The document provides an overview of social media and best practices for non-profits to utilize various social media platforms as part of a strategic communications plan. It discusses how to use Facebook, Twitter, YouTube, blogs, and other tools to engage audiences, share content, and evaluate effectiveness in meeting organizational goals. Key recommendations include starting small, having a clear communications strategy, and empowering staff to generate and share content consistently across channels.

1. To Tweet or Not to Tweet Nicole Lagace Communications Director HousingWorks RI Taylor Ellowitz Rhode Island Coalition for the Homeless

2. Overview of this session What is social media and why does it matter to your organization? Strategic communications planning How to fit social media into your strategic communications plan – picking the right tools Best practices Facebook Twitter YouTube Blogging Building Capacity

3. What is Social Networking? Using the internet to instantly collaborate, share information, and have a conversation about ideas or causes you care about. “ ” - Beth Kanter

4. So many sites...

5. The major sites… Facebook: Friend builder Twitter: Broadcast & Community Builder YouTube: Broadcast content to the world Flickr: Photographs to inspire LinkedIn: Professional connections MySpace: Talk to teens and musicians Blogs: Your own online newspaper Social Bookmarking: Sharing information SOURCE: NTEN conference: Social Media Basics for Nonfprofits

6. Why is Social Networking a big deal? Change in the media landscape nearly 300 newspapers folded in 2009 eight magazines with a circulation of one million or more ceased publication hundreds of editorial positions were eliminated in print media 10,000 jobs lost in radio more than 100 TV stations affected by Chapter 11 filings of parent companies

7. Why is Social Networking a big deal?

8. Isn’t it just a bunch of kids that use it? NO !!! Here’s who is online that you could/should reach: Colleagues Members Constituents Policy-makers Media Donors Board members etc. etc. etc.

11. Strategic Communications - Plan it Out First!

12. Step 1: Goals “ What your organization or program wants to achieve Example Goal: Governor proposes budget with zero $$ for NOP. Goal = Fund NOP!

13. Step 2: Audiences The “Who” Think about who you need to communicate with to meet your goal NOP Example : State House Leadership & those they listen to ( General Assembly, Constituents)

14. Step 3: Messages The “what you want to tell” your audience Consider what you want to tell your audience in order to achieve your goal Consider “what action you want your audience to take” Test your message!

15. NOP Message To Leadership: You have a moral obligation. This is a priority issue for your constituents. They care about this most. To Public: Crucial Homelessness prevention program Has statewide impact We need YOU to act to save it

16. Step 4: Tactics What is the best way to reach your audience? Don’t just swing your hammer! Direct Phone calls Text Message Emails 1-1 Meetings Mass Media Billboard Ads Bus Ads TV Radio Ads Digital Media Facebook, T witter Blogs, Youtube Website Email

17. NOP Tactics Letter Writing Phone Calling Lobbying – 1 on 1 Media Outreach – Tent Tour Stories How digital/social media fit into the campaign Website = central action resource Online Action Form – Change.org E-mail campaign Facebook, Twitter – informing the public, sharing news stories, calls to action Easily reach partner networks

18. Step 5: Evaluation Did you achieve your goal? Did you reach your target audience with your message? Measure of effectiveness of tactic and message Digital Media offers instant evaluation! NOP example Bit.ly Example

19. Is social networking for you? Set goals... what are you trying to accomplish with your communications? increase engagement? acquire new supporters of your work? raise money? increase membership? Define your audience ...is social media a good tool to reach them? (it’s ok to say no!) Capacity - Can you maintain a consistent flow of content that can draw attention and inspire others to share and advocate?

20. Facebook!!! Facebook is where people are going: 400 million active users Facebook = 3 rd largest country ~120 million US users – 40% and growing rapidly 50% log on to Facebook any given day 500 billion minutes per month spent on Facebook Average user creates 70 pieces of content each month

21. Facebook: Best Practices Profile: Wall = Default, Vanity URL, Content to explore Posts: Engagement is key Make statements people can support Ask Questions Keep it short Write in a personal tone, as if it is a 1-1 experience Share links but make it neat and easy to read Most orgs should share content with commentary

22. Facebook: Best Practices Schedule When does your audience login? Test it! How to Build Your Network Promote it on website, enews, email. Ask Staff, Board, and Volunteers to suggest to friends Post engaging content

23. Facebook: How Track Your Success Finish this sentence with just one thing: “We will know our Facebook efforts are worth further investment if…” Examples of good ways to finish that sentence include: Facebook fans become donors. Facebook fans become volunteers. Facebook fans take advocacy actions. Facebook fans share our content. Facebook Page Updates via email – good reminder Facebook Insights

24. Twitter: What it is Microblogging! Users communicate via short messages and updates called “tweets” to followers Tweets have maximum length of 140 characters Open to anyone, so you can follow or be followed by people you know and people you don’t

25. Twitter: Why people love it Changing the definition of “real time” news Staying up to date on current events Connect with people from around the world Connecting with like-minded people (“Lost”ies)

26. Twitter: THE LINGO Tweet: A post to Twitter - text only, 140 characters maximum (including spaces) Timeline: A series of tweets displayed on a Twitter page Follow: When you follow someone on Twitter, that means you elect to see in your timeline the tweets that they post Your “friends”: are the people who you follow Your “followers”: (a.k.a. “tweeps,” or “tweeple”) are the people who have chosen to see your tweets @ Replies: Supports back-and-forth conversation via tweet replies

27. Twitter: THE LINGO Direct (private) messages : sometimes abbreviated to “DM.” You can send private messages on Twitter that are visible only to you and the recipient Short URLs: You can include links in your tweet simply by posting the complete URL, including “http://” Hashtags: When you insert a # in front of keywords, you make it easy for Twitter users who don’t already follow you to find your public contributions to the coverage or discussion on that topic. Trending: hashtags categorized by popularity, which depends on a vast number of people tweeting on the topic at the same time

28. Twitter Best Practices Remember your brand! Create custom Twitter background Use your organization’s voice

29. Twitter Best Practices Listen first tweet later Search keywords related to your organization or issue Create lists to organize and monitor different stakeholders

30. Twitter Best Practices Listen first tweet later Search keywords related to your organization or issue Create lists to organize and monitor different stakeholders

31. Twitter Best Practices Listen first tweet later Search keywords related to your organization or issue Create lists to organize and monitor different stakeholders

32. Twitter Best Practices Creating lists helps organize your “friends.”

33. Twitter Best Practices Promote your allies before you promote yourself 12 to 1 rule

34. Twitter Best Practices Engage other organizations and users Use @ messages

35. Twitter Best Practices Use url shorteners for ALL external links Bit.ly, ow.ly, etc. Stay active and Tweet daily!

36. YouTube Online community where users can create, upload and share their videos Thorough, searchable database of videos YouTube is 2nd largest search engine next to Google. Every minute, 24 hours of video is uploaded to YouTube.

37. YouTube Nonprofit Program Premium branding capabilities and increased uploading capacity

38. YouTube Nonprofit Program The option to drive fundraising through a Google Checkout "Donate" button Listing on the Nonprofit channels and the Nonprofit videos pages Ability to add a Call-to-action overlay on your videos to drive campaigns YouTube Video Volunteers platform Find a skilled YouTube user to create a video for your cause.

39. YouTube Video Best Practices Don’t point your camera inward. Focus on your cause, not your organization Whenever possible, use voices from outside your organization. Video becomes more authentic Gives organization more credibility Have a clear purpose for your video. Remember your communications plan! Who is your audience? What do you them to think, feel, or do once they’ve finished watching the video?

40. Model YouTube Channels http://www.youtube.com/user/ NationalWildlife http://www.youtube.com/user/ EnterpriseCommunity

41. YouTube Best Practices Optimize for search Tag videos liberally Title well Upload consistently Use YouTube insight to measure efficacy

42. Blogs Posting on existing blogs RI Future, Daily Dose, Many others Blogs: How you can work with bloggers Build relationship with bloggers Comment on blogs Send info/help blogger write a blog Create your own blog –blogger, wordpress, typepad

43. Selling Social Media To Leadership Always tie it back to your communications plan! Goal – Audience – Message – Evaluation Establish clear social media protocols for your organization Demonstrate how similar organizations are using social media well

44. Building Organizational Capacity Start small...build big Level One: Listening Follow those who are relevant (media, legislators, allies, competition) – what are they saying? Level Two: Reactive/Broadcast Share timely information about your organization. (events, articles, publications, etc.) Respond to comments/posts on your pages Level Three: Proactive Generate new content – contests, polls, etc. Comment, interact and encourage conversation - @tagging, comment on others’ blog posts, etc.

45. Building Organizational Capacity Engage and empower staff, volunteers, and interns as messengers Set schedule for content generation Create checklist for ensuring quality content Make sure everyone understands organization’s goals and message Set a timer – And stop when it goes off! Use tools like Tweetdeck, HootSuite

46. Building Organizational Capacity Whenever possible, generate content in advance Schedule tweets Create file of blog posts for later use Have central library of images, latest statistics, quotes, etc. Don’t recreate the wheel Retweet! Link to other blog posts Invite guest bloggers

47. Final Thoughts Always remember your communications plan! It’s not about using the latest tools…but the tools that work for you.

48. Conclusion...what we learned Social media is a conversation How to integrate social media into your strategic communications The ins-and-outs of Facebook, Twitter, and YouTube Blogging best practices Building support and capacity for social media in your organization

49. THANK YOU AND QUESTIONS!