If you’ve ever written marketing copy for your association, you’ve probably heard the old axiom KISS, or “Keep It Simple, Stupid!” Thanks to the evolution of social media and other online tools, the same acronym today could be translated as “Keep It Significant and Shareable.”

Changing our approach to content, and more, in today’s Lunchtime Links:

KISS: In the age of social media, our natural inclination is to share everything and anything that comes out of our organizations. If we printed it, it must be news, right? Not so fast, says social media strategy consultant Frederic Gonzalo. If you want readers and members to read and share your content, it’s got to be significant, he writes for Social Media Today. Be conscious of the length of your posts and always deliver content that’s tailored to fit the varied needs of your audience. “Brands that are successful on social media will vary the type of content, in order to cater to a wider audience and mix it up to steer clear of redundant communications,” he says. What does your association do to keep its content significant?

Idea machine: Associations spend a lot of time brainstorming ways to refresh and reenergize annual events. But some things never change. Writing for Conferences That Work, Adrian Segar says every conference should serve as a “container for ideas” within its respective industry. “Like books, conferences are changing inexorably as new formats and technologies transform and replace the broadcast framework we’ve used for hundreds of years,” he writes. “As our events increasingly embrace today’s reality that knowledge is social, the ideas they contain will be those of the many, not just of the few.”

People project: Crowdfunding has long been an abstract concept for associations. Most executives know that resources such as Crowdfunder and Kickstarter exist, but few have successfully used these tools to generate financial support for major nonprofit projects. “If you do a quick search online, you’ll find thousands of people fundraising for one cause or another,” writes internet marketing specialist Shane Jones for SocialFish. “With a basic internet connection you can raise money from anyone anywhere in the world.” Looking to explore the benefits of crowdfunding for your association? Jones lists seven resources you can use to generate funds for projects.

Has your organization had success with crowdfunding? Share your stories in the comment section below.

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