Web 2.0 Tools for Communications Professionals

The following is a list of online tools, most of which are free, that we found enhance our ability to get critical messages out and keep us connected to the public we serve. Often we find ourselves limited by budgets or staff, but these tools help you navigate around those obstacles. For most, they’re also fun to use. So take a look and play with them – what could it hurt? Oh, and if there’s something you think is particularly useful that you think I should list, comment below!

E-mail

  • Gmail – This a my favorite free e-mail system. It’s Google, so it’s got to be good. They offer 7 GB of free storage (more than anyone will ever need), the Google search engine built in to help find emails; you can access it anywhere you can get on the internet – including a great mobile interface for your cell phone and, most importantly, the best spam filtering I’ve seen.

RSS News Readers & Tracking

  • Google Alerts – Google Alerts are email updates of the latest relevant Google results (web, news, etc.) based on your choice of query or topic. You can monitoring a developing news story; keeping current on another agency or industry; getting the latest on a celebrity or event.
  • Google Reader – Google Reader constantly checks your favorite news sites and blogs for new content. You can use Google Reader’s built-in public page to easily share interesting items with your friends and co-workers. It’s totally free and works in most modern browsers, without any software to install.
  • Live News Cameras – This is a site that brings together multiple live video streams from news and television sites so you can monitor news from around the world all in one location.

Photo Sharing & Display

  • Flickr.com – is probably the most common & popular (used by California OES, LAFD, etc.)
  • Picasa – Google’s hosting platform, allows advanced editing features. Drawback is that you have to install their application

Blogging

  • Blogger – This is Google’s free blogging platform, and quite a popular one. Creating your blog with Blogger takes just a few easy steps. In a matter of minutes you can start posting text, photos, videos, and more to your blog. Post as often as you want; it’s free.
  • WordPress – You’ll get your own WordPress.com address (like you.wordpress.com), a selection of great free and customizable designs for your blog and 3 gigabytes of file storage (that’s about 2,500 pictures). You can blog as much as you want for free, your blog can be public to the world or private for just your friends.
  • Typepad – Same features as above services, however this one costs you money. The advantage is that there is no advertising on your blog. The basic package is about $50 a year, the “Pro” package is about $150 a year. I, honestly, don’t think it makes much sense to pay when there’s great free blogging sites available.

Audio & Podcasting

  • Gabcast – A podcasting and audioblogging platform that offers an easy way to create and distribute audio content.
  • Gcast – Your own audio broadcast, where you can easily record voice messages, mix in your favorite music, and share it all for the world to hear. “So easy your grandma could do it.”
  • BlogTalkRadio – Using an ordinary telephone and computer hosts can create free, live, call-in talk shows with unlimited participants that are automatically archived and made available as podcasts.

Video & Webcasting

  • Blip.tv – This free video hosting service is where I host my videos. It takes care of all the problems a videoblogger, podcaster or Internet TV producer tends to run into. They take care of the servers, the software, the workflow, the advertising and the distribution. All you have to do is focus on creativity.
  • Ustream.tv – LIVE video broadcasting for free. All you need is a webcam and an internet connection. LAFD and other agencies are using this to send out live news conferences, events, etc.
  • Stickam – A free service that allows you to stream live video over the internet. There is nothing to download and Stickam is 100% free. You can add your player to any of your personal sites and can broadcast your live feed without worrying about using up your own bandwidth resources.

Communications

  • Grand Central – With GrandCentral, you can be reached with a single number, answer a call at any phone you want, seamlessly switch phones in the middle of a call, and even know whether a call is important before you take it. They give you a free telephone number.

Social Media

  • Facebook – Quickly becoming the number one social media website in America, Facebook allows you to connect to family, friends, and colleagues.  If you’re interested in creating your own Facebook Fan Page for your organization click here.
  • Twitter – Can you communicate messages in 140 characters or less?  Millions of Twitter users can and do every single day throughout the world.  Twitter allows individuals to easily communicate and share ideas with anyone who chooses to join their network.
  • Ning – Interested in creating your own social network for a particular topic, issue, or group of individuals?  Ning is the social networking site for you.  If you can click and type with in minutes you can create your own Ning social network.

Geographic Resources

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