Spreading the Word Online Tools and Techniques for

Spreading the Word: Online Tools and Techniques for Communicating Current Events Sara Mitchell & Emilie Drobnes NASA Goddard Space Flight Center Greenbelt, MD

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e. Newsletters Email newsletters email your latest news and updates to your audience. Mailing lists email distribution and discussion of news and information.

e. Newsletters Resources needed: – – Email and list management tools Concise, well-edited content Connections between e. Newsletter and materials Subscribers (existing or registration)

e. Newsletters Pros: – Easy and inexpensive to implement and maintain – Information directly into audience mailboxes – Builds a relationship between audience and sender – Generates current interest in websites and materials Cons: – Often viewed as thinly-veiled “spam” and unread – Difficult to track readership and impact of mailings – Subscribers can be difficult to find and retain

Blogging A weblog or online journal offers informal and approachable communication. Link to newsworthy materials or share a new perspective on a topic.

Blogging – Content can be hosted on your site with blogging software or using a commercial blog service – Entries are not expected to be lengthy or polished – Creates a “voice” for the content – Opens possibility of reader feedback to entries

Blogging Pros: – Inexpensive to implement and maintain – Informal and personable; a “voice” for your content – Comments and forums allow reader involvement Cons: – Often perceived as a less reliable source of info – Successful blogs require very frequent posting – Unmoderated reader comments can be inappropriate

Podcasting Engage your audience with audio and video files for playback anywhere, anytime. Create a podcast or vodcast to provide an experience beyond words alone.

Podcasting

Podcasting 1. Record audio file 2. Convert to mp 3 3. Post the mp 3 online 4. Syndicate the link Important considerations include… • STYLE • STRUCTURE • CONTENT • QUALITY

Podcasting Pros: – Multimedia content can be personable and engaging – Format is highly portable (home, work, car, etc. ) – Popular, with many channels of distribution Cons: – Takes time and resources to create quality podcast – Caters to tech-savvy audience; accessibility issues – Success from repeated podcasting, not one-time use

Really Simple Syndication (RSS) A powerful and easy way to publicize all of your online methods of communication. Tell your audience that you just updated your blog, podcast, or news site.

Really Simple Syndication (RSS) – Single format used to syndicate different types of HTML or media content (sites, blogs, podcasts, etc. ) – Uses simple XML code in your site to create a news feed – Readers use news aggregators to pick up the headlines from your news feed – Headlines link to online content or media files

Communication Choices AUDIENCE (who? ) ? blog CONTENT (what? ) RESOURCES (how? )

What would you do? • Family science night • Communicating workshops and new materials • Pre-launch information and events e. Newsletter? News feed? Podcast? Blog?