my ocean - Project AWARE

MY OCEAN
Step by Step
JOIN THE MOVEMENT AND CONNECT WITH THOUSANDS OF
DIVERS ON PROJECT AWARE’S ECO-NETWORKING SITE,
MY OCEAN.
WHAT IS MY OCEAN?
•‘My Ocean’ is an eco networking site on projectaware.org. My Ocean is a gathering place for
eco aware divers to connect with likeminded divers, to draw attention to conservation efforts and
to join to protect our ocean planet.
WHY SET UP YOUR OWN MY OCEAN PAGE?
• Hundreds of thousands of people learn to scuba dive each year. That’s a huge population of
divers ready to share stories, get involved in your actions and events and advocate for change.
• My Ocean provides a plaform for introducing your dive centre and publicising your efforts to an
audience of divers. It can help connect divers to affect change on a global or local platform.
• The site provides an additional channel for communicating with your customers. You can link
your My Ocean page to your website and show anyone surfing your site all of the work you are
doing to protect the ocean.
• Divers are always looking for action. They want to volunteer, take courses and use their skills
underwater to contribute to protecting our ocean planet. By creating a My Ocean page, you get
access to a larger community of divers.
• Social networking is on the rise! Commenting, Tweets, Facebook likes are part of everyday life.
My Ocean allows divers and you to comment, share and post your eco actions throughout social
networking sites. My Ocean spreads your actions and your business without you doing a thing!
If you’re a dive centre, business or organization, My Ocean can help you connect with divers and
promote your everyday ocean conservation actions and activities.
BUILD YOUR MY OCEAN PROFILE: GETTING STARTED
Before you can share your conservation actions, you need to create an account on the site.
1. Open your web browser, and go to
www.projectaware.org/user/register or select Log In using the top right hand corner Log In.
2. Click on the ‘Create an Account’ Tab and fill in your details.
You can either:
a. Create a user name and password (your username will become your public My Ocean name)
b. Log in using an existing account from Facebook, Twitter, Google or LinkedIn. Click the appropriate icon near the top of the page.
3. Select Individual for personal accounts or Organization for
dive centre, organisation accounts.
4. Add your Organization Name and dive centre website
5. Under Word verification, enter the letters you see in the box.
6. Click Create New Account.
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BUILD YOUR MY OCEAN PROFILE: UPLOADING A PROFILE PIC, BIO & LOCATION
Edit My Ocean Tab
1. Add a Profile Photo: ‘Browse’ your computer and
upload a picture. Choose your dive center logo or a fun
shot of your divers.
2. Bio: Write about your dive center, any awards you’ve
received, what eco activities you offer, why you think it’s
important to protect the ocean.
3. Current Location: Place a map of your region on your
My Ocean so divers can easily identify where you are in
the world.
4. Home Location: Make it easy for divers to find you. Add your
State/Province, Country and City. Use the Google Map by placing
the pin on your exact location.
5. Messages from AWARE: Make sure you tick the Please send
me messages from Project AWARE Foundation. How will you
find out about the latest, greatest actions coming up if you
don’t?
BUILD YOUR MY OCEAN PROFILE: EDITING YOUR ACCOUNT SETTINGS
EDIT ACCOUNT SETTINGS
You can change your username, password and add your timezone by clicking on the ‘Account’
menu item at the top of the ‘Edit Account Settings’ tab. You can also set preferences and options.
For example you might want all Dive Buddy Requests to be automatically approved without
receiving notification. You can set preferences here.
HEARTBEAT ACTIVITY SETTINGS
Every action you take on the site can be posted to your activity wall, and it will appear on the
homepage under the Activity Stream.
Set your privacy options by adjusting ‘Heartbeat Activity Settings’ on the ‘Edit Account Settings’
tab. These settings will determine who will be able to see specific activity announcements from
you.
Options include:
• Everyone: Everyone on the site will see your activity announcements.
• Only My Friends: Only registered users that are listed as buddies will see your activity announcements.
• Only Me: Only the registered user himself/herself can see announcements.
• Nobody: The announcement will not be visible to anyone.
EDIT ACCOUNT SETTINGS : SOCIAL NETWORKS
Link your My Ocean account to your social
network page by clicking on the ‘Social
Network’ menu at the top of the ‘Edit Account
Settings’ tab.
If linked, a social networking site will provide
certain information, such as username, email
address, real name, a list of friends, etc.
By connecting your social network to your My
Ocean, you can search for friends in your social
networks, like Facebook and Twitter, who are
also Dive Buddies in My Ocean.
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BUILD YOUR MY OCEAN PROFILE: ADDING CONTENT
ADD STORIES AND UPDATES TO YOUR MY OCEAN BLOG
Tell everyone what conservation activities you’ve done, what you’re planning and why you’re
doing it. Don’t be shy! Speak out on ocean issues and share your victories and disappointments.
Add news items, reports, tell us about your events and eco actions – get blogging!
Your My Ocean Blog Entries appear on your My Ocean Homepage. To post a story to your My
Ocean blog click on the “Create a new Blog Entry” link under Profile Administration menu on
the right hand column.
1. Title: Add your title. Make it short and snappy!
2. Body: Add your story, just type in and away you go.
3. Post Image: Upload a picture from your files using the ‘Browse’ button under ‘Post Image’.
4. Tags: Tag your story using relevant words that describe the content of your post. As a general
rule always tag your story with your business name and location to help enhance searches online to your website.
5. Save: Click ‘Save’ and your story is published.
You can also attach videos and image galleries.
ADD IMAGE GALLERIES
Pictures speak a thousand words and what better way to show divers what an exciting dive
centre you are than by uploading your eco pictures to an image gallery. Post images of your
latest Dive Against Debris event, pictures of your eco dive courses, fundraising activities and so
forth.
To add an Image Gallery, click ‘Create a new Image Gallery’ in the Profile Administration menu
on the right hand column.
1. Click’Browse’ to upload your images from your computer. To add another image select “Add
Another Item”
2. Give your pictures titles. Make it fun!
3. Give your Image Gallery a name such as “Bob’s Dive Against Debris – Sept 2011”
4. Click ‘Save’ and your gallery is created.
ADD VIDEOS
Link You Tube, Vimeo, Viddler etc video clips to your My Ocean profile. You don’t just have to link
your own videos. If you like what someone has done, then share it on your My Ocean page so
others can see it too.
To add a video to your profile, click on ‘Create a Video’ in the Profile Administration menu in the
right hand menu. Then title the video and insert a link to the video. Remember, the video must
first be hosted on You Tube or a similar site.
BUILD YOUR MY OCEAN PROFILE: CREATING
EVENTS AND ACTIONS
1. If you’re running an upcoming event then promote it!
Add your event to your My Ocean profile by clicking
the‘Create a new Event/Action’ in the Profile
Administration menu in the right hand column.
Then add a description, location and images if you like
and your event will be displayed publicly on our Action
Zone Map which is located in the ‘Action Zone’ on the
website.
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2. Your upcoming actions are also listed on your My Ocean profile so people can see how active
you are and what events you are leading.
Divers can even sign up to join your event on this event page.
ADVERTISE YOUR EVENT
1. Locate your event on your My Ocean page by clicking
on the ‘Manage Events/Actions’ tab or by browsing the
Action Zone.
2. Ask your dive buddies to sign up to join your event by
sending them the URL of your event webpage. On this
page there is a field where they can sign up to attend
your event.
3. Add the webpage URL to your Facebook or other
social networking sites so others can see what action
you are hosting.
SENDING OUT REMINDERS
1. Once you’ve set up your event and your dive buddies have signed up to attend, don’t forget to
send them a quick reminder email close to the date of the event.
2. You can do this by clicking into the ‘Signups’ tab on your event page and choosing ‘Send Email’
in the bulk operations drop down box.
3. Follow the instructions to send the email and it will be sent to everyone who signed up!
Don’t forget to blog about your event afterwards. It’s an important way to thank participants
and to promote your event’s success. Past actions are highlighted to all divers in the Action
Highlights section of projectaware.org.
BUILD YOUR MY OCEAN PROFILE: MAKING DIVE BUDDIES
To invite a diver to be your dive buddy, click on the ‘Invite Divers to Join AWARE’ tab at the top of
your Diver Profile page.
1. Send an email using the form provided.
2. Import contacts from your your email account for example Outlook, Yahoo or Gmail.
3. Personalise the message you send them.
4. Use your database of divers and invite them to join you on My Ocean.
DIVE BUDDY LINKS
Have you seen someone on My Ocean that you’d
like to become dive buddies friends with?
Go to that divers My Ocean profile.
In the Right Hand Column you’ll see Dive Buddy
Links.
Click on Become XXX Dive Buddy and you’ll send a
message to that person asking if you can be their
Dive Buddy!
Once you’ve made a few friends you can check out their actions by looking at the Friends Activity
Tab.
PROJECT AWARE
MY OCEAN: GET THE MOST OUT OF MY OCEAN
Once you’ve set up your My Ocean page, check out the tips below for getting the most of My
Ocean for your business.
PERSONALISE YOUR PAGE
•
Extend your dive centre brand onto My Ocean by uploading your logo as your profile image
•
Be sure to add your website to your My Ocean so that My Ocean users can be directed to your dive centre
•
Include your Bio and Location information
•
Regularly write stories, thoughts, information about an upcoming eco courses and events. Remember this is another channel for publicizing and promoting your business and actions.
GROW YOUR CONNECTIONS
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Once you are happy with your My Ocean page, let everyone know it is there.
Promote your page on your website by adding a link or add the AWARE Advocate Web Badge direct on your website and link it to your My Ocean page
Grow your Diver Buddy list by actively seeking out new friends (which could become new customers). Use the ‘location’ search function in ‘All Divers’ to find new buddies.
Add a RSS feed to your Facebook account so your My Ocean content automatically populates on to your own site.
FREE ECO ADVERTISING
•
When you blog, post a story, video or photo, expand your reach by sharing it with your social networks.
•
When you upload photos or stories of your events and action, share it with your diver database.
•
Make your site social – Ask your divers to comment on your stories or photos.
•
Once you’ve held an event post pictures of your action, write a short story, thank your volunteers. Share the link with them.
•
Add one of your My Ocean stories to your newsletters.
•
If you’re running a cleanup, Dive Against Debris, AWARE Shark Conservation Diver Specialty Course, an education night or a fundraising event, make sure you create an event in My Ocean so you get instant advertising and promotion as your event will appear in appear in the Action Map on projectaware.org. Again, promote it through your social networking and webpages too!
•
Ask your divers to comment on your stories or share your story on their own Facebook or Twitter pages.
WANT TO SEE HOW OTHERS ARE USING MY OCEAN?
Follow the links below to see how other are using My Ocean promote and enhance their
business.
Eco Ban’s Diving, Thailand: Dive Downbelow, Malaysia: SubMission, United Kingdom: Utila Dive Centre, Honduras: Crystal Dive, Thailand: Rich Coast Diving, Costa Rica: Bubbles Dive Centre, Malta: www.projectaware.org/diver/eco-bans-diving
www.projectaware.org/diver/dive-downbelow
www.projectaware.org/diver/submissionkitkat
www.projectaware.org/diver/utiladivecentre
www.projectaware.org/diver/crystaldive
www.projectaware.org/diver/rich-coast-diving
www.projectaware.org/diver/bubbles-dive-centre
If you need any assistance then don’t hesitate to contact us. We’re happy to help.
See you on My Ocean!
Contact Us:
Americas: E: [email protected] T: +1 949 858 7657 F: +1 949 2671 221
Asia Pacific: E: [email protected] T: +61 2 9454 2890 F: +61 2 9454 2999
Europe, Middle East and Africa: E: [email protected] T: +44 117 300 7313 F: +44 117 300 7270
PROJECTAWARE.ORG
©Project AWARE Foundation 2011