Technola : Public Interest Law & Technology Updates & Commentary : Matthew Burnett & Kate Bladow : Tech Advice for the Non-Profit Legal Sector

Yes. Legal aid programs are posting a lot of video online. In fact, after scouring YouTube and Vimeo, I found that 65 legal aid programs had posted almost 600 videos. The table below shows a break down by funding source.

If you'd like to see the videos that programs have posted, a list should be available shortly on LSNTAP as an update to Eva's previous post about legal aid programs on YouTube.

Did I find and count all of the access-to-justice videos on YouTube and Vimeo? No. I saw several videos about pro bono legal services posted by bar associations and law firms that I didn't count. (For an unfiltered list of these videos, search "pro bono" on YouTube or "pro bono" legal on Vimeo.)

Are these even all of the videos posted by legal aid programs? Probably not. YouTube and Vimeo are easy to search and look through, but not all legal aid programs have made their videos easy to find and identify as videos from a legal aid program. For example:

• I searched for all of the LSC-funded programs using their names. If the organization didn't include its name in its profile, their videos wouldn't appear in these search results.
• I searched the terms "legal aid," "pro bono," "legal services," "access to justice," and a few other variations. If these terms weren't in an organization's profile, their videos wouldn't be in these search results.
• I looked at who organizations were connected to. For example, Atlanta Legal Aid Society has "friended," or connected to, five other legal aid organizations, which makes them easier to find. If you haven't friended or been friended by any other legal aid programs, I wouldn't have found your videos this way.

So what can you do to make your videos easier to find?

• Create an account for your organization. Don't have a staff member post your videos under his or her account.
• Fill out your profile. Include your organization's name, logo, a brief description, your website's address, and your city and state.
• Name and describe your videos clearly so that people know what they are about.

When writing video names and descriptions, think carefully about what words people will use to search for your videos and include those words. For example, if you are posting a video about filing an answer pro se, you would probably want to include the words "court" and "without a lawyer" in the description for the video.

If you want to replicate a profile that is easy to find and nicely set up, I recommend checking out one of these examples:

• Equal Justice Works (YouTube)
• Texas RioGrande Legal Aid (YouTube)
• Legal Aid Association of California(Vimeo)
• Legal Aid Society of Louisville (Vimeo)

I also suggest looking at two additional resources:  DIOSA Communication's YouTube Best Practices and See3 Communication's "YouTube for Nonprofits" webinar. You'll find additional tips, including information about the YouTube Nonprofit Partner program, which provides free benefits for nonprofits.

Now it's your turn. Are you one of the programs posting video online? What tips and tricks do you have for setting up your profile? Tell us in the comments. - K

• Email This
• Print
• Comments (2)
• Trackbacks

On Tuesday, Illinois Legal Aid Online's Multimedia Content Coordinator, Susan Muirhead, talked about how ILAO uses video on its websites in the "Showcase of Statewide Website Innovations" webinar hosted by LSNTAP and Pro Bono Net. A talented videographer, she has created several videos for ILAO, including "LiveHelp Expands Access to Justice" and "Legal Aid 2.0: Legal Help Is Just a Click Away."

As Susan described the videos and her process, she shared several tips. Four that stuck with me:

• Create a script first.
• Don't cram too much in. (ILAO's videos are usually 2 to 4 minutes in length.)
• Vary your clips. People don't like to watch talking heads for long.
• Use your videos to support other website content instead of using them as standalone resources.

The webinar was recorded, so you can go back and listen to Susan's entire presentation when it's posted. But if you can't wait until then to hear all of her tips or you need more background information to put your video together, I found a few other resources.

• The Bay Area Video Coalition has a YouthLink Curriculum that outlines basic filmmaking concepts, pre-production, production, post-production, and advanced production skills.
• Nancy Schwartz reflects on creating her first video and, based on her experience, gives nine suggestions for others who are new to creating videos.
• See3, an "interactive media and marketing firm for nonprofits," has created a Guide to Online Video, an introductory series. You should also check out their Frequently Asked Questions About Video page, their blog post on 5 Questions to Evaluate Your Nonprofit Video ROI, and their session hosted by the Case Foundation, Case Soup Video Recap: How to make award worthy nonprofit videos.

If you've already created a video or two, what resources have helped you and have made the process easier? Are there any tips that you'd like to share? - K

• Email This
• Print
• Comments
• Trackbacks

Are you using social technologies to change the world? Or are you interested in learning more about how your organization should be using technology? If so, stop by the next NetSquared Local or NTEN 501 Tech Club event in your area, where you can meet other people in your community doing the same.

If your community doesn't already have a group set up, start your own. Both NetSquared and NTEN are happy to help and have information posted online (NetSquared, NTEN 501 Tech Club). Right now in Baltimore, Andrea Snyder, the Grants Specialist at the Enoch Pratt Free Library, and I are doing just that. If you are in Baltimore or the surrounding area, let us know if you want to join our NetSquared meetups, when is best for you, and what type of meeting we should have. And recently, in Northern Colorado, Joyce Raby started an NTEN 501 Tech Club. News about the upcoming meetings is available on her site. - K

• Email This
• Print
• Comments
• Trackbacks

Given my interest in helping people create strong passwords and my adoration of Common Craft's simple videos that explain technical topics, I would be remiss if I didn't point out Common Craft's newest video: Secure Passwords. In three and a half minutes, this video explains why passwords need to be secure, how to create strong passwords, and why you shouldn't give anyone else your password. - K

• Email This
• Print
• Comments
• Trackbacks