Accompanying resources
This workshop has taken place. However for those interested in the topic the following resources related to this workshop are available:
- Talk 1 of 3 of ‘Exploiting IT for your Outreach and Marketing”’ – Recap – video of a rehearsal of the talk (19 mins long)
- Talk 2 on “Exploiting IT for your Outreach and Marketing”’ – Making a Short Video – video of a rehearsal of the talk (26 mins long)
- Talk 3 on “Exploiting IT for your Outreach and Marketing”’ – Working Collectively – video of a rehearsal of the talk (24 mins long)
Additional relevant resources:
- “What relevance does OpenAI’s ChatGPT (and other AI writing tools) have for the Morris community?” – video of a talk on ChatGPT
Workshop – “Exploiting IT for your outreach and marketing” – Brian Kelly
Increasing numbers of Morris sides are using digital technologies for marketing purposes, both for recruiting new dancers and musicians and for making it easier for festivals, fetes, etc to find morris dance sides.
In a recent Zoom workshop we described how Morris Federation sides are providing rich descriptions of their side and including videos and photos of their side on their profile on the Morris Federation Teamfinder service and how, if the descriptions are rich and appropriately worded that, once Google has indexed the profile, the profile (and videos and images) can be found near the top of Google!
But beyond ensuring appropriate words are provided and hosted on a website which is very Google-friendly (so that a search for “I’m looking for a mixed morris side in Dorset” finds your side on the first page of results) we know that video content can communicate the excitement of morris dance more effectively than simply using photographs.
We are now seeing how sides are being creative in how they use video (especially ‘short form videos’ less than 2 minutes long) for engaging with users on social media – and the viewing figure are showing how popular such videos may be, in particular with younger audiences who are potential new recruits.
This workshop will review how sides have updated their profile recently and share success stories and ways in which profiles can be improved.
The main focus of the workshop will be a demonstration of how to create short form videos using freely-available video editing tools. This will be followed by a discussion on how the morris and traditional dance community can, collectively, exploit the potential of digital technologies for outreach and marketing.
And, as an added bonus, if time permits we will demonstrate how the ChatGPT AI tool can be used to create publicity material for your side.
Note if there are any specific (or additional) areas you would like to see covered please complete the Morris Federation: Building on Use of IT for Marketing and Recruitment online form.
To register
Please complete this online form: Register for the Workshop – “Exploiting IT for your outreach and marketing” – Brian Kelly (LIVE on Zoom); you will receive a confirmation email immediately (check your spam/junk/promotions folder!). We will send you a Zoom link a couple of days before the event. Open to all – you don’t have to be a member of a team in The Morris Federation.
Optional Donations
Optional donations can be made to the DEC Ukraine – Ukraine Humanitarian Appeal
Resources
See more advice and guidance in the IT Resources: Advice and Support area of the Morris Federation. In particular note:
- Updating Your Morris Federation Teamfinder Profile – your Morris Federation contact will have access and should updated your side’s profile.
- Survey: Morris Federation Team Profiles on the First Page of Google contains examples of how sides’ profiles can be found at the top of Google.
In addition if you did not attend the Workshop – “How Can IT Help Your Side?” – Brian Kelly (LIVE on Zoom) session on 15 January the following recordings of the two main talks were made after the event:
- ‘How IT Can Help Your Side’ Part 2 of 2: Exploiting Video – 13 minutes long
Your host
Brian Kelly is probably best known in the Morris and Rapper world for his performances as a comic character with the Newcastle Kingsmen, having won many DERT prizes with Chris Pitt and the Kingsmen over 30 years of performing together, not only at DERT events and festivals including Broadstairs, Whitby and Sidmouth. Brian has also taken part in overseas trips to folk festivals in places including Holland, Switzerland, Italy, Norway, Poland, Bulgaria, Czechoslovakia, Hungary and Syria.
In addition to dancing with the Newcastle Kingsmen, Brian has also danced with a number of other rapper and sword teams including Sallyport Sword, Black Cap, Northgate Rapper and Haymarket Rapper, whom he currently dances with (they’re the experienced and mature dancers and musicians from the Newcastle Kingsmen who are difficult to find, restricting their performances normally to three weekends a year in towns and cities will good pubs with wooden floors!) Brian has also danced Cotswold for Green Ginger Morris and, more recently, with Wyld Morris.
During his working life, Brian worked in IT and became known for setting up probably the first university website in the UK (in 1992, when fewer than 100 companies have published details of their website!). In 1996 he was employed at UKOLN, University of Bath as UK Web Focus, a national adviser about the web for UK universities. Brian gave over 400 talks during his time at UKOLN throughout the UK and at conferences around the world. He particularly remembers attending a conference in Brisbane, Australia when the technical infrastructure (the ‘page ranking) for a new search engine developed at Stanford University – yes, it was Google!
Brian is now enjoying using his IT and web skills and experiences to support the Morris Federation, Morris Federation team members and, through his participation in JMO events, the wider Morris community.
