The 80/20 Rule, Facebook’s Big Promise & Snackable Content

Profit with the Pareto Principle

Data analytics is tough, even for large corporations. It’s no surprise that only 5% of nonprofits report using data in every decision they make. But enough bad news! What are some practical steps your organization can take to fix this? This piece talks to the YMCA of Austin about what they did to create a data-driven culture. My favorite takeaway: apply the Pareto Principle to data analytics. “Identify and focus on the 20% of performance indicators that will produce 80% of your success.” Another big takeaway: Analytics aren’t exclusive. Every employee within every department can use data to make more intelligent decisions.

The Dark Side of UX Design

Ever heard of “dark patterns?” Probably not, but you’ve definitely seen at least one or two examples. Basically, it’s what NOT to do with your website. Dark patterns are crappy designs that intentionally make it difficult to do something. Dark patterns are legal but incredibly annoying (and slightly unethical). Instead of tricking users, take the time to build trust and loyalty with your audience. It’s not hard.

Google Knows You Best

It’s common knowledge that Google has a treasure trove of information it collects about its users. From the terms you search for to the videos you watch, Google knows a lot. While you can’t go totally dark, you can be a bit more selective about what data they collect. Here are 6 tips to help you do just that. And remember: It’s not all bad. They also collect info so they can personalize the ads you see to make sure they’re relevant! Pretty cool if you ask me.

What Happened to Facebook’s Big Promise?

In January of 2018, Zuckerberg promised us that activity on Facebook would be “time well spent.” Unfortunately, the opposite happened. A recent report from NewsWhip shows that the algorithm has pushed up articles on divisive topics, the “angry” reaction is all the rage (especially on Fox News’ page) and politics are front-and-center. Not quite the turn toward meaningful interactions on the social network we were all hoping for.

Register For My Next (Free!) Webinar

Impress Your Grant Administrator with Better Data & Insights

If you manage a grant, you need to provide regular reporting on the outcomes. This webinar covers how you can use free online tools like Google Analytics to get better insights into the digital portions of your grant. Impress your grant administrator (and get your grant renewed!) by providing stats that demonstrate your program’s impact & compelling analysis into how you can be more effective.

Time: Apr 12, 2019 at 2:00 PM Eastern Time (US and Canada)

Interested? Sign up here!

My Favorite Advice

Making Your Content Easy to Digest

As a nonprofit, I know your time is valuable. Don’t spend all your effort creating lengthy thought pieces when your audience really wants snackable content. If you are into food puns (I am), here’s a great guide into how to accomplish this. Bullet points, lists, images, and subheads are your new best friends! The real kicker is to not leave them wondering; make your opening paragraph short and snappy.

A Very Cool Visualization

Women vs Men in Leadership

Women have been dominating headlines recently. That’s because many of America’s top companies have come under fire for lack of gender parity in the C-suite, on boards and in leadership roles. This data visualization breaks it all down for us, in pretty colors.