Take Sunday’s Parade Magazine, for example. They had a great cover story about a recent poll indicating America is giving more than ever before – experiencing a “compassion boom” in spite of tough economic times. After reading it, I went online to see what additional information might be available in connection with the story.
The main page showed nothing about their Sunday cover story except a link to “this week in Parade” at the bottom of the screen. WhatGives!? Read more »
One of the benefits of blogging for your company or organization’s website is the potential increase of your SEO. SEO – for those who are new to the acronym – stands for Search Engine Optimization. In layman’s terms, it is a method of increasing your website or online presence rank in search engine results by using key words and phrases. You are “optimizing” your search rank in certain areas.
There are many companies that specialize in increasing a company or organization’s SEO. I could list a hundred, but a few I work with and read the blogs of include:
My list is endless but there there are quite a few more that I trust will do well in addition to the aforementioned companies.
The job of an SEO company is to make sure that your properties – be it a website, a blog, an ecommerce site or any other assets you have – are ranked high on a search engine results page (aka SERP). If they are doing their job correctly, you should be ranked high on a SERP when someone is looking for your company, product or service. In the case of a nonprofit or cause, you want to make it easier for a donor or volunteer or that millionaire philanthropist to find you in Google. With all of that said, I have never hired an SEO company yet do well in search results. My secret? I started a blog.
When I began blogging back in early 2004, I had no idea what SEO was and I certainly had no idea how to make my blog or online assets rank high in the search engines. I accidentally ran across the result one day while performing a vanity search on my blog name. I typed in the word “Genuine” just to see what came up (go ahead I’ll wait). Lo and behold, there was my site (Captain Genuine blog), ranked number 1 above all the other results. The interesting thing was I was ranked higher than a scooter company of the same name, a software company of the same name and a little company in the Northwest part of the United States that sold Genuine Advantage Software. That to me seemed pretty powerful. Companies pay big money for that sort of ranking, and here I was a nobody Daddy blogger with no budget ranked number 1. Since that time I have not been updating that blog much and the rank has fallen, but you get the idea.
All I did to get that ranking was to start a blog, and use the term “Genuine” in my categories, in my titles of posts, and of course in my content. You will hear the mantra “content is king” from many of the SEO companies as this is what they use to have the search engines crawl your site. As a nonprofit or cause you, too, can get a higher rank in the search engines just by starting a blog and using key words and phrases as I did. My budget for SEO? Zero. Of course it did take time and effort to update the blog and make it presentable for people to read and for people to link to, which I will talk about in another post. But for the most part, it worked without costing much money. As a nonprofit you are constantly weighing options of costs and benefits. Considering how important it is to be found by those who are searching through the thousands of charitable organizations online, you can’t afford not to start a blog. Keep that in mind when thinking of tactics to implement a social media plan.
Win This (photo credit Aqua Hotels)
It’s not hard to find the campaign: 75 top travel bloggers are joining together to activate their readers and followers and encourage them to donate to a good cause. The team effort started last year and is led by founders Beth Whitman, Debbie Dubrow, Michelle Duffy and Pam Mandel. Traveling the globe as they do, it’s easy to see what a difference a few dollars in the right place can make. Last year, the team raised over $7,000 for Heifer International.
It’s not hard to understand the cause: This year’s campaign supports American Assistance for Cambodia (AAfC) an independent, nonprofit organization dedicated to improving opportunities for the youth and rural poor in Cambodia. For a personal account of the organization and what it does, read Nicholas Kristof’s op-ed from the New York Times.
Help them. (Photo credit Dave Rubin)
It’s not hard to understand the results: So far, Passports with Purpose has raised over $13,000 – enough to build the school. Now they need to feed students and provide a full time school nurse for a year. That’s another $13,000, but the impact of your donation is obvious.
So what’s the tricky part? Figuring out which cool prize you want. Each blogger has ponied up something neat, and for every $10 you donate, you get an entry to win. The catch with this virtual raffle is there is a separate drawing for each item. But don’t feel to much pressure to decide. If you want that McLaren Baby Stroller, the hot new camcorder, and the Ukelele – go ahead and pony pony up a few $10 entries – it’s all for a good cause.
The Cause Ecosystem
Our buddy Scott Henderson over at Rally the Cause has a great post up today on “The Cause Ecosystem”.
As the growing number of campaigns demonstrates, cause marketing is a viable way to reach wider audiences and create meaningful relationships. For charities and companies alike, cause marketing represents an opportunity to remain relevant and rise above the noise of this Interconnected Age.
Whether you are dipping your toes in the pool or diving in head first, you can achieve greater success by taking a few moments to understand the people and dynamics of the cause ecosystem.
If your a brand, charity or supporter, this summary is a must read.
We’d like to blather on – but really, just go read it.
I don’t usually look like this.
Fuzzy isn’t my thing. But I learned two important lessons (OK, re-learned) a week ago:
1. Never show up late to a meeting.
2. Don’t work with wise-asses.
Last week I rambled in to a WhatGives!? editorial meeting in progress.
“He’s our test case!” shouted MJ, our editor.
Giggles and guffaws ensued.
The topic at hand was Movember – the annual charity fundraiser where men around the world grow out their facial hair to raise money and awareness for prostate and testicular cancer research.
The team had been discussing the fact that women’s health issues tend to dominate our conversation and coverage, and looking for a good angle to explore the Movember phenomena – over 200,000 men world wide will participate this year.
Then my face walked in. 12 days later (hey, I haven’t even had the full month!) my stubble has gone from scraggly to… slightly less scraggly. But it’s all for a good cause. Huff Post reported that $40M is raised for Movember worldwide.
So far, I’ve raised a bit over $150 US (you can donate on my Movember page), which is probably about $2 per whisker.
It also gave me a chance to ask Adam Garone, the Australia-based founder of Movember a few questions. Take a look below, and join the movement at the main Movember site :
Q: Why prostate cancer? Was someone in your life affected by prostate cancer?
A: One in six men will develop prostate cancer. It’s the number one male cancer threat with roughly as many men being diagnosed and dying from prostate cancer as women from breast cancer. We were inspired by what women had done to bring awareness and funding to breast cancer and wanted to do the same for prostate cancer.
Thankfully my father does not have prostate cancer but since starting Movember I have been surrounded by men battling, surviving and sadly passing from prostate cancer. It’s their stories that inspire us at Movember to bring much needed awareness to this neglected cause.
Q: Prostate cancer is usually considered an older man’s disease. Were you specifically targeting younger men with the Movember campaign? Why?
A: Whilst prostate cancer typically affects men over 40, the Movember campaign targets younger men. We all have fathers, uncles, grandfathers, and friends over 40 and we will all some-day be 40. We want men of all ages to be knowledgeable about the health risks they face and to challenge men over the age of 40 to begin screening for prostate cancer.
We also extended the cause this year to include testicular cancer which is the most common cancer for young men, 18-35.
Q: Is there a measurable spike in the number of men getting tested for prostate problems while the moustache campaign is going on?
A: For the last two years we have undertaken a research project conducted by an independent third party. The aim of this project has been to develop a full understanding of the behavioral changes as a direct result of participation in Movember.
As a direct result of the Movember 2008 campaign:
82% of participants talked about men’s health with friends, family or work colleagues
55% of participants did some of their own research into the causes Movember supports
13% of participants sought medical advice
38% of participants encouraged someone else to seek medical advice.
Q: You’ve raised a lot of money. Do you feel you’ve really changed some men’s perspective and behavior?
A: People focus on the money we have raised because it’s tangible and a huge and historic amount for prostate cancer. The more valuable outcome of the Movember campaign are the conversations that the moustache create and the changes in behavior that it is creating as evidenced by the research results listed above. Whilst we have made in-roads we have much work to do, to truly change the face of men’s health.
Q: What was that first Movember like? What methods did you use to spread the word? How is it different now?
A: The first Movember back in 2003 saw 30 of our best friends commit to growing a moustache. That year we didn’t do it for any particular reason, we did it as a joke and a challenge – to bring back the moustache. That year we all came together for an end of Movember party to compare moustaches and to share our moustache growing experiences. All of us got so much grief from growing a moustache that year that I said to the guys, we need to legitimize this so we can get away with it each year because it was so much fun. So in 2004, we turned Movember into a charity event to raise a little bit of awareness and some money for prostate cancer, a cause that we felt had been severely neglected. How did we spread the word? Guys growing a moustache become a walking billboard for 30 days, spreading the men’s health message through their facial hair. Not much has changed since then – the campaign and the number of guys involved has just grown.
Q: Have you considered adding goatees or sideburns for “extra credit”?
A: Mo is slang for moustache in Australia, hence Movember. So we are all about the moustache. A moustache is a talking point, goatees and sideburns aren’t. Our tag line is “changing the face of men’s health” – we literally challenge men to change their face by growing a moustache for 30 days. That’s the commitment much like doing a run or ride for charity. When you have a moustache people ask you what’s going on and that opens up great conversations about cancers that affect men – a topic men never normally discuss.
Q: How do you see the project evolving in the next few years?
A: The campaign is only just starting in North America and we want to grow it to the same levels as we’ve reached in Australia. Also, to continue to expand the campaign globally. Ultimately, Movember will have played a significant role in finding a cure for prostate cancer.
Q: Do you have a favorite mustache profile on the Movember site? can we feature it?
A: The undercover brother. (see below)
A few examples of the Stash - more at Movember
Some people like to do things at their own pace. They prefer to choose their own time and place to take action and make things happen. Other people prefer the rush of an impossible deadline. Today, we salute the adrenaline junkies at TweetsGiving.
Last year, Epic Change raised over $10,000 in two days to build a classroom in Tanzania. They asked people to tweet about the things they’re grateful for. That simple act drove generous souls to their website who donated sums large and small to the cause.
This year, their goals are loftier – more ways to get involved; raise $100,000 – but the time frame remains the same. 48 hours to spread words of thanksgiving around the globe, and to raise awareness for that lucky school in Tanzania. Over 300 children will benefit from your help, including the fifth graders known as the “TwitterKids” who will be tweeting their own shout outs of gratitude during the campaign.
One new aspect this year are the live gratitude-themed events and house parties that have been organized around the world. It’s a layer of participation and personal connection that Epic Change hopes will help fund a dormitory/orphanage, library, school cafeteria, and additional classrooms. But it’s still mainly about spreading the message virally through Twitter (#tweetsgiving), Facebook, Flickr, YouTube, and, well, blogs like this one. WhatGives!? is happy to be part of the vast online conspiracy promoting gratitude, community, sharing, and, of course, any excuse for a party.
So, start your engines, people. TweetsGiving starts now. You’ve got 48 hours to make a difference.
Jake Versluis is Incubus' Make Yourself Foundation Cause Guru.
Jake Versluis has been working with Incubus since 2003, heading up their Make Yourself Foundation. Talk about dream job! Jake is their go-to guy for coordinating all of the meet and greets for the charity winners, and has seen the first hand impact the band and their foundation has made on the world. This week I was lucky enough to be able to chat with Jake, who gave me the inside scoop on the band’s favorite charities, how fans respond to the band’s focus on philanthropy, and my most burning question: whether or not the band has a hard time giving up any of the cool stuff they donate!
While Jake says there are a few charities that are close to the band’s heart, they really makes an effort to help as many as they can. “Growing up in Calabasas and being surfers, the band has always been fans of Surfrider Foundation. Also, the band has a personal connection to Life Rolls On (now a part of the Christopher Reeve Foundation), and Incubus tries to help them out whenever possible. But MYF has assisted over 50 charities in one way or the other during the last five years, and they’re all important in one way or another.”
As you’ve seen, the band gives up off some pretty sweet goodies for their charity auctions. Do you think they ever have a hard time giving this stuff up? According to Jake, they sure do! He says, “Our most recent auction we were able to auction off some of DJ Kilmore’s hockey jerseys that were awarded to the band on their 2004 tour. In 2005 when I asked the band members if we could auction the hockey jerseys the whole band said yes, except for Kilmore! But four years later for the MYF post-tour auction he was finally ready to part with the jerseys.”
When Incubus donated some money to the Cheshire Project so they could buy a bus to transport their campers around. They bought a bus for $10,000, they fixed it up and named it the "Incu-BUS"!
Jake has some pretty high hopes for the future of the entertainment industry and charity. In fact, the response from fans has been so overwhelmingly positive, it would be hard not to! He tells me, “The response has been so great that I personally feel it’s only a matter of time before all bands that have had some level of success in the music industry decide they need to start a foundation and give back to the fans and to the world as a whole.”
Excuse me for the Fangirl moment, but honestly, could these guys get any cooler!? I don’t think it’s possible.
Speaking of Incubus being cool, this is your absolute LAST chance to FOLLOW US ON TWITTER for your chance to win tickets to see Incubus Guitarist Mike Einziger play this Saturday at the Disney Hall in LA! We’ll be picking the winner in just a few hours, so watch our tweets closely! 
Selena Gomez on the red carpet at last year's Power of Youth event held at the NOKIA Theatre in LA.
With great power comes great responsibility. Especially when you’re a hot young star in Hollywood! Variety’s Power of Youth celebrates just that. The awesome campaign focuses on encouraging today’s top young actors and musicians to leave a legacy of compassion and philanthropy, and to use their positions of power to motivate others to do the same.
Disney stars Dylan Sprouse and Brenda Song during last year's Power of Youth event held at NOKIA Theatre in LA.
Now you’ve got the power, too! From now until November 23rd, you can show your support for two worthy causes: LA’s BEST and Starlight Children’s Foundation. They are offering amazing incentives to donate, including tickets for a family of four to the uber exclusive Power of Youth Event! The Jonas Brothers, Corbin Bleu, Miley Cyrus, and tons of the other tweensters have posted about it on their blogs and Facebook pages: so now it’s your turn to turn words into action through the new WhatGives!? PayPal Widget (that shiny and totally awesome thing at the bottom of this post)! The coolest thing about this widget is that you can get involved in a variety of different ways: donating, copying the badge, and spreading the word on your favorite social networks. How cool is that, people!?
Last year’s Power of Youth event drew more than 100 of the entertainment industry’s most recognizable young stars to benefit St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital – including The Jonas Brothers, Hilary Duff, Miranda Cosgrove, Miley Cyrus, Dakota Fanning, Demi Lovato, Corbin Bleu, Elle Fanning, Ashley Tisdale and Emma Roberts. Sounds like a fun party to me!
The best part is that it’s a party for good! This year, our friends at LA’s BEST will be benefiting from your support. Their after-school program serves at-risk students in the Los Angeles area and focuses on providing children with a safe environment. Catherine Stringer, LA’s BEST VP of Development and Public Affairs is very pleased to be part of this meaningful campaign, “LA’s BEST is grateful for the opportunity to be a part of Power of Youth, as it brings together the entertainment community to help support some of the most important causes, including children from underserved communities in Los Angeles at a time when support is more critical than ever.”
You’ll also be doing good for seriously ill children and their families. Starlight Children’s Foundation helps them cope with their pain, fear and isolation through entertainment, education and family activities. Definitely a worthy cause to stand up for.
So come on, everyone, it’s hip to give! Join in to support the Power of Youth today!
Photos via MSN Entertainment
Mike Einziger, lead guitarist for Incubus, wants you to come see him play. And you can win a chance right here.
Yes, that’s right, just follow @whatgives on Twitter between now and Thursday November 19th at Noon Pacific and you’ll be automatically entered to win two free tickets to the premier performance of Mike Einziger’s latest composition, as well as admission to the green room afterwards to meet Mike and mingle with the other performers!
“Forced Curvature of Reflective Surfaces” will be performed Saturday, November 21st at Disney Hall in Los Angeles as part of the LA Philharmonic’s West Coast: Left Coast Festival. Mike will be joined on stage by the renowned Kronos Quartet, Terry Riley, and Matmos. It will be a night of music that will not soon be forgotten, and WhatGives!? doesn’t want you to miss it, so FOLLOW US RIGHT NOW!
Mike Einziger is, to say the least, a very talented musician. A brilliant guitarist and member of the Grammy-nominated, multi-platinum alternative rock band, Incubus, Mike is also a composer whose first orchestral piece, “End.>vacuum” debuted in 2008. “Forced Curvature of Reflective Surfaces” features 12 electric guitars, 12 strings (violin, viola, cello) and was inspired by the physical appearance of Disney Hall and Mike’s studies in the philosophy of quantum mechanics. Are you telling us you would miss THAT? Are you crazy!?
If you can’t stand the suspense of waiting to see if you’ve won, you can BID tonight for two tickets to the performance and a meet & greet with Mike after the show. All proceeds will go to the Incubus Make Yourself Foundation.
@WhatGives
It’s All About The Metrics… But What Are Metrics?
Metrics in the sense of social media usually have to do with page views of a blog, Twitter followers, re-tweets of your tweets, or Facebook fans, or many other measuring sticks to see if your efforts are effective. This is an important first step when implementing any strategy for social media. We have talked before about social media strategy and what that means. Metrics are an essential element to see if your strategy is working. How do you measure success? WhatGives!? Read more »
Posted in Getting Started, Other Stuff, Tips & Tools, social media | 2 Comments »