Digitally-Enhanced Marketing for Genealogical Societies

A Virtual Event

The focus of this meeting is going to be on marketing your society, with a strong emphasis on incorporating social media into the mix.

While the marketing discussion will be at a very high level, we do plan to get “down in the weeds” on a couple of topics:

• We will demonstrate how to create an organization page for your society in Facebook and discuss how you can create groups to facilitate discussions among your members.
• Since a website plays a central role in this effort, we will also discuss the range of options that are available to create a website for your society.

Meeting Date & Time

Saturday January 28, 2023, from 9:00 am to 11:00 am Central Time.

Presentation

• View the Recording (2:05:59)
• PowerPoint Slides (PDF) – View
• Please let us know what you thought about this meeting: Take the Survey
• Chat Discussion:
  • 01:04:48 barbara richards: Houston Genealogical Forum uses MailChimp – recommend!
  • 01:35:02 Toni Dunne: Does anyone have a marketing plan or template for marketing plan that can be shared?
  • 01:37:48 Debbie Pearson: spell that app
  • 01:38:39 Angie Shumway: https://signup.hootsuite.com/paid-search_ss_na_na_en_usd_branded/
  • 01:39:03 Debbie Pearson: Thanks, that is what I needed.
  • 01:39:13 Angie Shumway: https://www.hootsuite.com/plans/free
  • 01:39:20 Toni Dunne: 👍🏻
  • 01:39:29 Angie Shumway: that’s the link to the free hootsuite
  • 01:42:31 Angie Shumway: https://www.hootsuite.com/plans/free
  • 01:42:55 Angie Shumway: https://www.wikihow.com/Reclaim-Admin-Rights-to-a-Facebook-Page
  • 02:07:19 barbara richards: Highly recommend [Wild Apricot] – as a member of Clayton Library Friends – Fidel, webmaster for CLF recommended that the MD Anderson Retiree Group purchase for a website host – We will go “live” with members on February 1 – very easy to use. I can highly recommend the customer service – I probably had about 10 phone calls with support as well as numerous emails – all very patient and helpful – there is also fantastic documentation.
  • 02:40:57 Debbie Pearson: Yes, THANK YOU. This was VERY good and needed RIGHT NOW for FWGS!!! Debbie
  • 02:41:22 Toni Dunne: Thank you – very informative! Looking forward to the next one too 🙂
  • 02:41:29 Patti Huff Smith: Excellent job, Tony! Very informative!!! Thank you Neal and Susan! It’s great to see how others are using their website and social media!
  • 02:41:42 Nancy Gilbride Casey: Thanks everyone, Very useful!
  • 02:41:48 Angie Shumway: thanks Tony!
  • 02:42:14 Kelli Merk: Great meeting—thanks Tony

References

• Partner Society Webinars – https://forms.gle/oMyqqRKG6NrsTTXU8
• Speakers Bureau – https://www.txsgs.org/speakers-bureau/
• TxSGS District Map – https://www.txsgs.org/about/district-map/
• TIGR 2023 – https://www.txsgs.org/tigr-2023
• Genealogical Society Leadership Forum Facebook Group – https://www.facebook.com/groups/496801145902762
• Tech Soup – https://www.techsoup.org/

Marketing & Branding

• Who We Are, and Why We Do It: A Demographic Overview and the Cited Motivations of Australia’s Family Historians – https://journals.sagepub.com/doi/10.1177/0363199019880238
• Making Sense of Online Marketing: The DownLoad, The Official Constant Contact Marketing Advisor Playbook, 2020 – https://static.ctctcdn.com/docs/pdf/CC_CommunityServices_NewBrand.pdf
• Why brand strategy is important – https://cultmethod.com/articles/why-strategy-matters/
• Get Started with Google for Nonprofits – https://support.google.com/nonprofits/answer/3367631?hl=en
• Canva (Graphics Software) – https://www.canva.com/
• Style Guide Example – https://dallasgenealogy.org/style-guide/

Email

• Vertical Response – https://verticalresponse.com/
• MailChimp – https://mailchimp.com/
• Top 10 VerticalResponse Alternatives & Competitors – https://www.g2.com/products/verticalresponse/competitors/alternatives

Social Media

• Social Media for Nonprofits: A Comprehensive Guide, Adele Streissguth, Constant Contact Blog, September 30, 2022 – https://www.constantcontact.com/blog/social-media-for-nonprofits/
• Nonprofits: Know Your Social Media Platforms, The Modern Nonprofit, January 25, 2022 – https://themodernnonprofit.com/nonprofits-know-social-media-platforms/
• Your Guide to Social Media Fundraising for Nonprofits, iDonate, September 21, 2022 – https://www.idonate.com/blog/your-guide-to-social-media-fundraising-for-nonprofits
• Social Media 101 – Social Media Quickstarter, Ryan Pinkham, Constant Contact Blog, November 8, 2022 – https://www.constantcontact.com/blog/social-media-quickstarter/

Facebook

• How to Use Facebook for Nonprofits by John Bogna, Constant Contact Blog, July 26, 2021 – https://www.constantcontact.com/blog/facebook-for-nonprofits/
• Control who can see posts on your Facebook timeline – https://www.facebook.com/help/246629975377810?helpref=faq_content
• What influences the order of posts in your Facebook Feed – https://www.facebook.com/help/520348825116417
• How to boost a post from your Facebook Page – https://www.facebook.com/business/help/347839548598012?id=352109282177656
• Fundraising for nonprofits – https://socialimpact.facebook.com/get-started/fundraise-with-facebook/#Collect-Donations
• Using Facebook For Nonprofits – https://www.facebook.com/help/1640008462980459
• Facebook Ads for Nonprofits: The Complete Guide [2023] – https://www.causevox.com/blog/facebook-ads-for-nonprofits/
• Create and Manage an Event – https://www.facebook.com/help/572885262883136/
• Facebook Image Sizes 2023: Everything You Need to Know – https://dustinstout.com/facebook-image-sizes/

Password Managers

• The Best Password Managers for 2023 – PCMag – https://www.nytimes.com/wirecutter/reviews/best-password-managers/

Website Builders

Best Website Builder (Top 10 January 2023) – https://www.forbes.com/advisor/business/software/best-website-builders/

Wild Apricot

• Website: https://www.wildapricot.com/
• Example: Clayton Library Friends – https://claytonlibraryfriends.org/

Weebly

• Website: https://www.weebly.com/
• Example: Genealogy Friends of Plano Libraries – http://www.genealogyfriends.org/

Wix

• Website: https://www.wix.com/
• Example: West Houston Genealogical Society – https://www.whags.org/

EasyNetSites

• Website: https://easynetsites.com/
• Example: San Angelo Genealogical Society and Historical Society – https://saghs-tx.org/

WordPress

• Website: wordpress.org
• Plugins – https://wordpress.org/plugins/

Web Hosting Services

• 10 Best Web Hosting Services (January 2023) – https://www.forbes.com/advisor/business/software/best-web-hosting-services/
• bigscoots.com
• tigertech.net
• dreamhost.com
• getflywheel.com
• siteground.com
• inmotionhosting.com
• wordpress.com

Website Design Resources

• CitySoft – https://www.citysoft.com/
  • Used by Yakima Valley Genealogical Society – yvgs.net
• MemberLeap –  https://www.memberleap.com/about.php –
  • Used by Rochester Genealogical Society (https://nyrgs.org)
• Genealogy Website Builders – https://genealogywebsitebuilders.com/
• Janice Carapellucci – https://www.apgen.org/profiles/janice-carapellucci
• Michael Sharpe – https://www.apgen.org/profiles/michael-sharpe
• Kimberly Tucker – https://www.apgen.org/profiles/kimberly-tucker
• Tim Firkowski – https://www.apgen.org/profiles/tim-firkowski LaDonna Garner – https://www.apgen.org/profiles/ladonna-garner
• APG Search – https://www.apgen.org/search?searchable=website+design

Upcoming Meetings

• Saturday, May 13
• Saturday, July 29
• Saturday, September 30