February Byte-size Tips

I’m writing one monthly post in the 2016 Byte-size Series with two easy new skills or habits you can pick up. Choose one or both of these to start new tech habits.

Your Web Presence

I’m repeating myself, but as a Cru staff member, I can’t stress enough that your Give Site is your number one web presence and should be kept current with a good photo and engaging description.  Don’t be too detailed about your ministry (check the length by looking at your give site on your phone).  Go to How Does Your Free Webpage Look? for instructions. Also, stick to one link (like your ministry site) on your Give Site. Don’t send a potential donor to multiple locations. Keep them on the page. That’s why they clicked through, to give.

If you haven’t updated your Give Site recently, do it soon. It’ll only take you 15 minutes max.

Your Modus Operandi

If you aren’t familiar with modus operandi, think of an MO as predictable behavior. Make these three guidelines your online MO:

1. Social
2. Mobile
3. Fewer clicks

Remembering these will help you make your decisions on your social media usage, your online presence, and more. Ask yourself:

1. How can I have more social connection?
2. How does my content look on a mobile device?
3. Does my reader have to follow too many clicks to get to where I want them to go?

Let’s try some of these out:

1. If you have a blog, does it post to social media where you’re having conversations with your readers?
2. Try reading on your phone that PDF newsletter you send and you’ll know you should give up PDF newsletters. Half of your readers are reading email on a mobile device.
3. Do you have a give page on your blog? Why not send visitors directly to your give.cru.org site instead?

Did you notice your modus operandi showed up in the first section, Your Web Presence?

The Byte-size Series

For those who might want to go deeper on these topics:

1. Your Options to Replace PDF Letters
2. How to Set Up Your Mobile-Friendly WordPress Blog

The Byte-size Series:

Each byte-size series post is meant to be easy for you to do.

1. Priority Inbox for Gmail and using lists in Facebook
2. Your web presence and your online MO
3. Email subject lines
4. Google Apps and search tips
5. You could afford a tablet
6. 5 Easy Tech Ideas You Didn’t Know You Needed
7. Saving Facebook Posts… for Bloggers, Too
8. Painting a Bigger Picture for Your Ministry Partners
9. Easy Tips for Cropping Photos with Paint.net
10. Your eTools for Your Myers-Briggs Type
11. Facebook Live Is an Easy Ministry Tool

NOTES:

• The chess pieces were photographed by David Lapetina. I chose this image because many good players of strategic games can predict the next move of their opponent.  This photo is available on Wikimedia Commons with the Creative Commons Attribution-Share Alike 3.0 Unported, 2.5 Generic, 2.0 Generic and 1.0 Generic license.
• The Byte-size series photo is of a 28-pin integrated circuit, CP2102 (USB to Serial chip).