A joint presentation by Steve Levering, TCU Instructor II, and Ann Beck, Director of Marketing & Communication for Parks and Recreation, City of Mansfield, TX, on software resources and great ideas for content creation for nonprofits and cities. Presented on May 19, 2023, for the 13th TCU Nonprofit Communicators Conference.

1. Developing
innovative content
& the tools to
create it
1

2. 2
Tools to help you create content

3. 3

4. 4

5. 5
Short version:
The fast way is fine, but
detail makes it shine

6. 6

7. 7
https://www.canva.com/canva-for-nonprofits/

8. 8

9. 9
https://www.adobe.com/express/nonprofits

10. 10
Five things I like about Adobe Express

11. 11
Five things I like about Adobe Express
1. Supports brand libraries

12. 12

13. 13

14. 14
Five things I like about Adobe Express
1. Supports brand libraries
2. Easily resizes for different platforms

15. 15

16. 16

17. 17

18. 18
Five things I like about Adobe Express
1. Supports brand libraries
2. Easily resizes for different platforms
3. Allows easy collaboration

19. 19

20. 20
Five things I like about Adobe Express
1. Supports brand libraries
2. Easily resizes for different platforms
3. Allows easy collaboration
4. Can make backgrounds transparent

21. 21

22. 22

23. 23

24. 24

25. 25

26. 26
Five things I like about Adobe Express
1. Supports brand libraries
2. Easily resizes for different platforms
3. Allows easy collaboration
4. Can make backgrounds transparent
5. Features a social media calendar

27. 27

28. 28

29. 29

30. 30
Other things I like:
https://creativecloud.adobe.com/cc/discover/how-to/

31. 31

32. 32
Other things I like:
https://max.adobe.com/

33. 33

34. 34
2022 Max sessions online (free):
https://www.adobe.com/max/2022/sessions-virtual.html

35. 35

36. 36
And one more freebie:
https://fonts.google.com/

37. 37

38. Say YES!
to engagement
38

39. Engagement is any
interaction with
followers
39

40. Engagement is what
turns your feed into
a conversation
40

41. More than fun
● Building trust & loyalty
● Generating feedback
● Creating a community
41

42. Your brand
is the filter through which
all touchpoints must pass
42

43. 43
Know your audience
● What will they respond to?
● What do they care about?

44. 44
Know your purpose
● Why are you posting this?
● What do you want to accomplish?
● How does this fit your goals & values?

45. 45
Stop the
scroll
visuals

46. 46
Media Essentials:
● Eye-catching uniqueness
● Authentic & representative
● On-brand aesthetic
● Correct size & resolution
● Follow graphic design rules

47. 47
Snappy but
specific text

48. 48
Copy Structure
Brief and to the point, but cover the important details
● Intro
○ Catchy, scroll-stopping hook to get them reading
● Essential Details
○ Who, what, when, where, why and/or how
● Call to Action
○ What should the reader do as a result of this?

49. 49
Final Check
● Can it be shorter or punchier?
● Are you speaking like a non-city human?
● Am I speaking TO the specific audience intended?
● Can I eliminate any BE verbs?
● Did I include all the important details?
● Does the link work?
● Are there any misspellings in the text or graphics?
● Is the purpose of the message clear?
● Has it been confirmed/cleared by all parties?
● Is this a good representation of our organization?

50. How do you make content engaging?
50
● Make it honest
● Make it identifiable
● Make it relevant
● Make it timely
● Make it narrative
● Make it conversational
● Make it funny
● Make it emotional
● Make it illustrative
● Make it educational
● Make it graphic
● Make it surprising
● Make it visual
● Make it helpful
● Make it interactive
● Make it personal

51. Honest
51

52. 52
Identifiable

53. 53
Relevant

54. 54
Relevant

55. 55
Timely

56. 56
Timely

57. 57
Narrative

58. 58
Narrative

59. 59
Conversational

60. 60
Funny

61. 61
Funny

62. 62
Funny

63. 63
Emotional

64. 64
Illustrative

65. 65
Educational

66. 66
Graphic

67. 67
Surprising

68. 68
Visual

69. 69
Visual

70. 70
Helpful

71. 71
Interactive

72. 72
Personal

73. 73
Personal

74. 74
Not all engagement is
good engagement

75. 75
Marketing isn’t sales.
It’s a 360-degree approach to making
customer needs your top priority.
It’s building relationships and a
positive image for your organization.

76. 76
Marketing is your
opportunity to define your
organization in the world

77. 77
The only rule
There are no rules.
Do what makes sense for your
organization and adjust as needed

78. 78
Questions?
Ann Beck
ann.beck@mansfieldtexas.gov

79. 79