This document provides an overview of how non-profits can use social media to communicate more effectively. It discusses what social media is, why non-profits should engage with it, and how to get started. Key points include that social media allows for conversations rather than one-way messaging, non-profits should listen to online conversations and select tools based on goals and audience, and that success can be measured in various ways beyond traditional metrics like donations. The document provides resources for non-profits to learn more about using social media.

1. Social Media: transforming the way
nonprofits communicate
Leave a Legacy: Non-Profit Education Day
March 12, 2010
Farra Trompeter
farra@bigducknyc.com

2. What is
social media?

3. It’s about reaching and connecting people

4. traditional media social media
Encyclopedia Wikipedia
Brittanica
New York Times TechCrunch
Print newsletter eNewsletter, Twitter,
Facebook

5. http://www.web-strategist.com/blog/2010/02/28/a-sense-of-scale-social-networking-
by-the-numbers-video/

6. Why should my
nonprofit care?

7. Maybe you shouldn’t…
Social media is not…
• Free
• A silver bullet for fundraising
• An opportunity to control your message
• An opportunity to tell everyone what you think
• Inherently appealing and cool to millenials
• An alternative to clear messaging/mission

8. That said…
Social media is…
• Pretty low cost
• Growing by leaps and bounds
• An opportunity for conversation
• A great way to reach certain audiences
• A complement to the messages you’re sharing
through other channels

9. Source: http://www.idealware.org/sm_survey/download.php

10. Average social network user = 37
Feb 2010
http://royal.pingdom.com/2010/02/16/study-ages-of-social-network-users/

11. Who’s where?
Dec 2009
 116 million unique U.S. visitors
 Slightly more female
 Mostly younger, aged 13-34
 24 million unique U.S. visitors
 Slightly more male
 College education
(33% have a graduate degree vs. Internet avg of 21%)
 Generally older, more educated, and more affluent
 23 million unique U.S. visitors
 Peak at the 18-34 age group
(16% of its total vs. 8% of the total Internet audience)
 Less wealthy than those on Facebook and LinkedIn
http://www.openforum.com/idea-hub/topics/marketing/article/improve-your-social-
media-strategy-by-paying-attention-to-demographics-laura-aronsson-and-bianca

12. http://www.pewinternet.org/Reports/2009/Adults-and-Social-Network-Websites.aspx

14. Why do people participate?
• Keeping up with friendships
• Making new friends
• Succumbing to social pressure from
existing friendships
• Paying it forward
• The altruistic impulse
• The prurient impulse
• The creative impulse
• The validation impulse
• The affinity impulse
Source: Groundswell (book)

15. How do people participate?
© http://blogs.forrester.com/groundswell/2010/01/conversationalists-get-onto-the-ladder.html

16. Great!
So now what do I do?

18. Start by listening
© robertcarlsen

19. Listening Online
• Set up Google alerts, Technorati search, Twitter search, etc.
http://socialmedia-listening.wikispaces.com/Tools
• Your name and people connected to your organization
• Your organization’s name
• Program or event names
• Peer/competitor names and program/event names
• Your tagline or other key phrases
• URL for any web properties (main website, blog)
• Related issues/topics
• Common misspellings
Source: Beth’s Blog, Beth Kanter

21. Select the tools based on goals + audience,
and what you can manage.
© BoomeraATV

22. Source: Beth's Blog: How Nonprofits Can Use Social Media
http://beth.typepad.com/beths_blog/2008/10/how-much-time-d.html

23. Source: http://www.e-benchmarksstudy.com/socialmedia/key-findings/

24. Be nice, share, and say thank you.
© OMP Production

28. should be
more conversation,
less marketing

29. If you want people to care, make it about
them… not you!
http://www.angelamaiers.com/2008/09/my-twitter-enga.html

30. Help the community connect.
© parentprojectmd

34. Bring all your online communications together.
© fhoke.com

39. Don’t forget about other online listings.

41. Expand your definition of success
• Increased awareness of your cause
• Shift in your org’s reputation
• New and repeat program participants, activists, donors
• Increased requests for your programs
• Pageviews/clicks/comments/fans/etc.
• New email addresses/contact info
• Signatures/actions taken
• Dollars raised
• Mentions online

42. Examples

45. Page

46. Group

71. - Resources -

72. Resources
• NTEN: We Are Media
http://www.wearemedia.org
• Social Technographics
http://blogs.forrester.com/groundswell/
• Beth’s Blog: How Nonprofits Can Use Social Media
http://beth.typepad.com
• Frog Loop: Build Your Own Listening Dashboard
http://bit.ly/3JIwZ
• Using Social Media To Meet Nonprofit Goals
http://www.idealware.org/sm_survey/download.php
• Nonprofit Social Media Benchmarks Study
http://www.e-benchmarksstudy.com/socialmedia/

73. Let’s stay in touch
bigducknyc.com/blog
bigducknyc.com/blog/?author=6
linkedin.com/in/farra
facebook.com/bigduck
facebook.com/farratrompeter
twitter.com/bigduck
twitter.com/farra
farra@bigducknyc.com

74. Questions?
© Jeremy Crow