about internet marketing

Trouble and trends, they say, come in threes. Today, a trifecta of deals shows how old-school web companies are engaging in a little retail therapy because they must, and because Wall Street has given them the equivalent of a year-end bonus, thanks to an uplift in tech stocks.

• Amazon is buying Quidsi, the parent of Diapers.com, for $500 million in cash, or roughly 3 times Quidsi’s 2009 sales. Diapers.com is a hit with the mommy set and is on target to generate $300 million in sales for 2010.  Amazon will assume $45 million in debt as well.


• QuinStreet, an online marketing and lead-generation company is buying CarInsurance.com for $49.7 million in cash and is expanding its footprint in the insurance business. CarInsurance.com, as the name suggests, sells car insurance online and provides leads to automobile insurers.


• Shutterfly, an online photo service, bought the assets of WMSG Inc., for $6 million and will use these to expand its commercial print-on-demand business. WSMG was in the business of helping deliver direct-marketing campaigns for large companies like Toyota and Dell

Now, while we all like to obsess about what company Google will buy next, the recent wave of M&A shows that it’s actually these old school web companies of a certain age that are looking at a current boom in tech stocks as a way to bolster their businesses. A report from the National Venture Capital Association (NVCA) recently noted that during the third quarter of 2010, there were 104 mergers, a trend they expected to continue. And why not?

Over the past two months, the tech-heavy NASDAQ composite is up almost 500 points or roughly 18.5 percent to over 2800. According to a report in the Wall Street Journal, the tech stocks in the S&P 500 are trading at 13.9 times their forward earnings, versus the average of 12.7 times for the entire index. The current rally in technology stocks is driven by profits and growing sales for companies such as QuinStreet and Amazon.

QuinStreet’s stock is up 60 percent over the past three months, while Amazon has seen its stock jump 40 percent since early September, and Shutterfly shares have climbed over 35 percent since August of this year. Positive earnings are only adding to their coffers, which in turn means they can be used to beef up their businesses.

For related research check out GigaOM Pro (subscription required):

• Cleantech Financing  Trends 2010 & Beyond


• Report: U.S. Mobile Venture Capital Investment, Q2 2010


• Motives and Possibilities for a Big Apple Acquisition

My return to New York has reminded me of the existence of “Cool.”  It was conspicuously absent from my summer stomping ground, Menlo Park, and I certainly don’t have much of it naturally, so I forgot about it until a few weeks ago.

You can imagine my not-in-Kansas-anymore reaction to passing clubs on a Saturday with a line around the corner — “hackathons” don’t exactly draw such crowds. While I’ve lived in NYC twice before during the summers of 2002 and 2009, I had mostly forgotten about Cool. Perhaps it’s because the tech world has always been the anti-Cool (or “Zero Cool” if you want…) and much of its culture and identity has been developed around an aversion to all forms of hipness.

Yet I can’t help but think about how the release of The Social Network will change mainstream perception of the tech world. In the same way that Hot Topic and Urban Decay hip-ified and mainstream-ified punk/goth/grunge right around the time when kids like me worshipped Kurt Cobain, I wonder if the same thing will happen to the once sacredly anti-Cool world of nerdom.

One of the first things I did upon my return to the city was accompany a friend to “Nerd Nite“. It was a series of lectures about topics that ranged from Race & Role Playing Games to Cancer. And while I thought I knew the types of people that attended stuff like this, I had clearly misjudged – when I looked around the room halfway through I noticed there was a healthy percentage of very dressed-up model-esque types in attendance. And for further evidence, look no further than the NY Times Sunday Styles section — with stories on TEDx, iPhones for babies, and, of course, The Social Network.

Has geekdom officially jumped the shark?

I was in high school in 2001 when the PBS Frontline Report “The Merchants of Cool” came out. I watched it with my best friend and remember how it shook our collective worlds in this profound way (when you’re 17, everything is profound). It was an hour-long exploration into how marketers try to manipulate teens. We were right in the sweet spot of the demographic and I was at once outraged and enlightened. Was everything I so deeply believed in just the product of some evil marketing overlord?

Thankfully, nerds have always been pretty crappy marketers (huge exception: Apple). They never had to be good because of phenomenons like “virality” and network effects and because advertising and branding were professions reserved for people who had some interest in Cool. The marketing budget for many tech/mobile startups is $0, even today. But I dare you to try and launch an energy drink with a $0 marketing budget.

I believe that is changing. There’s a great presentation about the impending convergence between Madison Avenue and Silicon Valley. While it will still take some time for Cool to trickle all the way across the country to Silicon Valley, I can feel its omnipresence in NYC Tech, even more strongly than I did just last summer. NYC knows how to manufacture Cool, and the cruise-ship-like behavior of big brands is finally starting to embrace “digital spend” in more creative ways (thanks Old Spice guy).

This feels somewhat new, and I’ll be honest, kind of bizarre. What happens in a world where where Paul Graham and Ashton Kutcher are homeboys, Biz Stone hawks liquor and Mark Zuckerberg is the new Kurt Cobain?

Stay tuned.

Amanda Peyton is the co-founder of MessageParty, a location-based mobile messaging application. She is a Y Combinator alumni, recent MIT Sloan graduate, and New York City resident. This column has been modified from a version originally published in her newsletter. Find out more at amandapeyton.com.

Follow us on Twitter.

Sign up for Mediaite’s daily newsletter.

eric seiger

Good <b>news</b>: State seizes newborn baby after mom eats poppy seed <b>...</b>

Hey, heard a few days ago on the news that they(they meaning either health officials here in PA or it was HHS) were going to start screening all new mothers for depression several times each year. Mandatory screenings for depression. ...

<b>News</b> Flash! Chris Christie&#39;s got junk in the trunk | The Daily <b>...</b>

Christie critics turn to weightiest issues when attacking governor.

In Hiring Joel Klein, <b>News</b> Corporation Signals Interest in <b>...</b>

Rupert Murdoch's News Corporation, signaling an interest in the education sector, has hired Joel Klein, the New York City schools chancellor. News Corporation announced Mr. Klein's hiring shortly after it was reported that he was ...

eric seiger

Trouble and trends, they say, come in threes. Today, a trifecta of deals shows how old-school web companies are engaging in a little retail therapy because they must, and because Wall Street has given them the equivalent of a year-end bonus, thanks to an uplift in tech stocks.

• Amazon is buying Quidsi, the parent of Diapers.com, for $500 million in cash, or roughly 3 times Quidsi’s 2009 sales. Diapers.com is a hit with the mommy set and is on target to generate $300 million in sales for 2010.  Amazon will assume $45 million in debt as well.


• QuinStreet, an online marketing and lead-generation company is buying CarInsurance.com for $49.7 million in cash and is expanding its footprint in the insurance business. CarInsurance.com, as the name suggests, sells car insurance online and provides leads to automobile insurers.


• Shutterfly, an online photo service, bought the assets of WMSG Inc., for $6 million and will use these to expand its commercial print-on-demand business. WSMG was in the business of helping deliver direct-marketing campaigns for large companies like Toyota and Dell

Now, while we all like to obsess about what company Google will buy next, the recent wave of M&A shows that it’s actually these old school web companies of a certain age that are looking at a current boom in tech stocks as a way to bolster their businesses. A report from the National Venture Capital Association (NVCA) recently noted that during the third quarter of 2010, there were 104 mergers, a trend they expected to continue. And why not?

Over the past two months, the tech-heavy NASDAQ composite is up almost 500 points or roughly 18.5 percent to over 2800. According to a report in the Wall Street Journal, the tech stocks in the S&P 500 are trading at 13.9 times their forward earnings, versus the average of 12.7 times for the entire index. The current rally in technology stocks is driven by profits and growing sales for companies such as QuinStreet and Amazon.

QuinStreet’s stock is up 60 percent over the past three months, while Amazon has seen its stock jump 40 percent since early September, and Shutterfly shares have climbed over 35 percent since August of this year. Positive earnings are only adding to their coffers, which in turn means they can be used to beef up their businesses.

For related research check out GigaOM Pro (subscription required):

• Cleantech Financing  Trends 2010 & Beyond


• Report: U.S. Mobile Venture Capital Investment, Q2 2010


• Motives and Possibilities for a Big Apple Acquisition

My return to New York has reminded me of the existence of “Cool.”  It was conspicuously absent from my summer stomping ground, Menlo Park, and I certainly don’t have much of it naturally, so I forgot about it until a few weeks ago.

You can imagine my not-in-Kansas-anymore reaction to passing clubs on a Saturday with a line around the corner — “hackathons” don’t exactly draw such crowds. While I’ve lived in NYC twice before during the summers of 2002 and 2009, I had mostly forgotten about Cool. Perhaps it’s because the tech world has always been the anti-Cool (or “Zero Cool” if you want…) and much of its culture and identity has been developed around an aversion to all forms of hipness.

Yet I can’t help but think about how the release of The Social Network will change mainstream perception of the tech world. In the same way that Hot Topic and Urban Decay hip-ified and mainstream-ified punk/goth/grunge right around the time when kids like me worshipped Kurt Cobain, I wonder if the same thing will happen to the once sacredly anti-Cool world of nerdom.

One of the first things I did upon my return to the city was accompany a friend to “Nerd Nite“. It was a series of lectures about topics that ranged from Race & Role Playing Games to Cancer. And while I thought I knew the types of people that attended stuff like this, I had clearly misjudged – when I looked around the room halfway through I noticed there was a healthy percentage of very dressed-up model-esque types in attendance. And for further evidence, look no further than the NY Times Sunday Styles section — with stories on TEDx, iPhones for babies, and, of course, The Social Network.

Has geekdom officially jumped the shark?

I was in high school in 2001 when the PBS Frontline Report “The Merchants of Cool” came out. I watched it with my best friend and remember how it shook our collective worlds in this profound way (when you’re 17, everything is profound). It was an hour-long exploration into how marketers try to manipulate teens. We were right in the sweet spot of the demographic and I was at once outraged and enlightened. Was everything I so deeply believed in just the product of some evil marketing overlord?

Thankfully, nerds have always been pretty crappy marketers (huge exception: Apple). They never had to be good because of phenomenons like “virality” and network effects and because advertising and branding were professions reserved for people who had some interest in Cool. The marketing budget for many tech/mobile startups is $0, even today. But I dare you to try and launch an energy drink with a $0 marketing budget.

I believe that is changing. There’s a great presentation about the impending convergence between Madison Avenue and Silicon Valley. While it will still take some time for Cool to trickle all the way across the country to Silicon Valley, I can feel its omnipresence in NYC Tech, even more strongly than I did just last summer. NYC knows how to manufacture Cool, and the cruise-ship-like behavior of big brands is finally starting to embrace “digital spend” in more creative ways (thanks Old Spice guy).

This feels somewhat new, and I’ll be honest, kind of bizarre. What happens in a world where where Paul Graham and Ashton Kutcher are homeboys, Biz Stone hawks liquor and Mark Zuckerberg is the new Kurt Cobain?

Stay tuned.

Amanda Peyton is the co-founder of MessageParty, a location-based mobile messaging application. She is a Y Combinator alumni, recent MIT Sloan graduate, and New York City resident. This column has been modified from a version originally published in her newsletter. Find out more at amandapeyton.com.

Follow us on Twitter.

Sign up for Mediaite’s daily newsletter.

eric seiger

Good <b>news</b>: State seizes newborn baby after mom eats poppy seed <b>...</b>

Hey, heard a few days ago on the news that they(they meaning either health officials here in PA or it was HHS) were going to start screening all new mothers for depression several times each year. Mandatory screenings for depression. ...

<b>News</b> Flash! Chris Christie&#39;s got junk in the trunk | The Daily <b>...</b>

Christie critics turn to weightiest issues when attacking governor.

In Hiring Joel Klein, <b>News</b> Corporation Signals Interest in <b>...</b>

Rupert Murdoch's News Corporation, signaling an interest in the education sector, has hired Joel Klein, the New York City schools chancellor. News Corporation announced Mr. Klein's hiring shortly after it was reported that he was ...

eric seiger

eric seiger

eric seiger

Good <b>news</b>: State seizes newborn baby after mom eats poppy seed <b>...</b>

Hey, heard a few days ago on the news that they(they meaning either health officials here in PA or it was HHS) were going to start screening all new mothers for depression several times each year. Mandatory screenings for depression. ...

<b>News</b> Flash! Chris Christie&#39;s got junk in the trunk | The Daily <b>...</b>

Christie critics turn to weightiest issues when attacking governor.

In Hiring Joel Klein, <b>News</b> Corporation Signals Interest in <b>...</b>

Rupert Murdoch's News Corporation, signaling an interest in the education sector, has hired Joel Klein, the New York City schools chancellor. News Corporation announced Mr. Klein's hiring shortly after it was reported that he was ...

eric seiger

Trouble and trends, they say, come in threes. Today, a trifecta of deals shows how old-school web companies are engaging in a little retail therapy because they must, and because Wall Street has given them the equivalent of a year-end bonus, thanks to an uplift in tech stocks.

• Amazon is buying Quidsi, the parent of Diapers.com, for $500 million in cash, or roughly 3 times Quidsi’s 2009 sales. Diapers.com is a hit with the mommy set and is on target to generate $300 million in sales for 2010.  Amazon will assume $45 million in debt as well.


• QuinStreet, an online marketing and lead-generation company is buying CarInsurance.com for $49.7 million in cash and is expanding its footprint in the insurance business. CarInsurance.com, as the name suggests, sells car insurance online and provides leads to automobile insurers.


• Shutterfly, an online photo service, bought the assets of WMSG Inc., for $6 million and will use these to expand its commercial print-on-demand business. WSMG was in the business of helping deliver direct-marketing campaigns for large companies like Toyota and Dell

Now, while we all like to obsess about what company Google will buy next, the recent wave of M&A shows that it’s actually these old school web companies of a certain age that are looking at a current boom in tech stocks as a way to bolster their businesses. A report from the National Venture Capital Association (NVCA) recently noted that during the third quarter of 2010, there were 104 mergers, a trend they expected to continue. And why not?

Over the past two months, the tech-heavy NASDAQ composite is up almost 500 points or roughly 18.5 percent to over 2800. According to a report in the Wall Street Journal, the tech stocks in the S&P 500 are trading at 13.9 times their forward earnings, versus the average of 12.7 times for the entire index. The current rally in technology stocks is driven by profits and growing sales for companies such as QuinStreet and Amazon.

QuinStreet’s stock is up 60 percent over the past three months, while Amazon has seen its stock jump 40 percent since early September, and Shutterfly shares have climbed over 35 percent since August of this year. Positive earnings are only adding to their coffers, which in turn means they can be used to beef up their businesses.

For related research check out GigaOM Pro (subscription required):

• Cleantech Financing  Trends 2010 & Beyond


• Report: U.S. Mobile Venture Capital Investment, Q2 2010


• Motives and Possibilities for a Big Apple Acquisition

My return to New York has reminded me of the existence of “Cool.”  It was conspicuously absent from my summer stomping ground, Menlo Park, and I certainly don’t have much of it naturally, so I forgot about it until a few weeks ago.

You can imagine my not-in-Kansas-anymore reaction to passing clubs on a Saturday with a line around the corner — “hackathons” don’t exactly draw such crowds. While I’ve lived in NYC twice before during the summers of 2002 and 2009, I had mostly forgotten about Cool. Perhaps it’s because the tech world has always been the anti-Cool (or “Zero Cool” if you want…) and much of its culture and identity has been developed around an aversion to all forms of hipness.

Yet I can’t help but think about how the release of The Social Network will change mainstream perception of the tech world. In the same way that Hot Topic and Urban Decay hip-ified and mainstream-ified punk/goth/grunge right around the time when kids like me worshipped Kurt Cobain, I wonder if the same thing will happen to the once sacredly anti-Cool world of nerdom.

One of the first things I did upon my return to the city was accompany a friend to “Nerd Nite“. It was a series of lectures about topics that ranged from Race & Role Playing Games to Cancer. And while I thought I knew the types of people that attended stuff like this, I had clearly misjudged – when I looked around the room halfway through I noticed there was a healthy percentage of very dressed-up model-esque types in attendance. And for further evidence, look no further than the NY Times Sunday Styles section — with stories on TEDx, iPhones for babies, and, of course, The Social Network.

Has geekdom officially jumped the shark?

I was in high school in 2001 when the PBS Frontline Report “The Merchants of Cool” came out. I watched it with my best friend and remember how it shook our collective worlds in this profound way (when you’re 17, everything is profound). It was an hour-long exploration into how marketers try to manipulate teens. We were right in the sweet spot of the demographic and I was at once outraged and enlightened. Was everything I so deeply believed in just the product of some evil marketing overlord?

Thankfully, nerds have always been pretty crappy marketers (huge exception: Apple). They never had to be good because of phenomenons like “virality” and network effects and because advertising and branding were professions reserved for people who had some interest in Cool. The marketing budget for many tech/mobile startups is $0, even today. But I dare you to try and launch an energy drink with a $0 marketing budget.

I believe that is changing. There’s a great presentation about the impending convergence between Madison Avenue and Silicon Valley. While it will still take some time for Cool to trickle all the way across the country to Silicon Valley, I can feel its omnipresence in NYC Tech, even more strongly than I did just last summer. NYC knows how to manufacture Cool, and the cruise-ship-like behavior of big brands is finally starting to embrace “digital spend” in more creative ways (thanks Old Spice guy).

This feels somewhat new, and I’ll be honest, kind of bizarre. What happens in a world where where Paul Graham and Ashton Kutcher are homeboys, Biz Stone hawks liquor and Mark Zuckerberg is the new Kurt Cobain?

Stay tuned.

Amanda Peyton is the co-founder of MessageParty, a location-based mobile messaging application. She is a Y Combinator alumni, recent MIT Sloan graduate, and New York City resident. This column has been modified from a version originally published in her newsletter. Find out more at amandapeyton.com.

Follow us on Twitter.

Sign up for Mediaite’s daily newsletter.

eric seiger

eric seiger

Good <b>news</b>: State seizes newborn baby after mom eats poppy seed <b>...</b>

Hey, heard a few days ago on the news that they(they meaning either health officials here in PA or it was HHS) were going to start screening all new mothers for depression several times each year. Mandatory screenings for depression. ...

<b>News</b> Flash! Chris Christie&#39;s got junk in the trunk | The Daily <b>...</b>

Christie critics turn to weightiest issues when attacking governor.

In Hiring Joel Klein, <b>News</b> Corporation Signals Interest in <b>...</b>

Rupert Murdoch's News Corporation, signaling an interest in the education sector, has hired Joel Klein, the New York City schools chancellor. News Corporation announced Mr. Klein's hiring shortly after it was reported that he was ...

eric seiger

eric seiger

Good <b>news</b>: State seizes newborn baby after mom eats poppy seed <b>...</b>

Hey, heard a few days ago on the news that they(they meaning either health officials here in PA or it was HHS) were going to start screening all new mothers for depression several times each year. Mandatory screenings for depression. ...

<b>News</b> Flash! Chris Christie&#39;s got junk in the trunk | The Daily <b>...</b>

Christie critics turn to weightiest issues when attacking governor.

In Hiring Joel Klein, <b>News</b> Corporation Signals Interest in <b>...</b>

Rupert Murdoch's News Corporation, signaling an interest in the education sector, has hired Joel Klein, the New York City schools chancellor. News Corporation announced Mr. Klein's hiring shortly after it was reported that he was ...

eric seiger

Good <b>news</b>: State seizes newborn baby after mom eats poppy seed <b>...</b>

Hey, heard a few days ago on the news that they(they meaning either health officials here in PA or it was HHS) were going to start screening all new mothers for depression several times each year. Mandatory screenings for depression. ...

<b>News</b> Flash! Chris Christie&#39;s got junk in the trunk | The Daily <b>...</b>

Christie critics turn to weightiest issues when attacking governor.

In Hiring Joel Klein, <b>News</b> Corporation Signals Interest in <b>...</b>

Rupert Murdoch's News Corporation, signaling an interest in the education sector, has hired Joel Klein, the New York City schools chancellor. News Corporation announced Mr. Klein's hiring shortly after it was reported that he was ...

eric seiger

Good <b>news</b>: State seizes newborn baby after mom eats poppy seed <b>...</b>

Hey, heard a few days ago on the news that they(they meaning either health officials here in PA or it was HHS) were going to start screening all new mothers for depression several times each year. Mandatory screenings for depression. ...

<b>News</b> Flash! Chris Christie&#39;s got junk in the trunk | The Daily <b>...</b>

Christie critics turn to weightiest issues when attacking governor.

In Hiring Joel Klein, <b>News</b> Corporation Signals Interest in <b>...</b>

Rupert Murdoch's News Corporation, signaling an interest in the education sector, has hired Joel Klein, the New York City schools chancellor. News Corporation announced Mr. Klein's hiring shortly after it was reported that he was ...

eric seiger eric seiger
eric seiger

eric seiger
eric seiger

Good <b>news</b>: State seizes newborn baby after mom eats poppy seed <b>...</b>

Hey, heard a few days ago on the news that they(they meaning either health officials here in PA or it was HHS) were going to start screening all new mothers for depression several times each year. Mandatory screenings for depression. ...

<b>News</b> Flash! Chris Christie&#39;s got junk in the trunk | The Daily <b>...</b>

Christie critics turn to weightiest issues when attacking governor.

In Hiring Joel Klein, <b>News</b> Corporation Signals Interest in <b>...</b>

Rupert Murdoch's News Corporation, signaling an interest in the education sector, has hired Joel Klein, the New York City schools chancellor. News Corporation announced Mr. Klein's hiring shortly after it was reported that he was ...

When trying to decide on an internet marketing company there are many factors to consider. But before you can decide on what will work for you, you need to understand "what is internet marketing".

Internet Marketing is an all-inclusive term for marketing products and/or services online - and like many all-inclusive terms, Internet marketing means different things to different people.

Internet marketing also refers to the placement of media along different stages of the customer engagement cycle through search engine marketing (SEM), search engine optimization (SEO), banner ads on specific websites, e-mail marketing, and Web 2.0 strategies.

Internet marketing is relatively inexpensive when compared to the ratio of cost against the reach of the target audience. Internet marketers also have the advantage of measuring statistics easily and inexpensively.

Internet marketing requires customers to use newer technologies rather than traditional media. Low-speed Internet connections or lack of an internet connection all together are some barriers to this medium.

Internet advertising and SEO companies provides professional strategy and services for marketing online, web site marketing and Internet advertising. When you research search engine optimization companies and Internet marketing firms, you will find many companies that offer outstanding web site promotion services and an expert SEM consulting. In today's internet marketing world, there are a many companies that will fit your specific needs. Not to mention that competiveness also makes the over cost very affordable. Remember; don't settle on the first company you come across. Do a competitive analysis of at least 3 different companies.

Current Internet marketing, web site promotion and search engine optimization methodologies and best practices, involves thinking about having potential new clients viewing your web site, from the time you choose your domain name until you have many rich content web pages, and you are implementing programs to increase your web site traffic.

This includes paid advertising from Google, Yahoo, MSN, etc. and natural search engine rankings. These costs can and do vary greatly. They ultimately depend on many factors, including but not limited to the following:

How competitive your keyword phrases are. If you want paid banner, text, and or Pay per Click (PPC) advertising. Remember this is marketing, search engine marketing (SEM), the bigger your budget the more multiple campaigns you can run.

How extensive of a relevant text link building campaign you want. Depending on your budget you can have a staff working on this full time or you can have a one time blast that tries to accomplish the biggest band for your buck. There are hundreds of more factors involved but as you find while doing your research, there are many options at your disposal to fit your budget.


eric seiger

Good <b>news</b>: State seizes newborn baby after mom eats poppy seed <b>...</b>

Hey, heard a few days ago on the news that they(they meaning either health officials here in PA or it was HHS) were going to start screening all new mothers for depression several times each year. Mandatory screenings for depression. ...

<b>News</b> Flash! Chris Christie&#39;s got junk in the trunk | The Daily <b>...</b>

Christie critics turn to weightiest issues when attacking governor.

In Hiring Joel Klein, <b>News</b> Corporation Signals Interest in <b>...</b>

Rupert Murdoch's News Corporation, signaling an interest in the education sector, has hired Joel Klein, the New York City schools chancellor. News Corporation announced Mr. Klein's hiring shortly after it was reported that he was ...

eric seiger

Good <b>news</b>: State seizes newborn baby after mom eats poppy seed <b>...</b>

Hey, heard a few days ago on the news that they(they meaning either health officials here in PA or it was HHS) were going to start screening all new mothers for depression several times each year. Mandatory screenings for depression. ...

<b>News</b> Flash! Chris Christie&#39;s got junk in the trunk | The Daily <b>...</b>

Christie critics turn to weightiest issues when attacking governor.

In Hiring Joel Klein, <b>News</b> Corporation Signals Interest in <b>...</b>

Rupert Murdoch's News Corporation, signaling an interest in the education sector, has hired Joel Klein, the New York City schools chancellor. News Corporation announced Mr. Klein's hiring shortly after it was reported that he was ...

eric seiger

Making Money Work

As part of the ongoing Mashable Awards, we’re taking a closer look at each of the nomination categories. This is “Must-Follow Non-Profit.” Be sure to nominate your favorites and join us for the Gala in Las Vegas! Sponsorships are available. Please contact sponsorships@mashable.com for more information.

When it comes to social good, the name of the game is creating or inspiring change, and often with limited resources. That’s why social media is so important for non-profit organizations. By allowing organizations to reach more people with less money, social media has become an integral part of the non-profit toolbox.

Groups are using social media a variety of ways, from raising money to engaging with constituents on personal and meaningful levels. The most important thing social media offers for non-profits, though, is a highly effective channel to spread awareness about their cause. “Having 10 million people is more important than $10 million,” Change.org founder and CEO Ben Rattray told Mashable recently. “For advocacy you need to mobilize people, and the web helps you mobilize people like never before.”

There are any number of worthy non-profit organizations utilizing social media in new and interesting ways; below are five that caught our eye this year as must-follow groups. Please share in the comments any other non-profits you think deserve a follow and nominate them for a Mashable Award.

1. Brooklyn Museum

More than just a great art museum, the Brooklyn Museum is one of the most social media-savvy organizations on the planet. From a mobile website that lets visitors tag items in the gallery (which, in turn, helps to organize the museum’s vast, 94,000-record online collection) to a Foursquareclass="blippr-nobr">Foursquare account that offers tips for things to do in the neighborhood and rewards mayors with special parties and other offers, the Brooklyn Museum is hip to the latest social media trends.

What’s really great about the museum, which can also be found on Tumblrclass="blippr-nobr">Tumblr, Flickrclass="blippr-nobr">Flickr, Facebookclass="blippr-nobr">Facebook, YouTubeclass="blippr-nobr">YouTube, and Twitterclass="blippr-nobr">Twitter, is that the staff is not afraid to innovate and try new things. They’re constantly testing out new social platforms and innovating new ways to use their current social media accounts. They even share the code behind some of their best ideas on GitHub!

2. Sesame Street Workshop

Sesame Street Workshop is the non-profit organization behind the beloved children’s classic television series Sesame Street, among others. And despite being 41 years old, these cats — er, Muppets — really know social media.

You can find your favorite Sesame Street residents on Twitter and Facebook (characters like Elmo, Big Bird and Oscar have their own class='blippr-nobr'>Pagesclass="blippr-nobr">pages). Where the Workshop really excels, however, is YouTube. Sesame Street Workshop has made its biggest social media splash on YouTube, with exclusive content that often features celebrity guests and frequent parodies of other digital media memes, such as the Google search stories or the Old Spice Guy, that prove the people behind Sesame Street know their stuff.

3. WildlifeDirect

Founded in 2006 by noted African conservationist Dr. Richard Leakey, WildlifeDirect aims to save endangered animals in Africa. The organization helps local conservation groups around Africa raise funds, awareness and support for their conservation projects.

WildlifeDirect can be found on many of the usual social media networks, such as Twitter and Facebook, but where it really shines is blogging. The organization has set up an active blog network of more than 100 field blogs penned by conservation groups across Africa. The blogs are one of the main drivers of donations to the conservation work that the organization supports, but they also offer a fascinating look into the struggle to save endangered species in some of the most diverse and threatened areas on Earth.

4. Kids Are Heroes

Founded in 2008 by Gabe O’Neill and his then 9-year-old daughter, MaryMargaret, Kids Are Heroes is a non-profit group that has the admirable goal of inspiring children to get involved in the act of giving back. The website offers profiles of more than 100 kids who have at a young age (some as young as 5-years-old!) had a meaningful impact on their communities and the world — whether by training diabetic service dogs, donating books to low-income families, or raising millions of dollars for out-of-work war veterans. The organization’s message is loud and clear: Kids can make a difference.

Along with the inspiring stories, the Kids Are Heroes website allows children to send “shout outs” to one another, and the group maintains active and engaging Twitter and Facebook accounts.

5. Darius Goes West

Darius Weems and the Darius Goes West project is a force to be reckoned with. Afflicted with Duchenne Muscular Dystrophy (DMD) — a genetic degenerative muscular disease that killed his older brother — Darius and 11 of his friends set out six years ago to travel across America with the ultimate goal of getting Darius’ wheelchair customized on MTV’s Pimp My Ride. The group filmed that trip and turned it into the much-celebrated documentary film, Darius Goes West.

Six years later, Darius Goes West has become a movement — non-profit vehicle to raise money and awareness for the search for a DMD cure that now seems so tantalizingly close. Darius, who continues to defy the odds, recently turned 21 years old and the Darius Goes West crew continue to come up with innovative ways to spread their message and raise money using social media. From raising money through Facebook widgets to inspiring people to do crazy things in the name of charity, Darius Goes West is a must-follow cause for their innovation and unflappable humor.

What’s Your Take?

Which non-profits should we absolutely follow? Let us know your picks and recommendations in the comments below or nominate them for the Mashable Awards.

The Mashable Awards Gala at Cirque du Soleil Zumanity (Vegas)/>

In partnership with Cirque du Soleil, The Mashable Awards Gala event will bring together the winners and nominees, the class='blippr-nobr'>Mashableclass="blippr-nobr">Mashable community, partners, media, the marketing community, consumer electronics and technology brands and attendees from the 2011 International CES Convention to Las Vegas on Thursday, January 6, 2011. Together, we will celebrate the winners and the community of the Mashable Awards at the Cirque du Soleil Zumanity stage in the beautiful New York New York Hotel. The event will include acts and performances from our partner Cirque du Soleil Zumanity. In addition, there will be special guest presenters and appearances.

Date: Thursday, January 6th, 2011 (during International CES Convention week)/> Time: 7:00 – 10:00 pm PT/> Location: Cirque du Soleil Zumanity, New York New York Hotel, Las Vegas/> Agenda: Networking, Open Bars, Acts, Surprises and the Mashable Awards Gala presentations/> Socialize: Facebook, Foursquare, Meetup, Plancast, Twitter (Hashtag: #MashableAwards)

Sponsorships are available. Please contact sponsorships@mashable.com for more information.

Thanks to our sponsors:

Mashable Awards Gala Partner:

From a group of 20 street performers at its beginnings in 1984, Cirque du Soleil is now a global entertainment organization providing high-quality artistic entertainment. The company has over 5,000 employees, including more than 1,200 artists from close to 50 different countries.

Cirque du Soleil has brought wonder and delight to nearly 100 million spectators in 300 cities on five continents. In 2010 Cirque du Soleil, will present 21 shows simultaneously throughout the world, including seven in Las Vegas.

For more information about Cirque du Soleil, visit www.cirquedusoleil.com

Mashable Awards Online Partner:

Have you ever wished for your own personal gourmet Chef?

The Fresh Diet is like having a Cordon Bleu chef prepare your meals in your own kitchen. There’s no cooking, cleaning, shopping – just fresh prepared delicious meals, hand delivered to your door daily! Whether you want to lose weight or just want to eat healthy, The Fresh Diet can help you meet your goals. The best news, we’re giving away a FREE week of The Fresh Diet every day on our Facebook page. Just click here to become a fan and you could be the next winner. Join now!

Mashable Awards Partner:

Join us at the 2011 International CES®, the global platform for inspired ideas and innovation. With 2,500 exhibitors, CES continues to be the world’s largest consumer technology tradeshow and always reflects the dynamic consumer electronics industry. The International CES is not open to the general public and all attendees must be in the CE industry to be eligible to attend the show. Register FREE for the 2011 CES with priority code MSHB, an exclusive promotion for Mashable Readers.

Mashable Awards Category Sponsor:

About Research In Motion (RIM)

Research In Motion is a leading designer, manufacturer and marketer of innovative wireless solutions for the worldwide mobile communications market. Through the development of integrated hardware, software and services that support multiple wireless network standards, RIM provides platforms and solutions for seamless access to time-sensitive information including email, phone, SMS messaging, class='blippr-nobr'>Internetclass="blippr-nobr">Internet and intranet-based applications including the BlackBerry® wireless platform. For the latest on BlackBerry products join us at www.facebook.com/BlackBerry.

Mashable Awards Gala Silver Sponsor:

Aro Mobile is an intelligent mobile experience that includes better email, connected contacts, smarter calendar and improved browsing.

The Aro system automatically learns what’s important in your life—the people, places, dates and organizations you care about most. In your communications, Aro automatically identifies people, places, events, dates,organizations and locations. From any recognized term, Aro offers quick action menus to speed up your day.

The unique Aro experience is powered by advanced web services: next generation natural language processing and semantic data analytics services. Aro gives you the power to see through the clutter and focus your mobile life.

About Research In Motion (RIM)

Research In Motion is a leading designer, manufacturer and marketer of innovative wireless solutions for the worldwide mobile communications market. Through the development of integrated hardware, software and services that support multiple wireless network standards, RIM provides platforms and solutions for seamless access to time-sensitive information including email, phone, SMS messaging, Internet and intranet-based applications including the BlackBerry® wireless platform. For the latest on BlackBerry products join us at www.facebook.com/BlackBerry.

Mashable Awards Gala VIP Lounge sponsor:

Influxis specializes in the deployment of creative streaming solutions. Services include large scale deployment, mobile streaming, turn-key applications, and enterprise support with custom network options. With the unique combination of a worldwide network, knowledgeable developer support and nearly a decade of streaming media experience, Influxis is an essential partner to businesses, advertisers, developers, educators, and others who seek expertise in innovative streaming.

Mashable Awards After Party Sponsor:

About Research In Motion (RIM)

Research In Motion is a leading designer, manufacturer and marketer of innovative wireless solutions for the worldwide mobile communications market. Through the development of integrated hardware, software and services that support multiple wireless network standards, RIM provides platforms and solutions for seamless access to time-sensitive information including email, phone, SMS messaging, Internet and intranet-based applications including the BlackBerry® wireless platform. For the latest on BlackBerry products join us at www.facebook.com/BlackBerry.

Image courtesy of iStockphotoclass="blippr-nobr">iStockphoto, snapperharmer

For more Social Good coverage:

class="f-el">class="cov-twit">Follow Mashable Social Goodclass="s-el">class="cov-rss">Subscribe to the Social Good channelclass="f-el">class="cov-fb">Become a Fan on Facebookclass="s-el">class="cov-apple">Download our free apps for iPhone and iPad

Most of the big media companies have big stakes in digital games, except News Corp. But Rupert Murdoch’s company is trying to catch up–without spending a lot of money.

The latest move: News Corp. has acquired Making Fun, a one-year-old social games start-up, and will fold it into the gaming unit it started up earlier this year.

Sean Ryan, who is overseeing the games business, says he’ll put Making Fun’s talent to work building out a platform designed to support games on Facebook, Myspace, Apple’s iPhone and Google’s Android. The move comes six months after News Corp.’s first social games move, when it picked up game developer Irata Labs. (News Corp. also owns Dow Jones, which owns this site.)

Ryan wouldn’t disclose a price for the deal, but it’s likely a modest one, given that this is essentially an “acqhire” of Making Fun’s small team, particularly founders John Welch and Lee Crawford. Ryan will also pick up the Making Fun name. He’ll use it to brand his mini-division, which is attached to, but separate from, News Corp.’s IGN gaming review site.

Ryan says his first games will debut early next year on Facebook and Myspace, followed by ports to iPhone and Android.

eric seiger

Lindy guarantees it, or did he? - Sabres Edge - Blogs - The <b>...</b>

The Buffalo News updated every day with news from Buffalo, New York. Links to national and business news, entertainment listings, recipes, sports teams, classified ads, death notices.

Facebook Wins Another <b>News</b> Feed Patent

When Facebook originally filed for the patent in the fall of 2006, it was just a month before the company launched its news feed. It argued at the time that as more and more users joined the social network, the amount of information it ...

<b>News</b> - Dad: How Demi Lovato Is Holding Up - Celebrity <b>News</b> <b>...</b>

"I want her to be happy," Patrick Lovato tells Us.

eric seiger

As part of the ongoing Mashable Awards, we’re taking a closer look at each of the nomination categories. This is “Must-Follow Non-Profit.” Be sure to nominate your favorites and join us for the Gala in Las Vegas! Sponsorships are available. Please contact sponsorships@mashable.com for more information.

When it comes to social good, the name of the game is creating or inspiring change, and often with limited resources. That’s why social media is so important for non-profit organizations. By allowing organizations to reach more people with less money, social media has become an integral part of the non-profit toolbox.

Groups are using social media a variety of ways, from raising money to engaging with constituents on personal and meaningful levels. The most important thing social media offers for non-profits, though, is a highly effective channel to spread awareness about their cause. “Having 10 million people is more important than $10 million,” Change.org founder and CEO Ben Rattray told Mashable recently. “For advocacy you need to mobilize people, and the web helps you mobilize people like never before.”

There are any number of worthy non-profit organizations utilizing social media in new and interesting ways; below are five that caught our eye this year as must-follow groups. Please share in the comments any other non-profits you think deserve a follow and nominate them for a Mashable Award.

1. Brooklyn Museum

More than just a great art museum, the Brooklyn Museum is one of the most social media-savvy organizations on the planet. From a mobile website that lets visitors tag items in the gallery (which, in turn, helps to organize the museum’s vast, 94,000-record online collection) to a Foursquareclass="blippr-nobr">Foursquare account that offers tips for things to do in the neighborhood and rewards mayors with special parties and other offers, the Brooklyn Museum is hip to the latest social media trends.

What’s really great about the museum, which can also be found on Tumblrclass="blippr-nobr">Tumblr, Flickrclass="blippr-nobr">Flickr, Facebookclass="blippr-nobr">Facebook, YouTubeclass="blippr-nobr">YouTube, and Twitterclass="blippr-nobr">Twitter, is that the staff is not afraid to innovate and try new things. They’re constantly testing out new social platforms and innovating new ways to use their current social media accounts. They even share the code behind some of their best ideas on GitHub!

2. Sesame Street Workshop

Sesame Street Workshop is the non-profit organization behind the beloved children’s classic television series Sesame Street, among others. And despite being 41 years old, these cats — er, Muppets — really know social media.

You can find your favorite Sesame Street residents on Twitter and Facebook (characters like Elmo, Big Bird and Oscar have their own class='blippr-nobr'>Pagesclass="blippr-nobr">pages). Where the Workshop really excels, however, is YouTube. Sesame Street Workshop has made its biggest social media splash on YouTube, with exclusive content that often features celebrity guests and frequent parodies of other digital media memes, such as the Google search stories or the Old Spice Guy, that prove the people behind Sesame Street know their stuff.

3. WildlifeDirect

Founded in 2006 by noted African conservationist Dr. Richard Leakey, WildlifeDirect aims to save endangered animals in Africa. The organization helps local conservation groups around Africa raise funds, awareness and support for their conservation projects.

WildlifeDirect can be found on many of the usual social media networks, such as Twitter and Facebook, but where it really shines is blogging. The organization has set up an active blog network of more than 100 field blogs penned by conservation groups across Africa. The blogs are one of the main drivers of donations to the conservation work that the organization supports, but they also offer a fascinating look into the struggle to save endangered species in some of the most diverse and threatened areas on Earth.

4. Kids Are Heroes

Founded in 2008 by Gabe O’Neill and his then 9-year-old daughter, MaryMargaret, Kids Are Heroes is a non-profit group that has the admirable goal of inspiring children to get involved in the act of giving back. The website offers profiles of more than 100 kids who have at a young age (some as young as 5-years-old!) had a meaningful impact on their communities and the world — whether by training diabetic service dogs, donating books to low-income families, or raising millions of dollars for out-of-work war veterans. The organization’s message is loud and clear: Kids can make a difference.

Along with the inspiring stories, the Kids Are Heroes website allows children to send “shout outs” to one another, and the group maintains active and engaging Twitter and Facebook accounts.

5. Darius Goes West

Darius Weems and the Darius Goes West project is a force to be reckoned with. Afflicted with Duchenne Muscular Dystrophy (DMD) — a genetic degenerative muscular disease that killed his older brother — Darius and 11 of his friends set out six years ago to travel across America with the ultimate goal of getting Darius’ wheelchair customized on MTV’s Pimp My Ride. The group filmed that trip and turned it into the much-celebrated documentary film, Darius Goes West.

Six years later, Darius Goes West has become a movement — non-profit vehicle to raise money and awareness for the search for a DMD cure that now seems so tantalizingly close. Darius, who continues to defy the odds, recently turned 21 years old and the Darius Goes West crew continue to come up with innovative ways to spread their message and raise money using social media. From raising money through Facebook widgets to inspiring people to do crazy things in the name of charity, Darius Goes West is a must-follow cause for their innovation and unflappable humor.

What’s Your Take?

Which non-profits should we absolutely follow? Let us know your picks and recommendations in the comments below or nominate them for the Mashable Awards.

The Mashable Awards Gala at Cirque du Soleil Zumanity (Vegas)/>

In partnership with Cirque du Soleil, The Mashable Awards Gala event will bring together the winners and nominees, the class='blippr-nobr'>Mashableclass="blippr-nobr">Mashable community, partners, media, the marketing community, consumer electronics and technology brands and attendees from the 2011 International CES Convention to Las Vegas on Thursday, January 6, 2011. Together, we will celebrate the winners and the community of the Mashable Awards at the Cirque du Soleil Zumanity stage in the beautiful New York New York Hotel. The event will include acts and performances from our partner Cirque du Soleil Zumanity. In addition, there will be special guest presenters and appearances.

Date: Thursday, January 6th, 2011 (during International CES Convention week)/> Time: 7:00 – 10:00 pm PT/> Location: Cirque du Soleil Zumanity, New York New York Hotel, Las Vegas/> Agenda: Networking, Open Bars, Acts, Surprises and the Mashable Awards Gala presentations/> Socialize: Facebook, Foursquare, Meetup, Plancast, Twitter (Hashtag: #MashableAwards)

Sponsorships are available. Please contact sponsorships@mashable.com for more information.

Thanks to our sponsors:

Mashable Awards Gala Partner:

From a group of 20 street performers at its beginnings in 1984, Cirque du Soleil is now a global entertainment organization providing high-quality artistic entertainment. The company has over 5,000 employees, including more than 1,200 artists from close to 50 different countries.

Cirque du Soleil has brought wonder and delight to nearly 100 million spectators in 300 cities on five continents. In 2010 Cirque du Soleil, will present 21 shows simultaneously throughout the world, including seven in Las Vegas.

For more information about Cirque du Soleil, visit www.cirquedusoleil.com

Mashable Awards Online Partner:

Have you ever wished for your own personal gourmet Chef?

The Fresh Diet is like having a Cordon Bleu chef prepare your meals in your own kitchen. There’s no cooking, cleaning, shopping – just fresh prepared delicious meals, hand delivered to your door daily! Whether you want to lose weight or just want to eat healthy, The Fresh Diet can help you meet your goals. The best news, we’re giving away a FREE week of The Fresh Diet every day on our Facebook page. Just click here to become a fan and you could be the next winner. Join now!

Mashable Awards Partner:

Join us at the 2011 International CES®, the global platform for inspired ideas and innovation. With 2,500 exhibitors, CES continues to be the world’s largest consumer technology tradeshow and always reflects the dynamic consumer electronics industry. The International CES is not open to the general public and all attendees must be in the CE industry to be eligible to attend the show. Register FREE for the 2011 CES with priority code MSHB, an exclusive promotion for Mashable Readers.

Mashable Awards Category Sponsor:

About Research In Motion (RIM)

Research In Motion is a leading designer, manufacturer and marketer of innovative wireless solutions for the worldwide mobile communications market. Through the development of integrated hardware, software and services that support multiple wireless network standards, RIM provides platforms and solutions for seamless access to time-sensitive information including email, phone, SMS messaging, class='blippr-nobr'>Internetclass="blippr-nobr">Internet and intranet-based applications including the BlackBerry® wireless platform. For the latest on BlackBerry products join us at www.facebook.com/BlackBerry.

Mashable Awards Gala Silver Sponsor:

Aro Mobile is an intelligent mobile experience that includes better email, connected contacts, smarter calendar and improved browsing.

The Aro system automatically learns what’s important in your life—the people, places, dates and organizations you care about most. In your communications, Aro automatically identifies people, places, events, dates,organizations and locations. From any recognized term, Aro offers quick action menus to speed up your day.

The unique Aro experience is powered by advanced web services: next generation natural language processing and semantic data analytics services. Aro gives you the power to see through the clutter and focus your mobile life.

About Research In Motion (RIM)

Research In Motion is a leading designer, manufacturer and marketer of innovative wireless solutions for the worldwide mobile communications market. Through the development of integrated hardware, software and services that support multiple wireless network standards, RIM provides platforms and solutions for seamless access to time-sensitive information including email, phone, SMS messaging, Internet and intranet-based applications including the BlackBerry® wireless platform. For the latest on BlackBerry products join us at www.facebook.com/BlackBerry.

Mashable Awards Gala VIP Lounge sponsor:

Influxis specializes in the deployment of creative streaming solutions. Services include large scale deployment, mobile streaming, turn-key applications, and enterprise support with custom network options. With the unique combination of a worldwide network, knowledgeable developer support and nearly a decade of streaming media experience, Influxis is an essential partner to businesses, advertisers, developers, educators, and others who seek expertise in innovative streaming.

Mashable Awards After Party Sponsor:

About Research In Motion (RIM)

Research In Motion is a leading designer, manufacturer and marketer of innovative wireless solutions for the worldwide mobile communications market. Through the development of integrated hardware, software and services that support multiple wireless network standards, RIM provides platforms and solutions for seamless access to time-sensitive information including email, phone, SMS messaging, Internet and intranet-based applications including the BlackBerry® wireless platform. For the latest on BlackBerry products join us at www.facebook.com/BlackBerry.

Image courtesy of iStockphotoclass="blippr-nobr">iStockphoto, snapperharmer

For more Social Good coverage:

class="f-el">class="cov-twit">Follow Mashable Social Goodclass="s-el">class="cov-rss">Subscribe to the Social Good channelclass="f-el">class="cov-fb">Become a Fan on Facebookclass="s-el">class="cov-apple">Download our free apps for iPhone and iPad

Most of the big media companies have big stakes in digital games, except News Corp. But Rupert Murdoch’s company is trying to catch up–without spending a lot of money.

The latest move: News Corp. has acquired Making Fun, a one-year-old social games start-up, and will fold it into the gaming unit it started up earlier this year.

Sean Ryan, who is overseeing the games business, says he’ll put Making Fun’s talent to work building out a platform designed to support games on Facebook, Myspace, Apple’s iPhone and Google’s Android. The move comes six months after News Corp.’s first social games move, when it picked up game developer Irata Labs. (News Corp. also owns Dow Jones, which owns this site.)

Ryan wouldn’t disclose a price for the deal, but it’s likely a modest one, given that this is essentially an “acqhire” of Making Fun’s small team, particularly founders John Welch and Lee Crawford. Ryan will also pick up the Making Fun name. He’ll use it to brand his mini-division, which is attached to, but separate from, News Corp.’s IGN gaming review site.

Ryan says his first games will debut early next year on Facebook and Myspace, followed by ports to iPhone and Android.

eric seiger

Lindy guarantees it, or did he? - Sabres Edge - Blogs - The <b>...</b>

The Buffalo News updated every day with news from Buffalo, New York. Links to national and business news, entertainment listings, recipes, sports teams, classified ads, death notices.

Facebook Wins Another <b>News</b> Feed Patent

When Facebook originally filed for the patent in the fall of 2006, it was just a month before the company launched its news feed. It argued at the time that as more and more users joined the social network, the amount of information it ...

<b>News</b> - Dad: How Demi Lovato Is Holding Up - Celebrity <b>News</b> <b>...</b>

"I want her to be happy," Patrick Lovato tells Us.

eric seiger

eric seiger

eric seiger

Lindy guarantees it, or did he? - Sabres Edge - Blogs - The <b>...</b>

The Buffalo News updated every day with news from Buffalo, New York. Links to national and business news, entertainment listings, recipes, sports teams, classified ads, death notices.

Facebook Wins Another <b>News</b> Feed Patent

When Facebook originally filed for the patent in the fall of 2006, it was just a month before the company launched its news feed. It argued at the time that as more and more users joined the social network, the amount of information it ...

<b>News</b> - Dad: How Demi Lovato Is Holding Up - Celebrity <b>News</b> <b>...</b>

"I want her to be happy," Patrick Lovato tells Us.

eric seiger

As part of the ongoing Mashable Awards, we’re taking a closer look at each of the nomination categories. This is “Must-Follow Non-Profit.” Be sure to nominate your favorites and join us for the Gala in Las Vegas! Sponsorships are available. Please contact sponsorships@mashable.com for more information.

When it comes to social good, the name of the game is creating or inspiring change, and often with limited resources. That’s why social media is so important for non-profit organizations. By allowing organizations to reach more people with less money, social media has become an integral part of the non-profit toolbox.

Groups are using social media a variety of ways, from raising money to engaging with constituents on personal and meaningful levels. The most important thing social media offers for non-profits, though, is a highly effective channel to spread awareness about their cause. “Having 10 million people is more important than $10 million,” Change.org founder and CEO Ben Rattray told Mashable recently. “For advocacy you need to mobilize people, and the web helps you mobilize people like never before.”

There are any number of worthy non-profit organizations utilizing social media in new and interesting ways; below are five that caught our eye this year as must-follow groups. Please share in the comments any other non-profits you think deserve a follow and nominate them for a Mashable Award.

1. Brooklyn Museum

More than just a great art museum, the Brooklyn Museum is one of the most social media-savvy organizations on the planet. From a mobile website that lets visitors tag items in the gallery (which, in turn, helps to organize the museum’s vast, 94,000-record online collection) to a Foursquareclass="blippr-nobr">Foursquare account that offers tips for things to do in the neighborhood and rewards mayors with special parties and other offers, the Brooklyn Museum is hip to the latest social media trends.

What’s really great about the museum, which can also be found on Tumblrclass="blippr-nobr">Tumblr, Flickrclass="blippr-nobr">Flickr, Facebookclass="blippr-nobr">Facebook, YouTubeclass="blippr-nobr">YouTube, and Twitterclass="blippr-nobr">Twitter, is that the staff is not afraid to innovate and try new things. They’re constantly testing out new social platforms and innovating new ways to use their current social media accounts. They even share the code behind some of their best ideas on GitHub!

2. Sesame Street Workshop

Sesame Street Workshop is the non-profit organization behind the beloved children’s classic television series Sesame Street, among others. And despite being 41 years old, these cats — er, Muppets — really know social media.

You can find your favorite Sesame Street residents on Twitter and Facebook (characters like Elmo, Big Bird and Oscar have their own class='blippr-nobr'>Pagesclass="blippr-nobr">pages). Where the Workshop really excels, however, is YouTube. Sesame Street Workshop has made its biggest social media splash on YouTube, with exclusive content that often features celebrity guests and frequent parodies of other digital media memes, such as the Google search stories or the Old Spice Guy, that prove the people behind Sesame Street know their stuff.

3. WildlifeDirect

Founded in 2006 by noted African conservationist Dr. Richard Leakey, WildlifeDirect aims to save endangered animals in Africa. The organization helps local conservation groups around Africa raise funds, awareness and support for their conservation projects.

WildlifeDirect can be found on many of the usual social media networks, such as Twitter and Facebook, but where it really shines is blogging. The organization has set up an active blog network of more than 100 field blogs penned by conservation groups across Africa. The blogs are one of the main drivers of donations to the conservation work that the organization supports, but they also offer a fascinating look into the struggle to save endangered species in some of the most diverse and threatened areas on Earth.

4. Kids Are Heroes

Founded in 2008 by Gabe O’Neill and his then 9-year-old daughter, MaryMargaret, Kids Are Heroes is a non-profit group that has the admirable goal of inspiring children to get involved in the act of giving back. The website offers profiles of more than 100 kids who have at a young age (some as young as 5-years-old!) had a meaningful impact on their communities and the world — whether by training diabetic service dogs, donating books to low-income families, or raising millions of dollars for out-of-work war veterans. The organization’s message is loud and clear: Kids can make a difference.

Along with the inspiring stories, the Kids Are Heroes website allows children to send “shout outs” to one another, and the group maintains active and engaging Twitter and Facebook accounts.

5. Darius Goes West

Darius Weems and the Darius Goes West project is a force to be reckoned with. Afflicted with Duchenne Muscular Dystrophy (DMD) — a genetic degenerative muscular disease that killed his older brother — Darius and 11 of his friends set out six years ago to travel across America with the ultimate goal of getting Darius’ wheelchair customized on MTV’s Pimp My Ride. The group filmed that trip and turned it into the much-celebrated documentary film, Darius Goes West.

Six years later, Darius Goes West has become a movement — non-profit vehicle to raise money and awareness for the search for a DMD cure that now seems so tantalizingly close. Darius, who continues to defy the odds, recently turned 21 years old and the Darius Goes West crew continue to come up with innovative ways to spread their message and raise money using social media. From raising money through Facebook widgets to inspiring people to do crazy things in the name of charity, Darius Goes West is a must-follow cause for their innovation and unflappable humor.

What’s Your Take?

Which non-profits should we absolutely follow? Let us know your picks and recommendations in the comments below or nominate them for the Mashable Awards.

The Mashable Awards Gala at Cirque du Soleil Zumanity (Vegas)/>

In partnership with Cirque du Soleil, The Mashable Awards Gala event will bring together the winners and nominees, the class='blippr-nobr'>Mashableclass="blippr-nobr">Mashable community, partners, media, the marketing community, consumer electronics and technology brands and attendees from the 2011 International CES Convention to Las Vegas on Thursday, January 6, 2011. Together, we will celebrate the winners and the community of the Mashable Awards at the Cirque du Soleil Zumanity stage in the beautiful New York New York Hotel. The event will include acts and performances from our partner Cirque du Soleil Zumanity. In addition, there will be special guest presenters and appearances.

Date: Thursday, January 6th, 2011 (during International CES Convention week)/> Time: 7:00 – 10:00 pm PT/> Location: Cirque du Soleil Zumanity, New York New York Hotel, Las Vegas/> Agenda: Networking, Open Bars, Acts, Surprises and the Mashable Awards Gala presentations/> Socialize: Facebook, Foursquare, Meetup, Plancast, Twitter (Hashtag: #MashableAwards)

Sponsorships are available. Please contact sponsorships@mashable.com for more information.

Thanks to our sponsors:

Mashable Awards Gala Partner:

From a group of 20 street performers at its beginnings in 1984, Cirque du Soleil is now a global entertainment organization providing high-quality artistic entertainment. The company has over 5,000 employees, including more than 1,200 artists from close to 50 different countries.

Cirque du Soleil has brought wonder and delight to nearly 100 million spectators in 300 cities on five continents. In 2010 Cirque du Soleil, will present 21 shows simultaneously throughout the world, including seven in Las Vegas.

For more information about Cirque du Soleil, visit www.cirquedusoleil.com

Mashable Awards Online Partner:

Have you ever wished for your own personal gourmet Chef?

The Fresh Diet is like having a Cordon Bleu chef prepare your meals in your own kitchen. There’s no cooking, cleaning, shopping – just fresh prepared delicious meals, hand delivered to your door daily! Whether you want to lose weight or just want to eat healthy, The Fresh Diet can help you meet your goals. The best news, we’re giving away a FREE week of The Fresh Diet every day on our Facebook page. Just click here to become a fan and you could be the next winner. Join now!

Mashable Awards Partner:

Join us at the 2011 International CES®, the global platform for inspired ideas and innovation. With 2,500 exhibitors, CES continues to be the world’s largest consumer technology tradeshow and always reflects the dynamic consumer electronics industry. The International CES is not open to the general public and all attendees must be in the CE industry to be eligible to attend the show. Register FREE for the 2011 CES with priority code MSHB, an exclusive promotion for Mashable Readers.

Mashable Awards Category Sponsor:

About Research In Motion (RIM)

Research In Motion is a leading designer, manufacturer and marketer of innovative wireless solutions for the worldwide mobile communications market. Through the development of integrated hardware, software and services that support multiple wireless network standards, RIM provides platforms and solutions for seamless access to time-sensitive information including email, phone, SMS messaging, class='blippr-nobr'>Internetclass="blippr-nobr">Internet and intranet-based applications including the BlackBerry® wireless platform. For the latest on BlackBerry products join us at www.facebook.com/BlackBerry.

Mashable Awards Gala Silver Sponsor:

Aro Mobile is an intelligent mobile experience that includes better email, connected contacts, smarter calendar and improved browsing.

The Aro system automatically learns what’s important in your life—the people, places, dates and organizations you care about most. In your communications, Aro automatically identifies people, places, events, dates,organizations and locations. From any recognized term, Aro offers quick action menus to speed up your day.

The unique Aro experience is powered by advanced web services: next generation natural language processing and semantic data analytics services. Aro gives you the power to see through the clutter and focus your mobile life.

About Research In Motion (RIM)

Research In Motion is a leading designer, manufacturer and marketer of innovative wireless solutions for the worldwide mobile communications market. Through the development of integrated hardware, software and services that support multiple wireless network standards, RIM provides platforms and solutions for seamless access to time-sensitive information including email, phone, SMS messaging, Internet and intranet-based applications including the BlackBerry® wireless platform. For the latest on BlackBerry products join us at www.facebook.com/BlackBerry.

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About Research In Motion (RIM)

Research In Motion is a leading designer, manufacturer and marketer of innovative wireless solutions for the worldwide mobile communications market. Through the development of integrated hardware, software and services that support multiple wireless network standards, RIM provides platforms and solutions for seamless access to time-sensitive information including email, phone, SMS messaging, Internet and intranet-based applications including the BlackBerry® wireless platform. For the latest on BlackBerry products join us at www.facebook.com/BlackBerry.

Image courtesy of iStockphotoclass="blippr-nobr">iStockphoto, snapperharmer

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Most of the big media companies have big stakes in digital games, except News Corp. But Rupert Murdoch’s company is trying to catch up–without spending a lot of money.

The latest move: News Corp. has acquired Making Fun, a one-year-old social games start-up, and will fold it into the gaming unit it started up earlier this year.

Sean Ryan, who is overseeing the games business, says he’ll put Making Fun’s talent to work building out a platform designed to support games on Facebook, Myspace, Apple’s iPhone and Google’s Android. The move comes six months after News Corp.’s first social games move, when it picked up game developer Irata Labs. (News Corp. also owns Dow Jones, which owns this site.)

Ryan wouldn’t disclose a price for the deal, but it’s likely a modest one, given that this is essentially an “acqhire” of Making Fun’s small team, particularly founders John Welch and Lee Crawford. Ryan will also pick up the Making Fun name. He’ll use it to brand his mini-division, which is attached to, but separate from, News Corp.’s IGN gaming review site.

Ryan says his first games will debut early next year on Facebook and Myspace, followed by ports to iPhone and Android.

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eric seiger

Lindy guarantees it, or did he? - Sabres Edge - Blogs - The <b>...</b>

The Buffalo News updated every day with news from Buffalo, New York. Links to national and business news, entertainment listings, recipes, sports teams, classified ads, death notices.

Facebook Wins Another <b>News</b> Feed Patent

When Facebook originally filed for the patent in the fall of 2006, it was just a month before the company launched its news feed. It argued at the time that as more and more users joined the social network, the amount of information it ...

<b>News</b> - Dad: How Demi Lovato Is Holding Up - Celebrity <b>News</b> <b>...</b>

"I want her to be happy," Patrick Lovato tells Us.

eric seiger

eric seiger

Lindy guarantees it, or did he? - Sabres Edge - Blogs - The <b>...</b>

The Buffalo News updated every day with news from Buffalo, New York. Links to national and business news, entertainment listings, recipes, sports teams, classified ads, death notices.

Facebook Wins Another <b>News</b> Feed Patent

When Facebook originally filed for the patent in the fall of 2006, it was just a month before the company launched its news feed. It argued at the time that as more and more users joined the social network, the amount of information it ...

<b>News</b> - Dad: How Demi Lovato Is Holding Up - Celebrity <b>News</b> <b>...</b>

"I want her to be happy," Patrick Lovato tells Us.

eric seiger

Lindy guarantees it, or did he? - Sabres Edge - Blogs - The <b>...</b>

The Buffalo News updated every day with news from Buffalo, New York. Links to national and business news, entertainment listings, recipes, sports teams, classified ads, death notices.

Facebook Wins Another <b>News</b> Feed Patent

When Facebook originally filed for the patent in the fall of 2006, it was just a month before the company launched its news feed. It argued at the time that as more and more users joined the social network, the amount of information it ...

<b>News</b> - Dad: How Demi Lovato Is Holding Up - Celebrity <b>News</b> <b>...</b>

"I want her to be happy," Patrick Lovato tells Us.

eric seiger

Lindy guarantees it, or did he? - Sabres Edge - Blogs - The <b>...</b>

The Buffalo News updated every day with news from Buffalo, New York. Links to national and business news, entertainment listings, recipes, sports teams, classified ads, death notices.

Facebook Wins Another <b>News</b> Feed Patent

When Facebook originally filed for the patent in the fall of 2006, it was just a month before the company launched its news feed. It argued at the time that as more and more users joined the social network, the amount of information it ...

<b>News</b> - Dad: How Demi Lovato Is Holding Up - Celebrity <b>News</b> <b>...</b>

"I want her to be happy," Patrick Lovato tells Us.

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eric seiger

eric seiger
eric seiger

Lindy guarantees it, or did he? - Sabres Edge - Blogs - The <b>...</b>

The Buffalo News updated every day with news from Buffalo, New York. Links to national and business news, entertainment listings, recipes, sports teams, classified ads, death notices.

Facebook Wins Another <b>News</b> Feed Patent

When Facebook originally filed for the patent in the fall of 2006, it was just a month before the company launched its news feed. It argued at the time that as more and more users joined the social network, the amount of information it ...

<b>News</b> - Dad: How Demi Lovato Is Holding Up - Celebrity <b>News</b> <b>...</b>

"I want her to be happy," Patrick Lovato tells Us.

big seminar 14

Amazon MTurk is one of many Amazon sites out there that is categorized as an "Amazon Web Services" site. The goal of the site is to be a marketplace that enable computer programs and people to hardness and use human intelligence. Sold to many in advertisements and statements as "the first Human Intelligence API", this site is a great example of a current trend in information services - "crowd sourcing". Requesting a "unit of work" or HIT (Human Intelligence Task) to be done, such as writing an article or sorting image files, many of the most frequent users of MTurk use software that do the majority of the requesting for them. Using Amazon payments to create a funds source to pay their workers, after the initial payment, this too can be automated so that payments are automatically taken from the card or account. This makes it unique and also make it a valuable and fit very well with the theme of "computerized marketplace harnessing human intelligence".

My experience with the site is not limited to using it as someone who has completed "HITs" on the site also known as a "MTurk Worker" but also as one of those asking for some of the work to be done -a "MTurk Requester". I've been using this site to complete web sites by asking for MTurk workers to create images and write very specific content and also get feedback on my sites, blog and software.

The workers must reside either in the United States or India, or at the very least have an address in India or the US. Other than that and meeting the qualifications for each "HIT" which vary and can come in the form of percent of "HITs" accepted or skills tests, all that needs to be done is to complete each task and then wait for review and or acceptance and then the amount paid for the "HIT" will be paid to the balance of your Amazon Payments account.

I find MTurk to be a refreshing option for making money. Many of the jobs are very unique "work" that you won't find in a full or part-time employment position and that you definitely won't be asked to work on from home anywhere else. Payments are easy and the MTurk pay-outs, while usually not huge are easy to appreciate and initiate. anyone with an Amazon Payments account can direct deposit the funds in it to their bank account or request pay-out in the form of an Amazon.com gift card. Amazon receives a ten percent commission and so far as I've experienced, the work never dies out so it's keeping itself afloat providing work done by the Workers to the Requesters.

Starting out on the site is simple . All that is require is a PC/Mac, you and an internet connection. Firing up your web browser and pointing it to the MTurk site (Mturk.com), click the Worker link at the upper right hand corner of the page, register for the site and make sure your Amazon Payments account was created as well. Your pay will vary with what is offered from day to day and what you can get done in done day.

There aren't many simple ways of making money online and this is likely one of the most straightforward and highly reputable -coming from the Amazon.com family of sites. Look for my other Making Money Online guides, because more valuable (literally) information can be found in them. A very useful measure of what you'll be getting paid is to do the same short (the length of time it takes to complete any "HIT" varies with your skills and experience). "HITs" for one hour and measure that as a standard for what your pay will be based upon how many hours per day you are able to invest on the site. Whether working from home or in your spare time at the office, this site is great. It will not only keep your attention with it's standard and unique tasks to complete but the time investment requirement range from the casual to serious and it will defeinitely earn you money.



eric seiger

Lindy guarantees it, or did he? - Sabres Edge - Blogs - The <b>...</b>

The Buffalo News updated every day with news from Buffalo, New York. Links to national and business news, entertainment listings, recipes, sports teams, classified ads, death notices.

Facebook Wins Another <b>News</b> Feed Patent

When Facebook originally filed for the patent in the fall of 2006, it was just a month before the company launched its news feed. It argued at the time that as more and more users joined the social network, the amount of information it ...

<b>News</b> - Dad: How Demi Lovato Is Holding Up - Celebrity <b>News</b> <b>...</b>

"I want her to be happy," Patrick Lovato tells Us.

eric seiger

Lindy guarantees it, or did he? - Sabres Edge - Blogs - The <b>...</b>

The Buffalo News updated every day with news from Buffalo, New York. Links to national and business news, entertainment listings, recipes, sports teams, classified ads, death notices.

Facebook Wins Another <b>News</b> Feed Patent

When Facebook originally filed for the patent in the fall of 2006, it was just a month before the company launched its news feed. It argued at the time that as more and more users joined the social network, the amount of information it ...

<b>News</b> - Dad: How Demi Lovato Is Holding Up - Celebrity <b>News</b> <b>...</b>

"I want her to be happy," Patrick Lovato tells Us.

eric seiger