What are blogs? And how can we use them? Resources list

This is a list of resources I have collected to supplement a presentation I’m giving at work on the subjects: what are blogs, how can our nonprofit blog effectively, and what is Web 2.0 anyway? These resources include many of the examples in the actual presentation as well as supplementary reading materials.

View the presentation

About Web 2.0

• The Machine is Us/ing Us — a video explanation of Web 2.0
• Best Practices in Using Web 2.0 in Nonprofits – a wiki explaining Web 2.0 tools and how to use them
• Guide to Social Media – a wiki specifically for nonprofits wanting to understand and use social media tools
• NetSquared – a TechSoup project supporting responsible adoption of social media tools by nonprofits
• Resource Sheet: Organizational Blogs – a long collection of resources about organizational/nonprofit blogging

Blogging Tools

• WordPress
• Blogger

Nonprofit Blogs

• IntraHealth Informatics Blog
• The INFO Project Blog
• MobileActive Blog
• Oxfam International
• Poverty and Growth Blog (World Bank)
• UNICEF Fieldnotes
• OrangePolitics.org

Blogs About Nonprofits Using Web 2.0 Technologies

• Beth’s Blog: How Nonprofits Can Use Social Media
• Nonprofit Technology Network Blog
• Social Signal Blog
• The Bamboo Project Blog
• Wild Apricot’s Nonprofit Technology Blog
• Zen and the Art of Nonprofit Technology

The Blogosphere (finding blogs of interest)

• Technorati — Find tagged content on all blogs
• Global Voices Online — Aggregates content from blogs from non-Western locations
• Nonprofit Blog Exchange – Aggregates content specifically from nonprofit blogs and about nonprofits that blog

Into Web 2.0

• Tumblr – microblogging site
• Twitter – microblogging site that integrates with text messaging and instant messaging (IM)
• del.icio.us – Tag, organize and share bookmarks
• Stumble Upon – review and rate web content
• Digg – read and vote on web content
• NGO Post – read and vote on web content discussing social welfare initiatives
• Flickr – share, view and comment on photos
• YouTube – share, view and comment on videos
• SlideShare – share, view and comment on presentations
• Wikipedia – world-famous collaboratively written encyclopedia built with a wiki
• Wikibooks – collection of collaboratively written textbooks written using wikis
• Facebook – well-known social networking site originally focusing on college students
• LinkedIn – professional networking site
• Dogster – social networking site for dogs
• Causes on Facebook – nonprofits using Facebook to promote causes and raise money
• IntraHealth Informatics’ Flickr site – nonprofits can share interesting photos to generate interest