Submit Suggestions for Newsletter Features and Improvements Here!

Discussions about the Newsletter Tool at LDS.org.
eblood66
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Re: Submit Suggestions for Newsletter Features and Improvements Here!

#11

Post by eblood66 »

One other thing I don't think has been mentioned here yet is the ability to better control the order of articles. Having 'sticky' articles that stay at the top would help but more complete control would also help make sure the most important information is most visible.
shannon.heward
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Re: Submit Suggestions for Newsletter Features and Improvements Here!

#12

Post by shannon.heward »

I have been asking for the Newsletter to be added to the LDS Tools app for a long time (and I know others have as well). Many people are using their phones now to access everything and rarely (if ever) go on the web to access information. I think that and e-mail notifications will make a huge difference. There also need to be more options for the administrator, i.e. font options. wrapping text around images, flexible layout options, ability to link to calendar, etc. It would be really nice if there was an Announcement and Sign-Up Sheets section (perhaps separate from the Newsletter section) that had the ability to link to the calendar as well. Or, maybe you rename the section so that it accommodates both options. This would be a great place to put weekly bulletins (it would be really great to have this as an app that linked to the LDS Music app, LDS Gospel Library app, etc.), but you would need to have this section as part of the LDS Tools app. It would also be really helpful for administrators to have access to metrics to see how often the Newsletter section is being accessed.
1968leocomeeatabite
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Location: Payson, Ut. USA

Re: Submit Suggestions for Newsletter Features and Improvements Here!

#13

Post by 1968leocomeeatabite »

As I have read through this topic / thread I have enjoyed the responses. I agree with most of it, some of it I might not understand. My calling is on the ward level (Ward Clerk Assistant), with a charge to promote the use of the Directory, Calendar, Donations, Lesson Schedules, and News Letter. The main strategy that we are using to direct them to these applications is the creating of a closed Facebook group for our ward. We have gone through the proper channels and got it all approved and do our best in following the https://www.lds.org/pages/online-resour ... s?lang=eng . This has presented some challenges but hopefully are making progress.

I perceive that if the suggestions above were implemented that those challenges with using Facebook to direct them to the Newsletter would be eliminated. We use a hard copy newsletter circulated with the fast offerings monthly. For the last 2-3 Months I have personally posted all of the hard copy newsletter on to the LDS.org on line "Newsletter". Then I begin posting on face book with links to the various articles. All of this is no small task, and my time could be used in other ways in supporting the other clerks and Bishopric. We hope that someday to discontinue the hard copy and only use the online version. Yet realistically we do not see that happening anytime soon.

I vote for the tool for an administrator to be able to get a count of how many times the application and or article had been accessed. This would give us some valuable feed back. I also agree with the push factor of promoting the use of this great application. It seems like it is the only way it would work.

I suppose that also the application needs to be promoted / accepted by the ward council as a way to help get there organizations goals accomplished. I also perceive a challenge of this day and age and people in a hurry and not slowing down long enough to actually read the articles. But I think this is not a reason to not always being diligent in getting the word to the end of the row. Thank you.
1968leocomeeatabite
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Re: Submit Suggestions for Newsletter Features and Improvements Here!

#14

Post by 1968leocomeeatabite »

As I have posted on the Newsletter I have always hoped that the editing options might be greatly improved. It has been a learning curve just to adjust to the very basic or absence of the modern day editing tools. If the editing tools could be updated to what present day tools such as word has then I think it would be much more desirable for our leaders to use and feel good about. When they have to go to the newsletter and learn to use these tools in a different way than they are use to, it becomes an issue of taking time to learn how it works as opposed to using the time to do there calling in other aspects. In other words it would be great if we could make it an easy good experience in posting the articles.
zaneclark
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Re: Submit Suggestions for Newsletter Features and Improvements Here!

#15

Post by zaneclark »

I agree with the comments posted above.... I have "fought the good fight" for several years, without much improvement in member use of the Newsletter. And I agree that a major help would be to track usage. Then of course I would have to decide how much usage was a reason to continue or discontinue the Newsletter.....
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johnshaw
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Location: Syracuse, UT

Re: Submit Suggestions for Newsletter Features and Improvements Here!

#16

Post by johnshaw »

I think by now that mlmorris is thinking to himself....'What have I gotten myself into' <FACE PALM> :)
“A long habit of not thinking a thing wrong, gives it a superficial appearance of being right, and raises at first a formidable outcry in defense of custom.”
― Thomas Paine, Common Sense
McLaughlinES
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Re: Submit Suggestions for Newsletter Features and Improvements Here!

#17

Post by McLaughlinES »

I've found it quite useful the way it is. Changing security would become a problem. We attach the PDF version of the ward map, emergency prep info, and of course news articles with pictures.

What would help is to put a print page header at the start of each new article. We have many senior who do not use the Internet. We have started posting newsworthy articles on the bulletin board for their view. Since the articles are printed in run-on fashion, we have to cut and paste to separate and combine articles.
gungy
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Re: Submit Suggestions for Newsletter Features and Improvements Here!

#18

Post by gungy »

Any news or update on progress with Newsletter, and how to encoarge members to use it
mevans
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Location: California, USA

Re: Submit Suggestions for Newsletter Features and Improvements Here!

#19

Post by mevans »

Great suggestions have been made, including member notification of content and better editing options. The Newsletter is the only way local units can present secure information to members via an LDS Account log in, and church leaders need to understand that. Facebook doesn't do that for them. I kind of wish the general authority church leadership understood that; instead it seems they want everyone to create a Facebook group, rather than promote using the tools they've already developed.

Another feature that could be helpful is to allow articles to be shared with all units in a building, regardless of the stake. I some ways I try to use the Newsletter as a poor man's wiki. I have information about A/V equipment in the library (including PDFs of the manuals), and I've meant to add helps for using the sound system and other things. It hasn't happened yet. It would be great to allow a unit that's not in our stake to access this information. That doesn't solve the problem of things like Boy Scouts, where we have non-members who can't get an LDS Account connected so they could see Newsletter articles. Maybe the answer to that is Facebook, but personally, I'm not one who lives in Facebook and it's often times weeks or months between my logins there, so units trying to communicate to me via Facebook doesn't work.

I'd also like to see a better, more useful presentation of articles. How about just the titles and dates? You have to scroll through so many pages to find the articles that it's difficult to find what you're looking for.

I'm trying to remember issues regarding the date and who wrote the article. I think the date stays as the date created, but the person never changes. There are valid reasons to allow people to set who wrote the article and see a modified vs. created date. I think right now if I fix a typo or something in an article that I become the author. Also, I believe it shows people's LDS Account login, rather than their names. Show the people's names.

As others have suggested, read the forum history; there's a lot of information to gather there.
jirp
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Location: Greybull WY

Re: Submit Suggestions for Newsletter Features and Improvements Here!

#20

Post by jirp »

I will admit our ward and stake are not greatly using it. But it has great potential.

Our stake is using it so we know what ward the stake presidency and HC is going to be in each week since that badly clutters the calendar and for a place to put suggested 4th Sunday topics.
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