Web Watch : Dipping Your Toe Into the Blogopool

OK, that’s a made-up word. But, still, the Internet is full of helpful blogs for fundraisers.

Tactical Philanthropy
Blogger Sean Stannard-Stockton produces a Philanthropy Daily Digest that can help you stay on top of what's happening throughout the industry, which is most handy. You also can follow him on Twitter if less is more in your world. tacticalphilanthropy.com

If you're new to the blogosphere and not sure how to navigate, swing by alltop.com or technorati.com. These sites aggregate the blogosphere for you, making it easier to find who's writing about what. You can see what's percolating broadly in the blogosphere or search for issues that directly relate to your work.

Now that you've got your back-to-school reading all mapped out, how do you keep it organized? Most blogs have RSS feeds (RSS = really simple syndication), which make it easy to subscribe to your favorites without having them clutter up your e-mail inbox or constantly revisiting the blog.

I'm a fan of Google Reader, which describes itself as "an inbox for the Web." For more info, watch "How to Use Google Reader" at www.you tube.com/watch?v=Ltttw5yORv8 to learn how to subscribe to different blogs, organize your subscriptions and more. It's great for those who find the whole thing intimidating or overwhelming.

Once you get the feel of what these bloggers cover, don't hesitate to leave comments or send them e-mail about what's happening at your organization. In fact, commenting is how you create dialogue and move past a "broadcast" approach to communicating. It's what Web 2.0 is all about. Add to that, most bloggers are always on the prowl for new content. As long as you're tuned in to who they are and what they write about, they'll likely be delighted to hear from you.

While I hope you'll continue to hang on every word of more traditional media such as FundRaising Success, I have no doubt these blogs will help give you perspective on the industry, inspire you to try new things, and inform you and your colleagues about the ever-evolving landscape of fundraising. And as long as you're testing those bloggy waters, check out the Duck Call (bigducknyc.com/blog) to see what my colleagues and I are blogging about, too.

(Tell us about your favorite fundraising-related blog by e-mailing mbattistelli@napco.com) 

Sarah Durham is founder and principal of Big Duck (bigducknyc.com). Reach her at sarah@bigducknyc.com