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What makes a good ‘hero image’?

A ‘hero’ image is one that carries the most visual weight in your layout. Usually accompanying your headline, this is the image

Give your headline ‘consequence’

Of all the ‘rules’ out there for writing page headlines, this is the most transformative. If your headline sits on a petition

7 traits of a clear writing style

The education system taught many of us that long words and complex sentence structures are signs of sophistication. Un-learn this as fast

3 design cues that prime supporters for action

It can feel intuitive to place your action form elements at the end of your page—after your theory of change. However, your supporter

14 long-term engagement strategies that work

I’m so glad you’re here. While it’s far from the most exciting, retention is arguably the most important factor in the success of

Say thanks (and mean it)

Great action pages will attract people via social media, search, traditional media, and even word of mouth. This means they’re ideal for list-building.

Excite yourself

(Not in that way). Do you ever find yourself staring at your screen, wishing the thing you are trying to write was done

Formatting for skim readers: essential tips

Here’s an important piece of digital communication that you’ve probably never read: Few of us pay attention to stuff like

What’s the ideal email frequency?

What’s the magic number of emails you need to send to maximize supporter engagement and minimize fatigue?The answer is “five”. Kidding. It would

How ‘why’ is the most important question you need to answer

What draws people to your cause? What motivated your supporters to take their first action? What did they feel when they first donated?

How and when to ‘hide’ content

One of the hardest lessons to learn as a communicator is knowing what not to say. In a medium that forces us

Why people don’t complete online actions (and what to do about it)

There are plenty of reasons people struggle to complete online actions. Poor page layouts, confusing language, onerous forms, and too many (or too

5 ways to nail your ‘thank you’ emails

The moment after someone completes an online action presents a critical opportunity. A well-crafted thank-you email will help cement this action as a

Email tokenization: what is it?

A token is a little snippet of encoded data that identifies a supporter and can be attached to links in your email broadcasts.

Picture this when writing your next headline...

Whatever you do—don’t just imagine your headline on your page itself. Consider how your headline performs without the rest of your page to

Advocacy

Why ‘Busting Myths’ Often Backfires

Quick
Quick Read
Why ‘Busting Myths’ Often Backfires

How tempting is it to ‘bust myths’ and confront your opponent’s ridiculous claims head-on!? Hint: very. Proceed with caution—countering false claims can unintentionally reinforce them.

However, if you can reframe the conversation, you get to own it. With a little linguistic gymnastics, you can force your opponent to use your frame.

When live exporters assert that their trade is “not cruel”, what’s the one thing most people think of? That’s right. Cruelty.

Frame Conceded:

“You won’t miss out on protein and iron by eating these plant-based foods!”

“New live export regulations won’t protect animals.”


Frame Owned:

“These plant-based foods are packed with iron and protein!”

“New live export regulations only reinforce cruelty.”

Karen Nilsen

Hi there! I’m Karen. I’m on a mission to reach my former self. Had I known 10 years ago what I know today, I could have achieved more good, made fewer mistakes, and had more weekends. Every time we share what works, we win faster. Let’s create digital experiences that move people — that grow our base and fuel our movements. Are you with me? Please share this with someone you know who wants to up their digital game!

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