Google for Non-Profits Newsletter (YouTube Special Edition) - August 2008

[Ramya Raghavan]

Google for Non-Profits Newsletter (YouTube Special Edition) - August, 2008

Welcome to a special YouTube edition of the Google for Non-Profits Newsletter. Read on to find out how your organization can harness the power of the world's largest online video community.

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YouTube Nonprofit Program
Nonprofits video "Hot List"
Tips and tricks
Noteworthy new products for nonprofits
Summer reading: YouTube blog roundup

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YouTube Nonprofit Program - Apply Now

Thousands of nonprofits have joined the YouTube Nonprofit Program since it was introduced in the United States last fall. These organizations are benefiting from a host of great perks like increased branding, upload capacity, the option to embed a Google Checkout "donate" button on their channel, and the opportunity to be featured in promoted areas of the site. Your nonprofit can, too -- apply now!

Also, we're happy to announce that we've just expanded the Nonprofit Program to the United Kingdom. For more information about the launch, and a few words of advice from our U.K. launch partners, please visit the YouTube blog.

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Nonprofits video "Hot List"

In honor of August's sweltering heat, we're pleased to bring you the YouTube Nonprofits Hot List, a playlist featuring some of the best uses of YouTube by nonprofits and activists on the site.

To be included in next month's YouTube Hot List, subscribe to the AgentChange channel and send a link to your org's best video!

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Tips and tricks

We're always looking for new ways to help nonprofits leverage YouTube to spread their message. That's why we've rolled out a few helpful tip sheets aimed at doing just that -- whether you're a nonprofit who just needs the YouTube basics, is operating on a shoestring budget, or looking to launch a video campaign, we've got you covered.

Hungry for more YouTube advice? We sat down with NTEN to do an "Ask the Expert" session about how to use YouTube for good. If you missed it, you can find the transcript here.

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Noteworthy new features on YouTube

YouTube recently unveiled two great new features that nonprofits can (and should) take advantage of:

YouTube Insight, accessible from "My Account," lets you easily monitor the performance of your videos over time. You can also use the demographic analysis tool to track the age, region, and gender of your audience.

Annotations allow you to add interactive commentary to your videos (think VH1's Pop-Up Video). You control what the annotations say, where they appear on the video, and when they appear and disappear. You can even link from an annotation to another YouTube Video, Channel, or Search result.

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Summer reading: YouTube blog roundup

If you're looking for some interesting, activist-y conversation starters, you may want to check out the YouTube blogs. On YouTube's main blog, you'll find information about the UN-sanctioned International Year of the Potato (yes, you read that right) and how YT users are relating the importance of the world's new "it" crop. On Citizentube, YouTube's political blog, we've posted videos and commentary about how nonprofits and others are reacting to this year's Olympics.

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That's the YouTube update; please send any suggestions for the site or the next newsletter to gpa...@google.com.

Thanks for reading.

Ramya from the YouTube Nonprofits Team