Better Online Storytelling Roger Burks, Mercy Corps rburks@mercycorps

1. Better Online Storytelling Roger Burks, Mercy Corps rburks@mercycorps.org 2009 Nonprofit Technology Conference San Francisco, California April 27, 2009

2. Why is writing important to our organizations? • To engage our constituents and attract donors • To inform of news and events • To report back and show accountability • To define who we are • And, most importantly…

3. TO PERSUADE. Our main task in online communicators is to persuade our readers to: • Give a donation • Volunteer their time • Spread the word about what we’re doing • Take other action on our behalf

4. Action is at the heart of what we all do - it’s the step that connects our constituents to those we serve. • But how do we get that anonymous person sitting behind a computer screen to make that commitment and take action? • You first have to make them: • Think • Feel • Care

5. How do you do that? You tell them a story.

6. At Mercy Corps, we look at most of our public communication as storytelling - and those stories tell who were are, what we do and who we help. In most cases our stories focus on a beneficiary. Why?

7. PEOPLE RELATE TO OTHER PEOPLE - NOT PROGRAMS. • Which is the more compelling story to you? • “Mercy Corps Congo prevents morbidity and mortality by providing lifesaving services to both displaced families and the general population,fill gaps in water and sanitation services when needed, and advocates for improved services within the humanitarian coordination units.” • Or…

8. “Her name is Laurene. She lives in a church. She is 10 years old. “She is among thousands of children who have taken refuge in urban Goma's gritty neighborhoods rather than risk dangers in the camps. They're being housed in churches, schools, community centers and other public buildings - but they're neither getting the food nor most of the other assistance that those in the camps are receiving. “Mercy Corps has stepped up to fill the void and meet at least three of their most critical needs: clean water, sanitation and hygiene…but it's not easy to explain why we didn't bring food today. “So Laurene sits quietly on a church pew, in the place she now calls home, and waits for something to eat.”

9. Some studies show that you have less than one minute to convince an online reader that your piece is worth reading. YOUR JOB: Connect your readers to a name, a face and a compelling story as quickly as possible. But how do you do that? Ask yourself these questions…

10. Is this a story that I want to tell? • Would you tell this story to your non-work friends? • Do you remember at least some parts of the story without looking at your notes? • Do feel passionate about the story? If you’re not committed to the story, the readers will know.

11. 2. Does the story have a heartbeat? • Is there a human character at the center of the story? A sense of place, time and urgency? • Is there an emotional pull - do you find yourself engaged or cheering someone on? • Do you care about knowing what happens to the character? Don’t be afraid to place yourself in the story.

12. Is the story transformative? • Three-act structure: introduction, struggle, solution (or resolution) • Are the challenges or issues clear? • Is it believable and honest? The story’s conclusion doesn’t have to be cut-and-dried. If the outcome is negative, don’t sugar-coat it. Again, don’t hesitate to use your own feelings or observations.

13. 4. Does it sound like my organization? • Know your audience: who are you talking to? • Do you have an organizational voice? Who is it? • How does this fit in with your organization’s other stories? At Mercy Corps, we never use the word “victim” in any of our stories; instead, we say “survivor.” That single word choice is very important.

14. 5. Does it have an expiration date? • Are there elements that will quickly date the story’s impact? • Will the story be just as relevant a year from now? Be careful to avoid becoming a culture of press releases. Those tell people what you’re doing, but don’t help establish your identity or relevance. Stories help you build up evidence for why people should support you.

15. 6. Will it make the reader want to do something? • Is the story inspirational and the character memorable? • Is there a clear course of action that can be taken after reading the story? • How easy is it to take that action? What do you want the reader to do? What kind of story do you need to write to accomplish that?

16. Five specific elements of a good online story 1. Compelling title 2. Intriguing lead or hook “Doug Haywood is the crab in the gumbo. And Mercy Corps is helping stir the pot.” 3. Good story-specific photos 4. Character-driven details “It might look like any other school day for 14-year-old Bosco Odongo…the truth is, though, he's never been to school before.” 5. Ways to take action Donation links, a petition, newsletter sign-ups, social networking tools

17. So, how do you know this approach works? • mercycorps.org • 1,602 stories • $8.7 million raised online in FY08 • $35.4 million raised online over last five years • 3,880 active online monthly givers • 250K page views per month - 100K unique visitors (goes up to 1 million views and 375K unique in emergency)

18. Numbers compared to other organizations • From a recent benchmarking conference with 12 other non-governmental organizations • Mercy Corps receives 43% of its mass-market revenue online; group average is 17% • $150 annual revenue per online donor - about 20% higher than group average • Donor age - 48% of Mercy Corps online donors are 44 years old or younger; group average is 35%. These younger donors also gave at a higher level: the 35-44 age group averaged $165 annual revenue per online donor.

19. Zimbabwe Cholera – news story Google AdWords campaign Bounce rate: 86.4% Similar results for Darfur (75%) Mongolia – storytelling approach Google AdWords campaign Bounce rate: 65.7% Similar results for India (41.7%)

20. Sent 9/13/07 to 102,000 people • 15,119 opens, 505 clicks • $12,443 in donations • 6.5% conversion rate (33 donors) • Sent 9/13/07 to 12,700 people • 2,677 opens, 193 clicks • $6,837 in donations • 46% conversion rate (89 donors)

21. A difference-maker In the case of our fundraising campaign to help survivors of last year’s earthquake in China, first-time donors commented that stories about our ongoing work in Sichuan Province helped convince them to give. The expertise that we demonstrated through stories and pictures made a multi-million dollar difference.

22. Conclusions from the storytelling approach • High-touch messaging and compelling visuals produce results • Higher-value, younger donors • Existing site content demonstrates capacity, establishes identity and sets the stage for more robust emergency giving campaigns • More success converting one-time and emergency donors to online monthly givers (sustainers) • More visits to site and lower bounce rates • Higher conversion rates and more donations • A better-informed, more engaged constituency

23. We Are Media, indeed – a bright future From www.stevenberlinjohnson.com