social media 
STRATEGY 
Chris Huebner 
Nonprofit Branding
The internet is littered 
with amazingly awful 
examples of failed 
social media campaigns
THE NEEDS OF A NONPROFIT 
FINANCIAL 
ADVOCACY
Social media can 
increase the 
ability to reach 
larger audiences
Social media provides 
new ways to: 
Share, collaborate and mobilize collective action 
(Greenberg 
and 
MacAulay, 
2009)
“Social media facilitate education and 
information because they feature 
multitudes of friends or peers who act as 
socialization agents and provide vast 
product information and evaluations 
quickly” 
(Wang, 
Yu 
and 
Wei, 
p. 
199, 
2012)
Highly-targeted: Direct messaging to 
interested individuals
Word-of-mouth from peers and authenticity in 
communication from organization increases 
trust and perceived reliability by stakeholders 
(Henning-­‐Thurau 
et 
al., 
2004; 
Gilpin, 
2009)
ALTRUISM: Social media offers the ability 
to publicly recognize the action of 
supporters and volunteers
ADOPTION 
TRIAL 
EVALUATION 
INTEREST 
AWARENESS 
The Marketing Funnel
SOCIAL MEDIA 
shrinks 
THIS FUNNEL
PURCHASE 
RESEARCH 
AWARENESS
PURCHASE 
RESEARCH 
AWARENESS 
(SEARCH) (DISCOVER)
PURCHASE 
RESEARCH 
(RESEARCH) (ASK OTHERS)  
(SEE WHAT OTHERS ARE DOING) 
AWARENESS 
(SEARCH) (DISCOVER)
(CO-CREATE) 
PURCHASE 
(ADVOCATE) 
RESEARCH 
(RESEARCH) (ASK OTHERS)  
(SEE WHAT OTHERS ARE DOING) 
AWARENESS 
(SEARCH) (DISCOVER)
STRATEGY
Is a plan for obtaining a goal based on 
research with the benefit of social 
media tools.
Is a plan for obtaining a goal based on 
research with the benefit of social 
media tools.
Is a plan for obtaining a goal based on 
research with the benefit of social 
media tools.
Is a plan for obtaining a goal based on 
research with the benefit of social 
media tools.
Is a plan for obtaining a goal based on 
research with the benefit of social 
media tools.
ORGANIZATION’S GOAL 
RESEARCH 
STRATEGY
ORGANIZATION’S GOAL 
SPECIFIC 
MEASURABLE 
ACTIONABLE 
REALISTIC 
TIMELY
RESEARCH 
ThinkwithGoogle 
PEW 
Google Trends 
Social Listening 
Online 
Communities 
QUANTCAST 
Mindtalk.com
We use research to gain insight into the 
barriers and motivations of our target 
audience. 
 
These insights should spark the creative
STRATEGY
BUSINESS GOAL 
“We have become saturated with 
RESEARCH 
one-way advertising” 
STRATEGY 
Mark Pollard, Big Spaceship
ONE: 
Make it personal, customizable or give the 
ability to create something new.
TWO: 
Make it about them
THREE: 
Spur Debate
FOUR: 
Create an incentive
NOW WHAT?
COMMUNICATIONS FRAMEWORK 
What 
media 
channels 
are 
they 
using? 
PHASE 
1 
PHASE 
2 
PHASE 
3 
MEDIA 
MEDIA 
MEDIA 
Adopted 
from 
Julian 
Cole 
hPp://www.slideshare.net/juliancole
WHAT I DID
BUSINESS GOAL 
RESEARCH 
STRATEGY
BUSINESS GOAL Increase sales by ____ percent 
Increase social media engagement by ______ 
Conducted social listening research on 
Van’s social media platforms 
RESEARCH 
Leverage the customization and remix culture 
exhibited by Van’s STRATEGYconsumers to create the 
worlds largest customized Vans  
collection
COMMUNICATIONS FRAMEWORK 
What 
media 
channels 
are 
they 
using? 
PHASE 
1 
PHASE 
2 
PHASE 
3 
MEDIA 
MEDIA 
MEDIA 
Adopted 
from 
Julian 
Cole 
hPp://www.slideshare.net/juliancole
THANK YOU!
THANK YOU! 
QUESTIONS?

Social Media Strategy