Screencasts: Teach your members what they can do and how they can do it!

Are your members posting content in the wrong places or would you like to provide them with easy to follow instructions to get and keep them engaged? If so, then consider creating a screencast - it's easy, fun, and cheap!On the social networks I created manage for all of Boston's neighborhoods, we noticed that our members where posting all types of information in lots of different places. Our members were unclear about where to post what, and were frustrated because it was hard to find the information they were looking for.To address this we 1) wrote out a guideline clearly explaining how we're using Blogs, Forums, Groups, and Events and then 2) made a screencast we embeded on the main page.To make screencasts I use JingProject.com - a simple and relatively inexpensive utility that costs $14.95 per year.Watch movie below to learn how to create one yourself!
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Leave a comment below with any questions or suggestion you have.

Comments

Sharon Dial January 28, 2010 at 10:18pm

What a wonderful tool. I am very new at creating a Ning network but have found everything very intuitive so far. Along with the help center and great discussions I am progressing along. I love the format of the video Martin made and would love to learn how it was gone. I have created a test screenshot video and successfully linked it on my site, but it is a link rather than showing as a video on the page. I have so much to learn it is almost overwhelming, but in a good challenging way.
Margy Rydzynski January 28, 2010 at 2:14pm

Thanks! That was a great video. I need to do that on my site, and now have a roadmap!
Lexie Anne January 22, 2010 at 1:43pm

This is terrific. I am telling my husband. This is exactly the presentation we need to make. I have been thinking about making a presentation about our network. Most people don't know all the capabilities. Sure there are other social networks out there but the capabilities of ning are still untouched.

Its hard for people to imagine the possibilities, I think creating a presentation like this, would definitely help people see how to use it.
NC for Hire

Garfield Archivist January 22, 2010 at 1:01pm

I'm flattered and honored. I would love to Laura. I will get to work on it. Luckily I have been told I have a voice for narration so I won't have that concern. I have a better option for screen recording software that I think should be standard for any Ning Networkand will share more about this later when I do my first one. Thanks for the encouragement. There is so much possible with video tutorials. I love video editing and there is so much you can do with zooms, Ken Burns style effects and credits to help transition from on section to the next. Humor helps keep things interesting. And there is no reason not to take lessons from Apple keynotes as well on presenting even if it is a tutorial. It can't hurt. Presentation secrets (you tube vid ps I am not endorsing the book it promotes)

I cite this article as an example of their value The Underutilized Power Of The Video Demo To Explain What The Hell ...

I also believe it would be useful to have a once a week webinar and there are lots of free software that allow you to do this. You can even use the blog talk radio Ning App to take questions live. Just add a recurring event and tell your members you will be doing this every week for friends they would like to invite to the network. With a simple slide show in a text box you are in business and you get the kind of weekly interaction that can be invaluable.
Martin Kelley January 21, 2010 at 10:40pm

Thanks Laura. I actually scripted out a Creator-focused screencast a few days ago but then came to my senses and remembered the crazy amount of work I have to get through over the next few weeks. If I make it through the post-production of these half-dozen videos (big site launch party next week!), I'll try to do some. Topics I've jotted down: adding a Live Feed page, integrating with Twitter (easier now with the new features but Twitter lists is an interesting addition), city and regional organizing, making a magazine/Ning hybrid and adding a companion presence on F*C*B**K (can I even mention them here, do I dare?, but here's the weird thing--in December it became the top referrer to my Ning site, beating out Google for the first time).

I'm loving the newly-re-enlivened Creators Ning, BTW. Very useful and lots of good discussions. If anyone
Laura January 21, 2010 at 10:08pm

Wow Martin! That's great - likewise, if there are any you'd like to make for here, or post, let me know!
Martin Kelley January 21, 2010 at 9:48pm

Neat. Just last week I put together a welcome screencast for newcomers who might be intimidated by all that's happening on our Ning network. The video is here but it's also included as a text box near the top-left of the homepage at http://www.quakerquaker.org/. If you watch it, you'll see I explained the purpose, stressed the edited magazine portion of the site, invited people to join the network and sign up for Feedburner-powered emails. I also gave a shout-out to our companion Facebook and Twitter profiles.

I put this together with Screenflow, a Mac program. I've used Jing a little and it looks good. I've heard a lot of good things about Camtasia for Windows. On Wednesday, I recorded raw footage for six introductory screencast videos for a client's soon-to-be-launched site. It's a private site so I won't be able to show them off but they cover: responding to the invitation, using the different sections, posting videos and starting and commenting on discussions. Screencasts are a lot of fun.
Joseph Porcelli January 21, 2010 at 6:19pm

Wow so glad to hear it's helpful Howard! It is for me too, It's wonderful to be apart of this community of creators!
howard mccoy January 21, 2010 at 6:15pm

I fell over and I'm off the floor now. My community is older and jing could be the ticket. I recently joined and never read the blog "if you build the guides they will come" but I took that route. Joe's idea is very complimentary to a written tutorial on "how to blog" - splendid. My challenge will be approving my voice as narrator and adding MC to my NC credentials. This community of NC's has been more helpful in 1 week, than 6 months of slogging it on my own with tutorials and no brethren - thanks.
Laura January 21, 2010 at 2:36pm

Garfield, would love to have you produce a video either on a best practice or tutorial! Let me know if you are interested!
Laura

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