Event marketing and tools, research, and case studies to attract and retain visitors and members to historical societies, historic sites, and history museums.
Includes The History List, the campaign for history at the holidays, website tools and insights, social tools and insights, advertising tracking, event marketing, and more. Presented at History Camp Iowa on November 14, 2015 at the State Historical Museum of Iowa.
More information about History Camp is at HistoryCamp.org.
More information about The History List is at TheHistoryList.com
Distribution Ad Platform_ The Role of Distribution Ad Network.pdf
Marketing and communications tools for historical societies and other history organizations
1. Marketing and communications tools
for historical societies
and other history organizations
History Camp Iowa at the State Historical Museum of Iowa
November 14, 2015
2. • Keeper of your community’s history
• Challenges
– Long-term decline in membership
– Long-term decline in attendance
– Acquiring resources and expertise
• New ways to engage
– Online
– In-person
Local history organizations are critical
3. . . . more people would attend
and this might stimulate an interest
in learning more about history.
My hope: If it were easier for people to find out about
history-related events . . .
6. Resources for history professionals, board members, and volunteers
Using The History List to publicize your events
Open to all organizations
7. Resources for history professionals, board members, and volunteers
Using The History List to publicize your events
Weekly statewide
“Guide to History Events”
8. Resources for history professionals, board members, and volunteers
Using The History List to publicize your events
Enter a year of events
in about 30 minutes
9. Resources for history professionals, board members, and volunteers
Using The History List to publicize your events
Automatically included in your state’s
weekly “Guide to History Events”
10. You have unlimited space for
text, photos, and video on The
History List. If you copy and paste
a description it will never be cut
off. Change or update listings
anytime.
Anyone can edit a listing, and
every person can have their own
account.
Supports all kinds of events,
including repeating events, as
well as ongoing exhibits.
Supports multiple sites.
The History List main page
An event page
A venue page
An organization
page
11. All of your upcoming
and past events appear
automatically at the
bottom of your
organization’s page.
You only need to enter
an annual event once—
ever. As the next year’s
event approaches,
simply edit the listing
with the new date and
any other details that
have changed.
An organization page
The organization’s events appear
automatically at the bottom of their page
12. o “History Events in Massachusetts”
Weekly e-mail launched August 8, 2015
o “History Events in Rhode Island”
Weekly e-mail launched October 22, 2015
o “History Events in Iowa”
Will launch as soon as we have 20 organizations
participating and 100 individuals as subscribers
Status of the rollout of weekly statewide history
events e-mail as of November 14, 2015:
Organizations: TheHistoryList.com/start
Individuals: TheHistoryList.com/subscribe
33. Research to help you plan and promote
Attracting Visitors to Holiday Events at Historic Sites and Buildings
(October 2013)
31 page consumer research report included in the holiday materials download
55. Main content types
o Your organization, such as the board, meetings,
membership Site
o Your collection, such as documents and objects
Omeka.net, History IT, Flickr
o Your community’s history Site/blog/wiki
56. Tools for content
o Embed documents: Scribd
o Embed slide sets: SlideShare
o Embed video: YouTube
o Embed events: The History List
57. Tools for insight and engagement
o Social: AddThis
o Analytics: Google Analytics
o Subscription pop ups
60. Tours and supplemental information
for sites and collections
o Don’t use QR codes
o Use your responsive website
o [your historical society]/tour
o URL shortner
71. Next steps for organizations
o Add your organization and events to The History List
Will also appear in “Guide to History Events in Iowa”
o Use the resources at TheHistoryList.com/resources
Sign up for “Marketing Tips” newsletter
Download the “Make this holiday historic!” materials
72. Links
o TheHistoryList.com/start
Browse features and request an account to add your events
o TheHistoryList.com/subscribe
Subscribe to newsletters for individuals and organizations
o TheHistoryList.com/resources
Download the holiday campaign materials; browse other resources
and case studies
o TheHistoryList.com/conferences
Browse history conferences and online courses