Social Media and Social Change: A Guide for Nonprofit Organizations

In the late 1960s, the Internet began as a way for universities, researchers and the Defense Department to share data. Social networking tools began as a way for people to share ideas.

According to eMarketer, in 2008 nearly 80 million people—41% of the U.S. Internet user population—visited social network sites at least once a month. That represents an 11% increase from 2007. With that many individuals online and participating in social networking sites, one would expect that social media marketing strategies would be incorporated into every small business, corporation and nonprofit in America. Within nonprofit organizations, that is not happening. Fear and apathy are the primary barriers to using social media, according to Web Pro News.

As a nonprofit communications and development professional, social networking sites and social media marketing strategies are valuable tools to me. They are not to be feared—they should actually be embraced.

Integrating social media marketing strategies into a nonprofit’s marketing, public relations and fundraising plan will offer more opportunities to:

Connect with constituents and supporters
Become transparent
Allow your supporters to connect with each other
Raise money
Raise awareness of your brand and the services you provide to the community
Share success stories

And the best part about social media marketing—it’s free. All of the platforms discussed here are available online free of charge. All that is required is time—time to learn, time to post, and time to engage others. There are many social media opportunities; the ones discussed here provide a good place to start. They are fairly user-friendly and are the most popular with the general public.

Social Networks

Facebook

Facebook, the free access social networking site, is what most people think of when they hear the term “social networking.” What began as a way for college students to interact online has morphed into one of the largest and most diverse social networking platforms available. Facebook attracts individuals of all demographics, making it an ideal place for a nonprofit to network with its supporters.

Nonprofit organizations can interact with Facebook in one of two ways. One, nonprofits can set up their own Facebook page. Rather than providing information on a person, the nonprofit is featured. The manager of the Facebook account can “friend” supporters, post photos and video, and promote special events, volunteer opportunities, and other fundraisers. Two, nonprofits can create a Facebook cause page. Once your cause has been verified, supporters can “link” your cause to their profile. Cause pages also offer the opportunity to raise money for specific programs or events.

One of the great aspects of Facebook is its ability to create missionaries, ardent supporters of your cause who actively recruit new people. These missionaries have the potential to create wealth for your organization simply because of their influence within social networks and their passion for your cause.

Online Communities

Online communities are similar to Facebook in that participants interact with each other online. Actually, some of the online community building sites, like Ning, physically resemble Facebook. The similarity ends there.

Online communities are created for a specific purpose and have a specific theme. Members may or may not know each other in “real” life; they simply joined the online community because of a shared interest. Donate Life Illinois, a nonprofit focusing on encouraging organ donor registration, created an online community bringing together patients, recipients, families, advocates and supporters to network and connect with each other. Creating an online community for your constituents and/or supporters is a great way for them to connect more fully with each other and with your organization.

Twitter

One of the newest social media tools is Twitter, a way to post brief messages over the Internet. People choose to follow each other and their “tweets,” the term used to describe messages sent via Twitter. The catch—the message needs to be composed of 140 characters or less.

For nonprofits, Twitter provides a tremendous opportunity to connect often with supporters of your mission, to share current news or success stories, to remind supporters of special events and volunteer opportunities, and to raise money. Some nonprofits use their brand as their Twitter profile (e.g. @CIFF or @DonateLifeIL); others use members of their staff (e.g. @SAJansky and @jf329). I personally believe people would rather connect with people than brands, but that decision needs to be made by each nonprofit.

Twitter has the unique ability to rally “tweeples,” the term used to describe avid Twitter users, to raise money for nonprofit causes. A perfect example is Twestival, a global event on February 12, 2009, which brought Twitter users together to raise money for charity:water. Twestival was organized 100% by volunteers who committed to hosting events for charity:water in more than 175 cities around the world on the same day. Individuals could donate money through tipjoy, a Twitter application offering simple social payments for great people causes and content, or purchase a ticket to any one of the events. The result? Nearly $1 million raised entirely by volunteers who spread a viral message.

Next Steps

Before logging onto your computer and signing up your nonprofit for all these services, there are a few things your nonprofit needs to be aware of when choosing to use social media:

Be comfortable distributing control of your marketing message: Social media provides every individual with a voice and the power to effect change. Approaching social media armed with your nonprofit’s mission statement and talking points will not lead to success with these mediums. Allow your supporters to use their voice to promote your cause, even if it differs from your organization’s standard tag lines and messaging.
Listen more, talk less: Social media is not about disseminating a message. It’s about connecting with people. Take time to listen to what is being posted on your Facebook page or your Ning site or what is being “tweeted” about your organization and its services or programs. Discuss this internally. Cultivating relationships one friend or tweet at a time will pay off in the long term.
Be enthusiastic: Consumers are more sophisticated than ever and can identify a talking point or “corporate speak” – even from a nonprofit. Be authentic in all social media communications. Answer questions honestly. Accept criticism gracefully. Encourage controversial discussions rather than trying to stop them.
Take time: Social media platforms may be free, but using them well takes time. It takes enormous amounts of time to employ these strategies and gain enough momentum to see tangible results. Don’t give up. Build your support base on Facebook, Ning and Twitter slowly – as other social media users notice your honest, authentic content and your great cause, they will join you.

Stephanie A. Jansky is the Development Manager at MedWish International and the Social Media Strategist for the Donate Life Rose Parade float. Having worked in the nonprofit sector her entire career, Stephanie is keenly aware of the communications challenges facing nonprofits and believes passionately in the effectiveness of social media marketing strategies. She is a member of the Steering Committee for the Cleveland Social Media Club, the Cleveland MOTTEP Board of Directors and the Cleveland Plus Marketing Alliance Young Professionals Council. She also authors the blog The Lake Effect.

Welcome to Social Media

An Educational Project of the
Cleveland Social Media Club

Welcome to Social Media, Volume 1

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