How to use Facebook to engage and build your following. Follow these practical steps to increase awareness of your brand. This is particularly helpful for charities and nonprofit organisations.

1. Social Media
Tips for success

2. Facebook in Romania
There are 3.5 million Facebook users in
Romania1.
By the end of 2011 it is estimated this will
increase to 5 million2!
65% of Romania’s Facebook users are aged
18-351.
13.19% of Romania’s population uses
Facebook2.

3. So what?
Social media (especially Facebook) is
growing in Romania.
…SO it’s important to get on board early,
and to do it right.

4. How

5. ‘Social media’ is about socialising
It means engaging in conversation, listening, and
developing relationships with your ‘followers’.
It means showing personality, not just company
messaging.
If you just post the same company messaging
and information as your website, then just use
your website. Social media isn’t the right forum.

6. It’s not just about you
Social media is about building relationships.
You would never build a good relationship with
someone if you just talked about yourself all the
time.
Engage your ‘followers’ in
conversation.
Ask questions, listen, share
interesting stories.

7. Show your passion
People want to see your personality, not your
company messaging.

8. Add value
Go beyond your own organisation – people are
interested in relevant topics and the wider
issue, not just OvR.
SO share relevant things with them: e.g. poverty
statistics, interesting
articles, quotes, videos, stories from the
field, websites etc.

9. An example…
An animal welfare group provides links to animal-friendly recipes. They are providing
value for their fans, not just talking about their charity’s work. They know what their
‘followers’ are interested in, so that’s what they communicate.

10. Make friends and be seen
Link with others to make friends – find relevant
pages (organisations, charities, causes,
Romanian pages etc).
Engage in conversations on those pages to
expand your network and visibility.

11. Provide interesting and inspiring
content
Photos appeal more than text.
Videos are especially powerful and more likely
to be shared.
Personal stories inspire
emotion.

12. Care about your fans
Recognise individuals – it is a huge motivator.
Thank your volunteers, local teachers, individual
donors etc.
Your ‘followers’ are real people. Do what you
can to show them love.

13. Summary of how to interact and
engage your Facebook ‘followers’
Share interesting articles, links, videos and
quotes.
Share surprising facts and statistics.
Share personal stories and updates from OvR
staff (e.g. after a day in the field).
Share OvR photos and videos.
Start topics – questions, votes/polls, etc.

14. Summary of how to interact and
engage your Facebook ‘followers’…
Interact on other FB pages to get your name out
there and increase your fan base.
Recognise individuals (e.g. volunteers).
Show personality in your posts.
Ask questions.
Ask your volunteers to post on the page – their
stories, photos etc, and to post on their own
page (link to OvR).
Share all posts in both English and Romanian.

15. And remember…
Social media is about building relationships. Keep it
fun, interesting, informative and meaningful.
Do what you can to build your fanbase. Use your
imagination and inspire your fans to share your
posts on their own pages.
This is an opportunity for OvR to be a leader in
engaging fans through social media in Romania.