Online communication changes quickly. It's hard to keep up and to know what will really help your NPO. Here is our list of the current top ten ways your NPO can communicate using the internet.

We hope to post How-To articles on each of these ten methods in coming months. in the meantime we want to keep you informed so you can explore on your own as well. You may be familiar with some, and others may be completely new to you. See what sparks your interest, and what might be a good fit with your current processes, to increase your impact.

#10 - Monitor and Share Relevant News
Online news search engines make it easier to find the specific news that is most relevant to your cause. You can set up ongoing searches on topics relevant to your NPO. You no longer have to spend valuable time browsing through different news sites each week. Articles that fit your search criteria are emailed directly to you! You can then forward interesting items to staff, board members, donors, and volunteers, keeping them informed. You can also use RSS Feeds to get the same information without adding clutter to your email inbox. Read more about RSS Feeds on our subscription page.

#9 - Photos
You probably already take lots of photographs of events, clients, teachers, donors, volunteers in action. You name it - you probably already document it! We know you use these in your annual report, website and other publications, but you can share more pics online than in print. Try using Flickr, Picasa or another online photo service. Invite your funders and volunteers to subscribe to your photo albums. Share all the great moments your organization experiences.

#8 - Document Sharing Online
Are several people in your NPO working on the same document? Or do you just want someone to read over or edit something you have written? It can be hard to keep track of the edits if you are emailing it around. Try working with an online document system like Google Documents or Zoho Writer or even Microsoft Office Online. The foundation uses Google Documents to share and edit these very articles. With Google Docs, you can share the document by invitation only, giving invitees the permission to read only, or edit. You can see past versions easily, and even work on the same document as someone else at the same time, and see each other's work while you're on the phone! No more confusion, no more multiple copies clogging up your computer!

#7 - Help your supporters spread the word!
More than likely, your board, staff, and donors use the Internet several times a week. If you give them an easy-to-use, online tool for telling their friends and colleagues about your organization, you'll get much further than if you ask them to pick up a phone and call, or draft their own email. You want to provide and control your message and presentation, BUT provide them with the ability to personalized their approach. Create a "personal email pitch" with photos and/or video, that anyone can send to their friends just by going to the site and designating whom to send it to, on their behalf. To go a step further, you can even set up mini-campaigns for each supporter. Donor-fundraisers can set a personal fundraising goal, then send the pitch piece to friends on their own personal "donation page" on your site. Oftentimes, a recipient of such an email will find it more compelling to reach into his/her wallet when they're asked personally, and can actually see the needle moving on their own friend's fundraising goal.

#6 - Surveys
Using an online survey, find out what your constituents are thinking, and easily graph the results. SurveyMonkey or Google Documents can help you do this. Set up a survey to place on your website or send via email. The program will calculate the results for you, saving you time and the cost of stamps.

#5 Online Statistics - Analytics
Tracking what works and what doesn't can be one of the most valuable tools in an NPO's toolbox. Find out which communications are working! This lets you optimize your efforts, putting your limited resources where it will yield the biggest 'bang for the buck'. One of the best places to start is to track "how did you hear about us'" information. More advanced techniques include using web analytics tools like Google Analytics and Feedburner to understand where your online visitors come from, and what turns a casual visitor into a more active supporter of your NPO.

#4 - Online Events Calendar Notification
Google Calendar keeps your own personal calendar, and lets you create multiple online calendars to share, so your team is all on the same page.

You can view multiple departmental calendars in a variety of views, and customize special calendars for volunteers, staff, or donors so they can subscribe, to stay informed about events relevant for them. You can even send out email invitations directly from the calendar for a specific event -- this lets invitees RSVP for a board meeting, office meeting or other event easily, and lets you track it better. Plus, your calendar is available anywhere there's a computer -- you can access google calendar through your Google account. You can even import import your contacts from Outlook!

#3 - Online Donations
A "Donate now" feature makes it easy for viewers to donate, right there, on the spot! NPO's are eligible for reduced or even free service, through sites like Paypal or Google Checkout, to set up online donations without merchant accounts or banks. Donated funds are transferred directly to your NPO's bank account. Do you send an annual letter, with a pre-paid postage envelope enclosed? Do it online via email, with a link directly to your donation service to make donations. This appeals to the younger generation and baby boomers alike in many cases.

#2 - Website
A website is the window on your organization, allowing the whole world to see what you do, and why you do it. It raises your visibility, helps you find new donors, clients and volunteers. It allows you to be "found" via web searches on topics relevant to your organization, even if someone doesn't know your name or that you exist! A website is not a luxury, it is a necessity, and it's easy to make one that sufficiently tells your story and shows your images, just by using an off the shelf program like Dreamweaver. If you're new to this, ask a high schooler or college student - most of them have learned how to build a pretty standard website in school.

#1 - Virtual Site Visit Video
A picture is worth a thousand words, so a story full of pictures must be worth a lot more. Sometimes, words alone are insufficient to tell people what it is that you do. Isn't it true that once you get a potential donor to come and visit, your odds go up enormously of obtaining a donation? Well, the web makes it REALLY EASY to provide a "virtual" site visit.

You don't need high-end equipment or expensive companies to make one. You don't need a videographer. You can simply use photographs, and some simple off the shelf software to create collages of photos moving in and out, with music background and text to deliver your message. Perhaps you have some great taped interview with staff, volunteers or the people you help every day? Or a great excerpt from a Gala video? These can be just as powerful. Nowadays, you can use a laptop with a camera to record an interview, and simple software to string it together. Be clear, to the point, and most importantly, craft your message as it comes from your heart. Create a Virtual Site Visit!