Podcast Episode #77 - The Efficacy of Multimedia Arts Promotion and Best Practices for WordPress Sites

This is the third and final installment of our series of podcasts (1 | 2 ) featuring interviews from the National Arts Marketing Project Conference.

Amelia Northrup leads off with an interview featuring Kara Larson from Arts Knowledge LLC discussing the results of a research study she recently conducted on the efficacy of using multimedia marketing campaigns to promote the arts, which yielded some surprising results - particularly in regards to promoting the work of emerging or relatively unknown artists.

David Dombrosky closes the episode with an interview featuring Ceci Dadisman from Ceci Creative discussing best practices for arts organizations using WordPress to create and manage their websites.  This interview is chocked full of tips and tools for using WordPress effectively.

Cool Sites of the Episode

Google Analytics Conversion University - A series of recorded video lessons designed to teach analytics "newbies" how to maximize their use of Google Analytics to gauge their website's traffic.

WordPress Hosting on GoDaddy - Ceci recommends GoDaddy to arts organizations without their own servers and are seeking affordable web hosting for their WordPress sites.

WordPress Plug-in Directory - Plug-ins connect WordPress websites to external services (like Google Analytics) and expand the functional capabilities of your site.  This directory allows you to search over 12,000 plug-ins to find the right ones for your website.

Podcast Episode #74 - Developing Your Digital Analytics Toolkit

In this episode of the Technology in the Arts podcast, Molly Hanse talks with Michael Newberry from the Global Analytics Team at OMD, one of the world's leading companies in media communications, about measuring progress in arts organizations and how to develop your digital analytics toolkit as an arts manager.  Their conversation covers analytic tools for your online communications, choosing which data to analyze, making decisions based on data analysis, determining where to invest in advertising, and more. Cool Sites of the Episode:

Google Analytics - It's robust.  It's free.  If you aren't addicted to it yet, you should be.  This tool provides you with all of the basic tools you need to determine how well your website is serving your organization.

Google Insights for Search - Allows you to compare search volume patterns across specific regions, categories, time frames and properties.

Quantcast - Web analytics experts building powerful statistical technology to understand digital media audiences. Offer free and paid levels of audience analysis.

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Podcast Episode #71 - Audience 2.0, Smartphone Apps and Tips for Working with Developers

In this episode of Technology in the Arts, Brad and David welcome Jeff Inscho to the Heinz College staff at Carnegie Mellon University and launch into a rowdy conversation featuring:

• What they've done with their "summer vacation"?
• NEA's Audience 2.0 report
• Developing apps for smartphones
• Using Adobe InDesign to create magazines for iPad
• Tips for finding and working with developers
• ...and swingers!

Cool Site of the Episode: Scribd allows you to easily turn any file—such as PDF, Word and PowerPoint—into a web document and connect with readers through their online community, social media sites such as Facebook or Twitter, and search engines like Google.

Podcast Episode #70 - Discussion of "Theatre & Social Media in 2009" with Devon Smith

In this episode of the Technology in the Arts podcast, CAMT marketing assistant Pat Germann interviews Devon Smith, director of research and analysis for Yale Repertory Theatre, about her recent report "Theatre & Social Media in 2009." Devon Smith holds an MBA from Yale School of Management, an MFA in Theatre Management from the Yale School of Drama, a Bachelors of Business Administration and a Bachelors of Arts from the University of Washington. She is a long time nonprofit manager, social media addict, and has developed a burgeoning interest in cinematography and world travel. With a voracious appetite for blogs & books, she is currently in pursuit of a fabulous, high paying, soul-fulfilling job that combines all of her interests–or, you know, anyone willing to actually hire her.

Read the full report (PDF 5.8 MB) >>

Visit Devon's blog: http://www.devonvsmith.com

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Podcast Episode #69 - Social Media Spotlight on the Mattress Factory

In this episode of Technology in the Arts, Corwin Christie talks with Jeffrey Inscho, Director of Media and Public Relations for the Mattress Factory - a museum of contemporary installation art, about ways in which arts organizations can develop cost effective technology initiatives and partner with technology providers. Related Links Mattress Factory - Friendship v2.0 SCREEENtxt BrightKite MF iConfess Deep Local

May 11th Webinar - Market Smarter with Google and Facebook!

2:00pm-3:30pm Eastern Presenter: Erik Gensler Registration: $25.00

Google and Facebook offer a suite of free to inexpensive marketing tools that allow you to target and better understand your online audience.   This webinar will  focus on helping arts organizations use Google Analytics, Google AdWords, and Facebook advertising to market smarter.

Over the course of this 90 minute webinar, Capacity Interactive's Erik Gensler will discuss:

• How arts organizations can optimize Google Analytics understand how users are interacting with your site and which user behaviors are tied to sales. We will discuss basic reporting and set up as well as custom set up and ecommerce tracking.
• How to use Google AdWords to increase traffic to your site. You will discover how your orgnization can obtain up to $10,000 in free AdWords advertising per month. You will also learn about the Google Content Network where your organization can place banner ads on thousands of sites across the web from one central hub.
• How to target Facebook users that are interested in the programming your organization offers. You will obtain tips for crafting ads and micro-targeting users to make your Facebook advertising efficient and cost-effective.

Listen to Brad Stephenson's interview with Erik from last summer's Technology in the Arts podcast: [display_podcast] Erik Gensler is the president of Capacity Interactive Inc. - an electronic marketing consulting firm whose client roster includes Alvin Ailey American Dance Theater, Pacific Northwest Ballet, Carnegie Hall, New York City Opera, and Roundabout Theatre Company. Capacity Interactive helps arts organizations strategically employ interactive tools to engage audiences, build community, and market smarter.

Podcast Episode #68 - Walker Arts Center's Social Media Experiments and Tips for Email Marketing

In this episode of Technology in the Arts, Amelia Northrup interviews Justin Heideman, New Media Designer at the Walker Art Center, about recent online projects that have propelled the Walker into the forefront of art organizations engaging their audiences through social media. Related websites: West St. Paul video My Yard Our Message

Also in this episode, Corwin Christie catches up with Patron Technology president Gene Carr to talk about e-mail marketing strategies for arts organizations.

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Technology in the Arts #63

In this episode of the Technology in the Arts podcast, the Center for Arts Management and Technology's executive director David Dombrosky talks with Corwin Christie, a Heinz College Master of Arts Management student. Poor Corwin, a social media assistant for CAMT, was forced to do David's reading, and she provides her thoughts on the book Fans, Friends & Followers by Scott Kirsner.

The episode also features David's interviews with Kirsner, author of the aforementioned book, and Ed Halter, a staff writer for Rhizome.org. Rhizome is a site "dedicated to the creation, presentation, preservation, and critique of emerging artistic practices that engage technology."

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Technology in the Arts #62

In this episode of Technology in the Arts, Brad interviews Hannah Leatherbury. Hannah is the E-Services Manager for Southern Arts Federation (SAF) and the project lead for ArtsReady, is a forthcoming, web-based, continuity planning application for performing arts organizations. The Andrew Mellon Foundation is providing funding and support for this project.

ArtsReady uses the definition of "continuity planning" provided by SAF's project collaborators at the Office of Continuity Planning at the University of California – Berkeley: Putting in place NOW the things that will enable us to continue serving our constituents and maintain our viability following a catastrophic event of any size or type.

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Technology in the Arts #60

In this episode of Technology in the Arts, Jason takes a break so the Center for Arts Management and Technology’s Josh Futrell can vent. He’s furious that the Pennsylvania Senate voted 30-20 in favor of a budget that includes ZERO dollars for arts and culture funding. Again... that’s ZERO dollars. Hey Senators... we're mad as hell, and we're coming for you!

(Photo: CC by amy.kay)

PS: The angry man in the photo above is not Josh. But you can follow Josh on Twitter at @jfutrell.

Also, Brad interviews Mollie Alexander Speer from Chicago’s About Face Theatre. The company recently saved itself with a fundraising campaign that was driven largely by social media.

Use the following handy-dandy links to follow along with the episode:

• About Face Theatre
• Citizens for the Arts in Pennsylvania

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