So this is an experiment in my real time thoughts during internet advocacy leader Matthew Gross.

Former head of the Howard Dean campaign's online activities. He changed the game. He's sharing his rule book with us. As Nina said in the intro - He's creating the landscape we'll be walking through.

Percentage of U.S. Adults online:

1995 - 9% | 1999 - 48% | 2005 - 74%

There are only two of us in the first two rows on laptops - the other guy is from the UK.

Others are taking notes. We need to catch up with America. Why aren't there more "plugged in" people here?

We're playing catch up! Emerging leaders? Audio guy across from me is on his sidekick.

# of blogs are doubling in size appx. every 5 months.

"Together alone" household of folks all doing their own thing - not connected. Connection occurs with other groups and networks. Social capitol previously had geographic roots. Social networks have eliminated those boundaries.

Widgetnest | API | Google map example of advocacy

Widgets allow us to reach the smaller and smaller niche audience.

43things, essembly, ning, metacafe, - social networking sites/tool you might haven't heard of yet!

Ning allow you to create your own social network site!!

WEB 2.0 - creative uses:

Billy Collins poems with animation on You Tube- think about how this reached out to 500K views.

OK, so the other guy on the laptop just shilled his tech service. Arggh. Nina just shut him up to see if he had a question. Essentially he asked if Youtube will go away after some time. YouTube owns 28% of the multimedia market in the U.S.

It's not going away soon, buddy.

Gross is describing ABCs experiments online - itunes download of original programming - 4 commercials with free content - 4 days later $1.99 to download. Leading to 1,000,000 channels available online.

So British Dude has taken us off onto random questions...copywright issues, etc. Damn him!

Creative commons. Can we get back to his speech, please, people? Would have been nice if we held questions/comments to the end.

Back on track - portability and usefulness on a daily level is working towards re-connecting us.

Facebook pokes. Enabling us to get/stay in touch remotely.

Mobile wallpaper - mindshare IFAW - downloaded imagery for your cel phone or mobile device, quizzes, what's new updates.

IFAW created ringtones for specific endangered species.

Interactive opportunies - steppenwolf

Audience member describing that the web is not a bulletin board. New means of communicating and more importantly interacting with constituents.

Funder in the audience just described partnering with the library in specific direct ways.

fatigue: too much emails, stop poking me?

SecondLife - Edwards campaign is participation.

He just suggested that RSS will replace email - subscribe only will become so appealing as to obliterate signing up for email - we gain control of when we choose to read "content."

Distribution channels are changing.

Ok, I've reached my limit with audience questions...this man changed the way politics are played. LET HIM SPEAK!

AFTA needs a tech 101 track to help answer these basic questions...I'd like top level thinking from him.

Digital divide will begin to shrink as cel phones are being used more and more like computers.

Engage the blogosphere to get them interested in talking about you and your "product."

Now he has to rush through the end of his presentation.

Stories are the basis of campaigns. Narrative kills the facts, People believe the stories. Stories are iconic. People engage with narratives.

80% of communication is via email. "No one is waiting with baited breath for your email" Know you audience to better engage with them - we all read the first sentence of an email and then skip to the next. Create content that folks want to share or "forward."

The Influentials describes the voracious consumers of info who become the go-to expert in any topic.

Blogads survey 77% college or post graduate income $60-90K

Creation of an advocacy campaign:

process lower the bar|enagge and educate| Train to click| Creatie incentives to take action | Get into other communities(youtube, myspace, etc.) | make it fun and report on results

How is it the arts folks still don't get "the turn off your cel phone" thing? 4 5 6 phones have rung during this presentation

generate urgency | reward action

Make it interactive, networked, competitive.

Make it local - use google map api, etc.

Layer - website, email, mobile, offline: Brand the campaign

BASIC LESSONS

Need to push content

Multiple strategies for different groups

competing for attention of readers

use a process of conversion

get their email address.

Best cheap online advertising stumble upon, cheaper than Google ad words you're hitting them a precisely the moment when they want something new.

Responsibility to create bonding forms of social interaction as opposed to forms that engender isolation.

matthewgross.com

the net is best as having something "good" going viral.

The need for good content is stronger than ever.

He was great. Much to learn as the arts advocacy efforts move toward deeper virtual engagement.