In our recent post, we highlighted our “secret sauce” of the features and feeds in the News tab of our mobile app.

Maybe we’re hungry around here, but this post is focused on ideas to add in some extra flavor to your News tab through the creative use of features.

For starters, we offer five types of features. How you use them is only limited to your imagination:

(1) Links: Direct users to any external website such as benefits or giving pages, class notes, spirit store, event calendar, directory or an important YouTube video.

(2) Feedback forms: Request user-specific feedback such as address updates, RSVPs, or pledges.

(3) Polls: Request and share anonymous feedback such as demographic information, alumni event planning, or app feedback.

(4) Photos: Post a series of photos to promote an event, highlight an achievement, or show campus happenings.

(5) Emails: Give users a simple way to e-mail someone other than the administrator of the app, for services such as resume review, transcript request, or class notes submission.

Be creative! Below are some examples from our wonderful customers:

Poll Feature: Saint Joseph's Demographic Poll

Link Feature: NC State's link to a Students Today Alumni Tomorrow video.

For a creative example of a feedback form, read our post on LaSalle University’s Scavenger Hunt.

Think of features as spices. Sprinkle them into your News feed to keep app users abreast of alumni events and resources, and garner their feedback in return.

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Two blocks from my house is a big open field. My kids like to run in it, neighborhood dogs like to fertilize it – in short, it is generally enjoyed by everyone around us.

The other day, it turned vibrantly purple.  Soon, perfectly rational adults were staging pet photo shoots and roving bands of little girls were gathering weedy bouquets. In short, something good got even better.

Our customers customize the outside and inside cover of our book and give it as a thoughtful gift. Graduates love our content and our buyers love the branding.

So how do you make it even better?

Add 8 pages of custom content to the front of the book. It’s not quite a field of wildflowers, but the 8-page insert is a great way to share a lot of specific information about your institution.

We love to read the creative ways our customers use their insert:

Keeping In Touch: Showcase the ways your alumni or members can stay connected.

Benefits: Share details of your alumni benefits program.

Career Services: Let your alumni or members know about career services you offer.

Our 8-page insert is an inexpensive way to include substantial information about your institution. We can even print color pages (at a slightly higher cost) if your information looks better nestled against something bright, like say a field of purple wildflowers.

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