Why Not Start A Blog

In a recent workshop I came across an organization who was struggling with their website. It was out of date and because of the high volunteer turn-over, they were having trouble getting the site updated. One thing that I suggested in the short-term was to start a blog. Why not? A blog is a great way to get your organizations name out there to the public and they are very easy to manage and update. With tools like Blogspot or Word Press, you can create a blog in a matter of minutes. Blogs could be very effective for organizations who are very news and event driven. You could list all your news and events and people that are interested could "subscribe" to the blog. When someone subscribes through an RSS feed, they get an update in their email or their RSS reader when you have posted new information. Consider too, if your budget doesn't allow you to use something like Constant Contact to email folks about upcoming events or news, a blog is another option because it gives the donor or user the option of subscribing to it. While you may not be able to "track" their information, per say, you're still getting the information out there. Others have even used blogs for their website. If you plan it correctly, some blog sites can be customized to look like a website. Word Press allows a lot of flexibility to the design. It would take someone who has more of a technical background to customize it for you but it can be done. However, I always advise having a website and complimenting it with a blog.

One important thing to remember though is that a stagnate blog could be potentially harmful. The whole purpose of having a good website or blog is to show people that you are passionate about your cause or mission. If you don't keep either one updated, then it shows the person visiting your site or reading your blog that you may not be as passionate about your cause as you claim you are. So, if you want to start a blog great. Just keep the information fresh and updated and you can be successful.