The NTEN Conference (Nonprofit Technology) is in full force.

I've already learned a lot in the first full day of sessions, including why we should all be using Google Analytics, and how to determine the ROI on the latest Web2.0 techniques. I've also learned about the new, at least to me, open source tools available.

All of these topics, and more, will be discussed in my upcoming blogs.

Stay tuned...

Check back later this week for live updates from the NTEN Conference in New Orleans.

I'll be discussing the latest ideas and tools that will help your nonprofit succeed.

Customer feedback is a key element in any business. Online surveys are a great tool for obtaining valuable information from your clients, In this blog I’ll review three online survey sites, including, SurveyMonkey, SurveyGizmo and Zoomerang. I chose these three survey sites because they are all popular sites, and SurveyMonkey and Zoomerang have been in business since 1999. I decided to also review SurveyGizmo since lately they have been getting a lot of good press, so I wanted to see how they would measure up to the tried and true survey sites.

All three sites offer a free version of their product which includes basic survey features. Each of the company’s basic service has their own set of limits, so I’ve outlined them below so that you can quickly analyze their features. For the research purposes, I created a survey on each site with the same ten questions. All three sites are user friendly, and it only takes about twenty five minutes to set up a quick survey that you can post as a link on your website or send out in your emails. I also reviewed what discounts each survey site offers to nonprofit organizations, and I provided links to each sites subscriptions rates and features.

Basic Survey Features Comparison = Free Service

Basic Service – Free

10 Question Limit100 ReponsesCreate Survey Questions from Scratch – Templates are only provided at the subscription levelSection 508 CompliantSupport – Video TutorialsSurveyGizmo

Basic...

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Squidoo put out their list for 2006 listing the 50 Smartest Online Nonprofits. So what can we learn from the best of the best? Is there a common thread between the diverse group of nonprofits? How does your nonprofit’s online activity compare to the top fifty? You can view the article at the end of this blog.

The Criteria Used in Determining the Best:The article states, “These charities were chosen for their excellence in online storytelling and collaboration with their donors. We didn't play favorites to one cause over another, nor did we look at their fundraising goals or number of members. Instead, these organizations are winners because of their web 2.0 smarts and a willingness to engage their constituents far beyond asking them to dig into their pockets.

These are organizations that give their volunteers and members a voice and get out of the way. They're pros at mobilizing awareness online. They're experimenters. Innovators. On a mission. They're fearless.”

What can we learn from the Best?...

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With the spirit of good will all around us during the holidays, it seems fitting to write about making charitable donations. Times sure have changed, and our donations don’t only consist of putting our spare change in the Salvation Army’s red bucket outside our local grocery store during the months of November and December. Thanks to creative new ideas, the internet has become a great resource for finding new donors.

You can help your favorite charity year round by placing a charity badge on your website, which is a catchy name for a widget on your site that lets others who visit the site have the opportunity to donate the charity with just a few clicks of their mouse. Network for Good explains a charity badge by saying, “A Charity Badge allows you to raise awareness and money for any cause you care about with a badge on your blog, social networking site or web page. You can personalize the badge with a photo, video...

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Blogs are a great way to reach many people, just review the data listed below as per BlogWorld Expo. The hardest part of blogging is getting started, but once you get the hang of it, you’ll become a professional. One of the most important attributes your website should possess is an instrument to keep it progressive and inviting. When a customer or a client visits your website they should become drawn in and in turn, they’ll want to come back and visit more often. Having an inventive blog can bring people back to your site time and time again.

Blogging software is an essential tool that will make your blogging endeavors easier. There are many to choose from, so in this article I’ll go over the main attributes of the most popular blogging software titles.

Important Blogging Statistics according to BlogWorld

Over 12 million American adults currently maintain a blog. More than 147 million Americans use the Internet. Over 57 million Americans...

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