This website is best known for its event calendar, and all members are invited to post relevant events. I provide some additional features to the leaders of Democratic clubs and allied organizations, but these are mostly to make it easier for people to post recurring events.

A couple of years ago, I converted this site to run on blogging software called WordPress, which makes it easier for members to post opinion articles and carry on discussions through the website. The editor for blog posts and the editor for events use the same basic user interface, with buttons for marking text bold or italic and for adding links.

The major difference is that blog posts are displayed with the most recent posts shown first. So blog posts are shown in reverse chronological order.

Events, on the other hand, are shown are shown in the order that the events are coming up, starting with today’s date. When you add an event to the calendar, make sure you set the event date and time in the control panel below the main editing area.

In general, I’d ask you to put information about your events in the event listings. After you have a great event, come back and post a blog article with photos and commentary to show people why it’s worthwhile and important to get involved. Also use the blog to give your take on important issues like healthcare reform, tax policy, war, peace, and effective tactics for organizing. Democrats are supposed to be the party of ideas, and I invite you to share your best ideas here.

For more details:

How to Post Events to the Calendar (RSVPs Optional)
These are general instructions on posting an event. Any member can post events to the BlueBroward Calendar. There are a few extra options available for members who are registered to edit the events for a Democratic Club or other organization that holds regular meetings (see How to Post and Maintain Club Listings). But these general [...]

How to Post and Maintain Club Listings
This is an update for Democratic club presidents and other people who hold official or unofficial meetings in support of the Democratic cause on a regular basis. When an organization registers with BlueBroward, I create an event template that includes the name of the organization and boilerplate details like the regular meeting schedule and meeting [...]

How To Post to the BlueBroward Blog

Every BlueBroward member is invited to share opinions, criticisms, candidate endorsements, and tips for more effective organizing on the BlueBroward Community Blog, either regularly or occasionally. I reserve the right to edit or delete postings at my own discretion, but my goal is to encourage discussion, not to be a censor. Posting a blog is [...]

Also, as we get into the next campaign cycle:

How to Post a Campaign On BlueBroward.org
Just as any BlueBroward.org member can post events or blog entries, any BlueBroward member can post a campaign listing. When you log in, you should see Post a Campaign Listing as one of the first options on the welcome screen or “Dashboard.” Click there to display the data entry form. (The “Edit Campaigns” button on [...]

How to Share/Delegate Editing Rights for a Campaign, Club, or Organization
BlueBroward allows officers and representatives of Democratic clubs, allied groups, and campaigns to appoint multiple editors for their event listings and related information. For example, both the president and the secretary of a club could have editing rights on this system. A candidate might create a campaign profile but then allow a campaign manager to also[...]

If you have previously published events to the site (or have editing rights through membership in a club or campaign), your event posting and editing options will be shown on the left side of the screen.

The options that apply to anyone — any BlueBroward member can post an event, a blog, or a campaign listing — are listed on the right.

In response to a request from Democratic club leaders, I’ve added the option to check off several dates and add them in one shot. When you do this, your event listings will be completed using the location and contact details set up in your club’s event template. You can then go back and add details such as the names of speakers as appropriate. An earlier incarnation of the website had this feature, and some club leaders missed it.

I have also tried to provide clear links to previously entered events so members know they can edit them rather than creating a new event. Some people seem to get confused and create duplicate entries, which I then have to go back and delete.

Member Dashboard

This post from the blog of my consulting firm was written for a business audience but applies just as much to political campaigns and organizations:

How to Create a Facebook Page: The Simple Steps Are The Most Important

Creating a Facebook page, also known as a Facebook business page or Facebook fan page, is probably one of the best things you can do right now to boost your brand, small business, non-profit, or political campaign. Some marketing experts believe capturing your Facebook page name (along with your Twitter URL) is proving almost as important as capturing your Internet domain name. And best of all, it’s free to get started. (Read the rest at carrcommunications.com)

The link to update your profile is displayed at the top of the screen when you log in. It shows the date your profile was last updated — several years ago for some of you who signed up early, when this site got its start after the Kerry vs. Bush election.

Update Your Profile Prompt

Make your profile public if you want it to appear on the Members page, or just fill in the details so I can try to match you up with campaigns that could use your skills.

You can upload a photo to appear with your profile, or you can register on the Gravitar service, which works with multiple blogs and social networking services. Gravitar has some nicer features for uploading, resizing, and cropping the photo or cartoon avatar image you upload.

Members Page

Any BlueBroward.org member can post an event, campaign listing, or blog entry. Don’t get hung up on the word “blog” – you don’t have to transform yourself into a regular blogger. It’s just an easy way for you to share your opinions, news, photos, and candidate endorsements.

There is a Login link at the top of every page. If you don’t remember your password, you can always reset it. If you’re not a member, sign up now.

Here are some instructions:

How to Post Events to the Calendar (RSVPs Optional)
These are general instructions on posting an event. Any member can post events to the BlueBroward Calendar. There are a few extra options available for members who are registered to edit the events for a Democratic Club or other organization that holds regular meetings (see How to Post and Maintain Club Listings). But these general [...]

How to Post and Maintain Club Listings
This is an update for Democratic club presidents and other people who hold official or unofficial meetings in support of the Democratic cause on a regular basis. When an organization registers with BlueBroward, I create an event template that includes the name of the organization and boilerplate details like the regular meeting schedule and meeting [...]

How to Post a Campaign On BlueBroward.org
Just as any BlueBroward.org member can post events or blog entries, any BlueBroward member can post a campaign listing. When you log in, you should see Post a Campaign Listing as one of the first options on the welcome screen or “Dashboard.” Click there to display the data entry form. (The “Edit Campaigns” button on [...]

How to Share/Delegate Editing Rights for a Campaign, Club, or Organization
BlueBroward allows officers and representatives of Democratic clubs, allied groups, and campaigns to appoint multiple editors for their event listings and related information. For example, both the president and the secretary of a club could have editing rights on this system. A candidate might create a campaign profile but then allow a campaign manager to also [...]

How To Post to the BlueBroward Blog
Every BlueBroward member is invited to share opinions, criticisms, candidate endorsements, and tips for more effective organizing on the BlueBroward Community Blog, either regularly or occasionally. I reserve the right to edit or delete postings at my own discretion, but my goal is to encourage discussion, not to be a censor. Posting a blog is [...]

Note to Organizing for America members: If you post your event to my.barackobama.com, it will automatically turn up on BlueBroward. A script that runs every morning looks up events by zip code and enters those in our region to the BlueBroward Calendar, along with a link to the RSVP page on the OFA website. So if you also add it here, it will wind up being listed twice.

Links to the screens for posting blog entries, events, and campaign listings are displayed on the main “Dashboard” that welcomes you after you log in.

Member Posting Options on Dashboard

Click “Post an Event” to display the event editor screen. Here, you can set date and time, the headline for your event, and a description.

Headlines should include the name of the organization or campaign. Descriptions should include directions to the event location and contact information for someone who can answer questions about the event.

Event Editor Form

The event editor includes standard controls for making text bold or italic, etc.

It’s possible to add images or upload a PDF of a flyer that will be linked to your listing. These features are more thoroughly documented in my article on how to create blog postings. Please be sparing in the use and size of images, if any, within your listing, as I don’t want the listings to be cluttered up by a lot of large images.

Often, you may want to add a link to an external website, perhaps to a page associated with online RSVPs or donations related to your event. You do this by highlighting the text you want to appear as a link and clicking the chain link icon.

Adding a Link

Enter the web address you want to link to and click Insert.

Once you are finished adding details to your event, click “Submit” to record your event. If all goes well, you should see a confirmation like the one shown below.

Confirmation Message

I recommend clicking that “View Event” link to make sure your listing has been recorded correctly. If you see something you want to change, you can click your browser’s Back button to make more changes. Or you can return to the member’s Dashboard, look for the event you created under “My Events” and click the link there to edit it further.

Advanced Topic: Collecting RSVPs Through BlueBroward

BlueBroward includes a feature for collecting RSVPs on your events. This is optional. Most clubs don’t ask for RSVPs on their regular monthly events. Other event organizers may instead want to link to an RSVP page on a campaign website, or Facebook. There’s nothing to stop you from doing that.

But BlueBroward does have this functionality built in, for those of you who might find it useful. Just check the Collect RSVPs checkbox to display the relevant options.

RSVP Options

You must provide one or more email addresses where we can send RSVP notifications. By default, the email address associated with your BlueBroward account will be displayed in that spot.

You can also enter additional instructions, and a confirmation or thank you message to be displayed after someone completes the RSVP form.

When RSVPs have been requested, a link to the RSVP page will be displayed below the headline and title for your event, as shown below.

Event with RSVP

This is how the event would show up on the Calendar page and in the email roundup of events.

When someone clicks the RSVP link, they will see the event displayed on its own page, along with the RSVP form.

RSVP Page

Members who are logged in will have their names and email filled in automatically on the form. People who are not BlueBroward members can still RSVP, and they will be given the option of registering with the website at the same time.

When someone RSVPs, you will receive an email notification.

A summary of the RSVPs is also displayed at the end of the My Events listing on your member dashboard, as shown below.

Events and RSVPs Listed on Dashboard

If anything in these directions is unclear, please let me know what you find confusing so I can figure out a better way to explain it.

— David F. Carr, webmaster, david@bluebroward.org

This can be useful as a way to hand off responsibilities when people come and go, or for people to back each other up when someone is on vacation or tied up with other responsibilities.

If you are registered as the representative as an organization or campaign, there will be a Share/Delegate option on the main menu after you log in, as shown below.

Share/Delegate option on menu

If you’re not already registered as an editor for campaign or organization, this option will NOT appear on the menu. Contact david@bluebroward.org if you need help getting access rights to listings for an organization or campaign (for example, if the person who was previously in charge has gone AWOL).

The Share/Delegate screen includes a listing of the BlueBroward users who currently share editing rights to the same campaigns or organizations as you.

Current Editors

To add someone to the list, scroll down to the bottom of the screen, where you will see a drop down list of the campaigns and organizations for which you have editing rights. Add the email of the new person into the blank and click “Submit.”

Adding an Editor

If the email you entered is associated with an existing BlueBroward.org member account, that member will be added to the list of editors, and the individual will receive an email notification.

If the email is not associated with an existing member account, the system will create an account, assigning a random user password, and send that person an email notification.

Note that these email notifications are sometimes stopped by spam filters, so it’s a good idea for you to also send a personal note telling the person what you have done.

Two other points on this process:

• It’s probably better to ask those you want to assign editing rights whether they have accounts on BlueBroward in advance and encourage them to get one if not. Have them tell you what email they used for the registration, and use it to to add them as editors. I’d recommend that over relying on the automatic registration feature, partly because it allows them to register the account with the email of their choice if, for example, they would prefer to use a personal rather than a work email address.
• The automatic registration also sends a message asking the person to confirm membership on the BlueBroward.org email list. They won’t be added to the active email list until they confirm. Of course, for the automatic registration to work at all, you have to make sure there are no typos or other errors in the email address you provide.

When you log in, you should see Post a Campaign Listing as one of the first options on the welcome screen or “Dashboard.” Click there to display the data entry form. (The “Edit Campaigns” button on the left hand side of the screen will take you to the same page.

Entering Campaign Details

Fill in the details and click “Submit.” If all goes well, you will see a confirmation message inviting you to view how the campaign listing is displayed on the website.

Confirmation Message

I recommend that you do see how the listing looks on the website. If you see something you want to change you can return to the Member Dashboard to make further changes.

When you are logged in, the box of links at the top of each public web page changes to include a link labeled “Member Dashboard” (when you are not logged in, the link in that spot says “Log In”).

Dashboard Link displayed when you are logged in

Click “Member Dashboard” to return to the private, password-protected area of the website. Now, on the Dashboard menu below all the standard options you’ll see the name of your campaign and a link that invites you to “Edit Campaign Profile.” Click there to return to the campaign data entry screen and make changes.

The ”Post Campaign Event” option takes you to the standard event editor screen but will associate the event you create with your campaign.

You can appoint multiple editors for your campaign listings and events. More on that in a future post.

Campaign Dashboard

Posting a blog is really no more complicated than writing an email, but there are still a few things to learn if you have never done it before. So here are a few tips to get you oriented.

When you first log in, the welcome screen or “Dashboard” shows links to the screens for common tasks, including posting a blog. The “Posts” menu on the left hand side of the screen also gives options for adding new entries or editing existing blog entries. (You will only be able to edit ones that you have posted, although you can respond to other members’ blog entries in the comments section).

When you post a new blog entry, you start with a blank form that includes space for a headline and a web-based word processor for adding the text of your post, which includes controls for marking text bold or italic, formatting bulleted lists, or adding links.

Most of the formatting controls should look familiar if you’ve worked with programs like Microsoft Word.

If you highlight a block of text and click the quotation mark icon, that section will be displayed as an indented HTML “blockquote,” which is a common way of showing that you’re quoting a chunk of text from a source such as a newspaper article.

In other words, it will look like this, where this is a chunk of text I’m quoting from some other source.

To add a link, highlight the words that will be displayed as the text of the link and click the icon that looks like a chain link. You should get a little popup editor for adding the web address for the link. Optionally, you can set the “target” for the link to be a new window. This is shown below. To work properly, your link should include http:// at the start of a web address or mailto: at the start of an email link (as in mailto:david@bluebroward.org).

Adding a Link

At any time, you can save your work as a draft without publishing it. When you are ready to publish your post, click “Publish” in the publishing control panel at the upper right hand corner of the screen.

You can also enhance your posts by categorizing them. By default, your post will go into the “Opinion” category, but if you were posting an opinion about the Fair Districts Florida initiative you could also check that category. The idea is that readers should be able to find all the posts that mention that topic by clicking on the category link displayed with your post.

Publishing Controls

I do allow you to add images to your blog posts. As with all other content, I reserve the right to edit images used on the blog as necessary, at my own discretion. Obviously, I don’t want anyone posting offensive images here.

You can upload images using the row of icons labeled “Upload/Insert.” (The same function will allow you to upload other types of files, such as PDFs).

Add an Image

Now choose the file you want to upload by locating it on your computer.

Choose file to upload

Add captions and alternate text (displayed if a file fails to load into the user’s browser and used by web readers for the blind).

Align Right

On this screen, you will also choose whether to insert the full size image or a resized version of it. A photo directly from your high resolution digital camera will be too large to fit in the context of your post without resizing.

It’s a good idea to resize images before uploading them, but the blog editor will do a certain amount of that for you automatically.

You can also choose whether to display the image centered or aligned to the left or right of the page (with text wrapping around).

I often find the best option is to choose the “Medium” size image, and align it to the right.

When you have finished making these selections, click “Insert Into Post” to see the image in the context of your work.

Image Added to Post

Note that most of the instructions given here on formatting posts and adding links and images also apply to posting events, since I use the same rich text editor (the visual “word processing” editor) for both. If you add images to an event listing, please be selective and keep them small, as I don’t want the event listings to become too cluttered.

In addition to the rich text editor, you do also have the option of using a basic HTML editor that allows you to add codes in the web’s formatting and linking language. You can go back and forth between the rich text editor and the HTML editor by clicking the “Visual” and “HTML” tabs at the top of the editing window.

User submitted HTML is filtered to eliminate JavaScript and some other coding. What you see here is actually a simplified HTML view, where you leave a blank line between paragraphs rather than adding <p> codes around every paragraph.

HTML editing mode

Another way the HTML view can be useful is to eliminate unwanted formatting, such as excessive bold or colored text, when you copy and paste an event description from a word processor or a web page. You can paste the text into the HTML view, then toggle back to Visual. This will get you the text without any formatting, other than the formatting you choose to add.

Once you publish your post, if all goes right you should see a confirmation message, along with a link you can follow to view the published post.

It’s a good idea to view your published post to make sure it is displayed the way you want it to be. You can go back and edit it further, if necessary.

I also encourage you to cross-post your events to Facebook and other social media sites. If you scroll to a the bottom of your post, you will see a series of links you can click on to share your post with your Facebook friends, Twitter followers, and so on.

Links for Social Media Sharing

Questions? Contact me at david@bluebroward.org. BlueBroward runs on the popular WordPress blog software, so there are many other sites on the web you can look at for additional WordPress tips and tricks.

When an organization registers with BlueBroward, I create an event template that includes the name of the organization and boilerplate details like the regular meeting schedule and meeting place. This doesn’t stop you from posting events on a different schedule, or a different place, but my intention is to make it easy to confirm a regularly scheduled meeting and add details as necessary. (If you need me to create a template or update a club template, please contact me at david@bluebroward.org as right now I don’t have it set up so you can do that yourself.)

In this example, I’m logged in as Larry Wanderman, one of the leaders of the Wyndmoor Democratic Club. The “Dashboard” of options that welcomes me is displaying options that are available to all BlueBroward members (such as the ability to post blog entries). But it also includes a section specific to the Wyndmoor club.

Club Officer's Dashboard

The club normally meets on the first Tuesday of the month, and the website will automatically project the right date for that schedule if I choose the month and click “Add Date.”

Add Regularly Scheduled Meeting

This brings me to an event editor page with the name of the club filled in as the default headline and the regular date and time filled in. The event has not been recorded at this point, but I can now fill in the specific details and save my work.

Event Editor

Once I click “Submit,” the event editor displays a message saying that the event has been saved, along with a link that allows me to view it as it appears on the website. If I see something I want to change, I can make further edits and submit it again.

Event Saved

It’s a good idea to view the published event to make sure it is displayed properly. Sometimes, if you did a copy and paste from a word processing file or an email, you may see a little bit of garble or some unwanted line returns that you would want to go back and clean up. If so, you can click the back button on your browser to go back and make more changes.

Viewing Your Event

Also, if you return to the member’s Dashboard, or log back in another time, you will see that your event now appears on that main Dashboard screen, giving you the option to edit it or delete it. The event shows up under the section for the club and also under My Events (which would also include any other events you might have published separate from club activities).

Updated Dashboard