How can organizations build and activate online audiences? Which social networks should nonprofits invest their (limited!) resources? What recent campaigns produced results on a limited budget? Heather Whaling, president of Geben Communication, recently conducted a social media training for a group of nonprofit organizations, all struggling to connect with audiences via social media on (very!) limited budgets. This presentation explains the three golden rules of social media, pros/cons of various networks and offers case studies showcasing effective uses of social media. Feel free to "remix" and borrow from these ideas to strengthen your own online presence. Interested in having Heather speak to your organization or help you developed a customized plan? Email her: heather [at] gebencommunucation.com

1. A fresh AP[PR]OACH:
Build + Activate Online Audiences
Heather Whaling
heather@gebencommunication.com
prtini.com • @prTini

2. 3 guidelines

3. rule #1: value

4. rule #2: start small

5. rule #3: effective + efficient

6. Social? Blog? Email?
Time of day
Types of content

7. types of
content:

9. • 200+ networks
• Impossible to be
everywhere
• Follow your audience

10. Pros
• High engagement
• Relationship-building
• News dissemination
• Diversity
Cons
• Time-intense

11. Pros
• Behemoth network
• Solid analytics
• Strong targeting
Cons
• Paid almost required
• Frequent changes
• Noisy network

12. Pros
• Professional audience
• News dissemination
• Improving engagement
• Interest groups
Cons
• Getting noisier
• Limited diversity
• Not as “sticky”

13. Pros
• Easy engagement
• Straightforward
• Visually compelling
• Reusable content
• Audience range
Cons
• Limited metrics
• Minimal CTA tracking
• No geo-targeting

14. Pros
• Heavy teen usage
• “Snackable” content
• Visual, but different
Cons
• Limited audience
• Not really meant for
“brands”

15. Pros
• High referral traffic
• Variety of content
• Easy to find/search
Cons
• Time-intense
• No geo-targeting

16. your turn
Which network(s) is most valuable for
your organization? Why?

17. Increase:
• Referral traffic
• Network/database
• Engagement levels
• Registrations
• Educate & advocate

18. tools
Buffer
Hootsuite
Google
Analytics
Facebook
Insights
Feedly

19. “pinterestification” of the web

20. photo apps

21. influencer relations

22. Source: http://www.flickr.com/photos/86979666@N00/

23. infuse
creativity:

24. educate local bloggers
Teen Dating Violence
Awareness Month: Invited
three local bloggers to discuss
and raise awareness of teen
dating violence statistics,
warning signs and steps to
prevent it. They then posted on
Facebook and Twitter, and
blogged about the discussion.
“The meeting was incredibly
powerful and sobering. I'm
grateful for an organization like
The Women's Fund that is
willing to facilitate these
discussions.”

25. partner with local organizations
Equal Pay Day:
• CYP partnership
• Invited young professional
women to attend a pay
negotiation training seminar
at The Women’s Fund
RESULTS:
• 50+ attendees
• Introduced The Women’s
Fund to new audiences
• Built lasting relationship with
CYP (Multiple events have
been co-hosted since)

26. creativity that gets results

27. Live Facebook Q&A: Facilitate conversation among
marathoners and provide training tips and advice from
running and training experts

28. instagram | launch
The Power of the Networks
• Instagram “correspondents”
• Pre-event promotion
• Live photos at the event
• Interaction between accounts
• Result: @CbusMarathon had
300+ followers within 1 week of
launching

29. be social. have fun.
RunFest Photo Booth
• Pick an accessory
• Strike a pose
• Snap a photo on their phone
• Share with #cbusmarathon

30. IG ambassadors
Countdown to race day:
• Launched 2013 “Instagram
Ambassador” program 50
days prior to race day
• Ambassadors share weekly
training photos for
@cbusmarathon to regram
and share on the blog
• Result: 700 followers in 3
months
•
•
Pittsburgh Marathon: 720
followers in the last year
NYC Marathon: 445 followers

31. IG ambassadors
Prompts:
What’s your favorite training tech? • Where do you run?
What do you wear while training? • What motivates you?

32. GOAL:
• Increase donations from
online communities
• Engage a corporate
sponsor
• Tap into local online
influencers’ personal
networks
• Expand NCH’s local
online footprint

34. RESULTS:
• 500+ photos entered,
resulting in a $5,000
donation to Nationwide
Kids from Simple Bath
Ohio
• #NCHfavorites hashtag
– 1.1 million people on
Twitter
– 242,000 on Instagram

35. GOAL:
• Launch iPad app
• Grow social footprint
• UGC for off-season

37. PRIZES:
Backyard redesign (via Pinterest)
$1000 to implement
Daily gift cards

38. RESULTS
• 6,000+ website visits
• 150+ photos submitted
• 130 participants’ email addresses collected
• Facebook audience tripled
• #GrowInspired reached 60,000 people

39. Heather Whaling • @prTini
heather@gebencommunication.com
subscribe: bit.ly/prTini
Disrupt the status quo.
Build awareness.
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Excel in the social world.
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