Hello, Changemaker!

Karen Nilsen

Hi I’m Karen. I want to share with you the tactics I’ve used to build digital power and engage a supporter base of millions. Are you ready? Let’s get started!

Why We Need to Stop Thinking about Email as a ‘Broadcast’ Medium

Think of a radio tower. Broadcast signals beaming far and wide. Most people think about email broadcasts this way. Please don’t think about email broadcasts this way. Broadcast communication is, by default, impersonal. Because...

2 minute read

Think of a radio tower. Broadcast signals beaming far and wide. Most people think about email broadcasts this way. Please don’t think...

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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 a long-term digital strategy. Think of these strategies as investments. Relationships take time. Don’t...

5 minute read

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...

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How to Hook Your Reader

To steal a mantra from our friends in journalism: don’t bury the lede. The idea might have started in newspaper offices but it applies anywhere we’re competing for our audience’s attention (so, the entire Internet)...

3 minute read

To steal a mantra from our friends in journalism: don’t bury the lede. The idea might have started in newspaper offices...

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Buttons vs Links: Which Converts More Clicks?

If your action email has one job—to get your supporter to click through to a destination—then what’s the quickest way to get them there? In the history of Animals Australia’s (several thousand) email broadcasts, there’s no...

2 minute read

If your action email has one job—to get your supporter to click through to a destination—then what’s the quickest way to get...

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What’s a “Crisitunity”?

We have Homer Simpson to thank for the term that perfectly describes a communication model that turbocharges action requests with urgency. Because of this, it’s been adopted by all the most successful online action platforms...

2 minute read

We have Homer Simpson to thank for the term that perfectly describes a communication model that turbocharges action requests with urgency. Because...

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Show. Don’t Tell.

Your reader trusts their own mind way more than they trust yours. No offense but it’s true. Knowing this, try to avoid ‘telling’ people what to think. That includes making assertions that some things are cruel,...

2 minute read

Your reader trusts their own mind way more than they trust yours. No offense but it’s true. Knowing this, try to avoid...

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