This year has been unlike any other in recent memory. How many new phrases or words are we now using on a regular basis? “Lockdown,” “virtual classrooms,” “social distancing,” the list goes on!
In an increasingly virtual year, you may be wondering how to capture relevant, interesting content for your yearbook. Due to local restrictions, some of the more ideal places to capture yearbook memories and moments, like a spirit week, are held virtually.
There is, however, a way that you can collect great content for your yearbook. And it’s easier than you might think! The answer lies in one simple phrase: “Crowdsourcing.”
What is Crowdsourcing
The dictionary defines crowdsourcing as: “to utilize (labor, information, etc.) contributed by the general public to (a project), often via the internet and without compensation.”
Put simply: Crowdsourcing is a process of gathering content. This is achieved by asking a large group of people (like your school community) to contribute their content. These could be photos, written pieces, and more.
Crowdsourcing Your School for Yearbook Coverage Ideas
Now that you understand what crowdsourcing is, it’s time to think about how you can crowdsource your school for yearbook coverage ideas. Some areas you may want to consider crowdsourcing include:
The Art Department – In a year of virtual events, you may have fewer photos of school events. The art department is a great place to consider crowdsourcing photos for your yearbook.
Ask students and teachers alike to contribute some of their favorite pieces from throughout the year. You may be surprised at some of the photos, artwork and illustrations that end up being perfect for your yearbook!
The English Department – This can be a win-win situation. Speak to your English teachers, and see if they would be willing to set a written assignment for students to describe what attending a virtual school is like.
Not only will this provide you with a lot of first hand accounts, the English teachers can use it as part of a written assignment.
What better way to provide a snapshot into what life in 2020 – 2021 was really like, than to hear it from the students themselves!
The Athletic Department – Just like most things, sports and athletics have seen changes this year. Speak to coaches and athletes. Ask them to document their experiences and their plans for keeping athletes in top condition.
Has there been a top virtual workout that the teams are using? How about virtual training sessions?
How to Crowdsource for Your Yearbook
Once you’ve decided the various areas that you will crowdsource content from, it’s time to actually start crowdsourcing! There are a number of ways you can go about this.
These include:
Google Forms – Google forms are a simple way to capture information across a large pool of resources. You can use Google forms to capture things like story ideas, quote ideas, even photos.
Online Sharing Service – Photos are one thing you won’t want to miss out on! But ensuring that students are able to share their photos in a safe and secure way is important. You can set up a system to accept photos by Dropbox, email or Google Drive, or directly through YeaboorbookLife’s design software.
These are just a few ways that you can crowdsource your school for yearbook content. What crowdsourcing techniques are you going to use?
At YearbookLife, we offer a full range of yearbook publishing and printing services, including Elementary School Yearbooks, Middle School Yearbooks, High School Yearbooks and Specialty and Event Books. Preserve all of your life’s memories! Request your free sample today.