7kv (Ning for Nonprofits chat)

• http://developer.ning.com (advanced)

Using Ning to Connect with your CommunityConference Call: 866-740-1260 Access Code: 6339392 or 6339349

Manny’s Contact Information

• Email:– ningfordummies@gmail.com

• Book:– http://bit.ly/ningfd

• Twitter:– @askmanny– @ningfordummies