Create a strategy for making media

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July 3, 2010

Create a strategy for making media

Use this list to identify the 13 elements you’ll need

Target audience: Nonprofits, NGOs, independent publishers, educators. This is part of our series on how organizations can effectively use media.

Guest post by Tactical Technology Collective

Is your nonprofit or organization incorporating media into your online presence? Here’s an easy-to-scan table that lists the key elements that you should include in your strategy for making media.

1. State your goal	Identify what you ultimately want to achieve.
2. Create a proposition statement	Develop a few clear, succinct sentences that state the problem and how to address it.
3. Have clear objectives	Develop SMART objectives.
4. Do research	Find out things you need to know.
5. Identify your target audience and participant communities	Know who is involved with the issue – both allied and opponents – to help define your target audience and participant communities.
6. Craft your message	Create simple, engaging, creative messages.
7. Make a call to action	Encourage people to take action.
8. Choose your media format, tactics & tools	Choose the right media format for your audience and then select the right tactics and tools to achieve your objectives.
9. Security and privacy	Take care of your own security in risky situations; protect the identity of people involved and respect their privacy. Secure the information you gather.
10. Create a timeline	Time your media campaign or project to ensure maximum impact.
11. Measure outcomes & impacts	Define the outcomes and impacts you want; develop indicators to monitor and measure your success.
12. Identify resources	List the resources you have and those you need; budget accordingly and find funding if needed.
13. Copyright	Copyright your work under Open content licenses in a way that will support your messages to travel far and wide.