<img src="//bat.bing.com/action/0?ti=5065582&amp;Ver=2" height="0" width="0" style="display:none; visibility: hidden;">
Avi Kaplan 10 min read

Tips for Sharing Mind-Blowing Blog Posts

After months of wandering you’ve made it to the (nonprofit blogging) promised land!

You convinced the bigwigs to let you start a blog for your organization, you recruited peers to join you as staff bloggers, you’ve set clear guidelines, and shared some creative blog post ideas for your staff to draw from. You’ve thought about how else you can help your blogging staff to succeed, been their biggest cheerleader, and held your breath. Finally something amazing happens.

Your colleague Tammy forwards you a draft blog post to review. Halfway down the page you’re smiling. It’s an eye-popping blog post. No, it’s a fall-out-your-chair, rock ‘n’ roll, flying-purple-people-eater blog post. 

You’re overjoyed! She’s told a powerful story, connected it to your mission, tied it in to current campaign priorities, used compelling images, offered a relevant call to action, asked a great question for people to answer in the comments, and more. Awesome. Now your colleague wants to know

“Where can I share my post?”

Where Can You Help Your Staff Share Blog Posts?

 

You start by thinking about all the places you can help share her stunning blog post with the world.

Your Homepage

Well your website homepage already features a feed of the most recent posts on the blog, right? So that’s one place her post will be shared regardless.

Your Email Newsletter

And your email newsletter template also has a spot in the sidebar with links to recent posts. You’ve been tracking click-throughs to those links recently and been surprised how many people read blog posts the notice in the newsletter.

Separate Emails to Your List

You wouldn’t ordinarily send a special email to your list to share a blog-post, but once in a while it’s worth doing and this is one of those times. Her post gets to the heart of why your current campaign to stop the destruction of irreplaceable wetlands is so important. Since Tammy has conveyed the message and added depth on the issue in such a unique way you know her post will encourage people to renew their membership and commitment to your cause so you make an exception and press send.

Media List

Her post is relevant to a policy discussion unfolding on the national scene since the approval board will release its decision about a major construction project in the protected wetlands this week. You know that journalists are looking for expert opinions on the debate and interesting story angles so you decide to share the blog post with your press list. Who knows, maybe one of the reporters on your beat will call your colleague for a quote on the issue. 

Blogger List

While you’re at it you send it to your blogger contacts. You’ve been in touch with a bunch of bloggers who write about your issue and they appreciate when you alert them to the really worthwhile stories and research you share. Many of them view the issue the way you do and some of them are dues paying members themselves.

Flickr

You know you’re missing something so you browse the post again for ideas. Then you see the beautiful data visualizations and charts Tammy included in her post. Go Tammy! You hop on your organization’s Flickr account, upload the images to your photosteam, and include a link to your blog post in the image descriptions. 

YouTube

Tammy also shot a short video of her on-site visit to the wetlands and included it in her post. You head over to YouTube to include a link in the video description there too. YouTube videos often appear in search results so the video there might get you some new blog readers as well.

Where Can Your Staff Share Posts?

 

That’s great. You’ve done a lot to share the jaw-dropping post that your colleague is so proud of. Now where can she share the post herself? You tell Tammy about all the places you’ve shared her post so she feels supported and knows you appreciate her post. You offer a few suggestions.

Email to Individual Supporters

Tammy, I think you should email this post to Mrs. Gruin at the Gruin Foundation since they funded your trip to the wetlands last month. She’ll be intrigued by the experience you’ve shared in your post and I think you should flag it for her. She’ll appreciate your thoughtfulness and enjoy the update on the foundation’s investment in our work on the ground. 

Discussion Lists

Why don’t you share the post on that wetland protection email list you’re always telling me about? People on that list share your passion for this research and may appreciate hearing your perspective on the issue. I think you’re on to something that other list participants may be struggling with as well. Be respectful of other list participants’ time and don’t overwhelm your peers with your own articles, but I trust you to use your judgment and only share posts you are sure will contribute to the discussion. This is one of them. 

LinkedIn & Facebook Groups

Now you remember that Tammy has also been bugging you to join several wetlands LinkedIn and Facebook Groups. You haven’t participated much there yourself, but since she’s hooked in to those communities, you suggest that she think about whether her post is a good fit to share in those groups as well. 

Facebook Pages

Since Tammy is an admin of your organization’s Facebook Page, you remind her to share her post there with an interesting question to introduce her post to people who Like the Page on Facebook.

Twitter & Google+

Tammy’s not active on Twitter or Google Plus so you these aren’t relevant to her, but your colleague Gordon is pretty active in both those networks so you make a note for yourself to encourage Gordon to share his posts there in the future.

What are you Forgetting?

 

You have a feeling that there are other opportunities for sharing blog posts that you forgot to mention, but for the moment they escape you. What could you be missing? Share your suggestions and experience in the comments.

Avi Kaplan is the Online Coordinator at Rad Campaign, a firm that provides web design, web development, and online marketing and strategy to nonprofit organizations and political campaigns. 

COMMENTS