Tech Tool of the Week!

Tech Tool: remind.com

Description:

  • Clientele/4-H/Volunteer/Conference Mobile Messaging – Real-time messaging to your staff, parents, members, attendees, volunteers all from one place. Anyone who needs to get your information. They can subscribe/unsubscribe on their own.
  • Mobile support – Send text messages on the go, straight to any phone no matter where you are. See who’s read your messages and who’s missing out.
  • Co-administrator privileges – Make your colleagues co-admins to streamline communication.
  • Scheduled announcements – Set reminders in advance—they’ll send automatically.
  • Translation: To reach every person, translate your messages into more than 70 languages.
  • iKeepSafe certification – Meets guidelines for the FERPA and COPPA for the protection and privacy of youth information.

How I use Remind: I utilize Remind’s SMS service for keeping track of 4-H members on trips out of the county. I have also utilized Remind to promote social media engagement and organize contests/giveaways at conferences like the National eXtension Conference and Founders Weekend. This tool could also be used to send out program announcements to specific groups of volunteers about events and opportunities.

Stats: 90% of text messages are read within 3 minutes. Smartphone users love messaging apps. In fact, 36% of total smartphone owners use messaging apps such as WhatsApp, Kick or iMessages. 17% use apps that automatically delete sent messages such as Snapchat, Wickr or Dust. Of smartphone owners age 18-29, half (49%) use messaging apps, while 41% use apps that automatically delete sent messages.

Blog Author: Paul Hill, USU Extension Associate Professor