By Angelika Prox-Dampha on 2024-12-29 23:21 in Outreach

In the final weeks of 2024, I contacted all Team Leads and members in the Outreach Department via Mattermost. Some teams had been inactive for years; several were reactivated quickly, others are gradually returning.

A regular all-TL meeting was not feasible due to global time zones, so I joined individual team meetings when possible. Hence the topics are quite independent there a joint meeting is not a priority. Attending the team meetings has helped deepen my understanding of the work in the departments and their needs for support. Long-term, I aim to establish joint TL meetings once a common time can be agreed.

Key Developments:

• Outreach and Joomla! Volunteer Engagement Team launched a volunteer drive. Most applicants joined Production, though two at JoomlaCamp Germany and two from JUG Cologne offered support in SEO, analytics, graphics, and social media.

• The team for PBF event Olivier Buisard is well organized and needs little supervision.

• The Community Magazine Team, led by Anja de Crom, works independently and effectively.

• The Volunteer Engagement and Events Teams (TL: Patrick Jackson) and JUG Team (TL: Todd Woodward) have been reactivated. The JUG Team is reviewing its directory and working on revitalizing inactive groups.

• The Marketing Team is struggling: irregular attendance, missed tasks, and reduced team size. TL Tom van der Laan has been supportive despite limited resources and low morale. More contributors are needed.

• The Marketing Community Liaison Team coordinates national outreach via Mattermost.

• No activity from the Certification Team, Educational Outreach, User Research & Strategy, or Global Events Fund Working Group. Their future should be discussed with the board.

• The Optimisation Team is inactive due to frustration with past experiences. An atempt to involve new members during the Joomla Camp Germany was promissing but not successful.

• The Social Media Team is minimal. I managed the Hootsuite feed started by my predecessor. Due to inefficiency, I dropped the Excel planning and posted directly. Engagement is low unless major releases or technical contents are involved.
  
  A major issue is the lack of properly sized graphics for social media posts. Without access to original files, resizing is extremely time-consuming. AI tools and Hootsuite automation were used but not ideal. Only the Marketing Team provided assets in correct formats— but often sometimes quite late due to late infromation from the TL of the version.
  I requested that resized graphics be mandatory for content to be posted on Social Media, but this was ignored by JCM and Graphics Teams.

• The Joomla Translation Program Team (JTP) functions under Operations but needs clarification on whether it belongs in Outreach.

• The Joomla Shop is inactive. No sales or revenue have been reported recently, and access remains unclear.

Open Tasks:

• Confirm if JTP belongs under Outreach or Operations (coordinate with DC-Production)

• Recruit volunteers for Marketing, Social Media, SEO

• Publish marketing strategy and analytics data 

• Design and prepare for “20 Years Joomla” and Joomla 6 launch

• Create a press folder and releases for JoomlaDay USA and other important milestones

• Identify media contacts and start a press newsletter

Plans for Social Media:

• Modernize design and content format (e.g., video, podcasts)

• Use more emotional graphics, avoid excessive text in images