Facebook. Twitter. Foursquare. YouTube. Pinterest. Tumblr. Each has a unique and compelling value proposition, but which platforms are best for nonprofits? While there isn’t a universal answer, one thing is for certain. Follow your clients and your critics.
My colleague Jessica and I recently lead a two-day nonprofit social media workshop presented by the CT Association of Nonprofits and the CT Humanities Council. As we developed our presentation, it became clear just how much social media has evolved in recent months. Think Facebook Timelines and Pinning for Autism. How does one keep up with these changes? Be selective. Think strategically. Update consistently. Monitor appropriately.
Be Selective
Nonprofits’ resources are limited and oftentimes employees wear multiple hats. As we told our workshop attendees, we realize every nonprofit isn’t fortunate enough to have a dedicated social media or communications staffer. Ask your constituents – donors, volunteers, clients (if appropriate), strategic partners – which platforms they are using and if they are open to receiving information about your organization through that platform. While it’s unlikely you will get 100% consensus, use this data to guide your platform selections.
Think Strategically
Social Media is most effective when integrated into a comprehensive marketing communication plan. Take the time to outline objectives, craft key message points, define target audiences and build a timeline that accounts for who is creating the content and who is maintaining the platform(s). Account for the fact that not all of your constituents will be heavy users of social media and that you will need to reach them in different ways. Be mindful of resources. Don’t overcommit and sacrifice the quality of your content.
Update Consistently
It’s great to launch your social media campaigns with a burst of enthusiasm but don’t start by updating platforms at a frequency that you can’t maintain. Manage people’s expectations by maintaining a consistent presence. Whether you commit to blogging weekly or daily, always focus on creating quality content that will resonate with target audiences.
Monitor Appropriately
Just because your nonprofit decides Twitter isn’t the right platform to share your message doesn’t mean people aren’t talking about you. Take the time to monitor and be informed about the online buzz surrounding your organization. There are several free tools available online that can help. If your monitoring uncovers some unflattering commentary, consider the criticism an opportunity to convert a critic into a fan and demonstrate that your organization listens to what community members have to say, be it good or bad.
While the temptation to become an early adopter of the latest platform can be overwhelming, we strongly encourage nonprofits and businesses alike to begin by developing a social media strategy. Understanding who you are talking to, what drives them to action and what role(s) they play in helping to achieve your objectives is key to a successful social media program.
A special ‘thank you’ to the CT Association of Nonprofits and CT Humanities Council for inviting us to present and to The Mark Twain House & Museum for hosting us. It was a pleasure.
Jessica Lyon, Vice President, and Danielle M. Cyr, Director of Social Media, recently lead a two-day social media workshop for the CT Association of Nonprofits and CT Humanities Council.
Interested in booking a speaker for your nonprofit social media training? Contact us!
Posted by
Jess Lyon on Mon, May 14, 2012 @ 11:24 AM
As a CT lifer and marketer by trade, I was anticipating the unveiling of CT’s new brand with excitement and a dash of skepticism.
This morning’s press conference showcased the work of Chowder, a NYC-based agency. Governor Malloy introduced the new brand for CT, which focuses on history as the differentiator – not a “fossilized” history, but a longstanding reputation for change. Think Colt, Stowe, Twain. Now CT Science Center, Jackson Labs, UCONN. Hence the tagline: Connecticut. Still Revolutionary.
The TV spots, which felt more like movie trailers than commercials for CT, had very high production quality and were received with strong applause. Set to an original song, “Better With You,” performed by the Hartford Symphony Orchestra and sung by UCONN student Dinelle Glaze,, they portrayed storylines of couples, families and individuals experiencing some of CT’s most treasured gem’s – Mystic Aquarium, Gillette Castle, Essex Steam Train and the like. Some sample billboards and other out-of-home adaptations were also presented following the same theme.
DECD Commissioner Catherine Smith was on-hand to speak about how the brand would be adapted for business, but I would have like to see some examples. While I know tourism is something that strengthens the economy, I also know the bottom line for a lot of business folks in the area is to showcase CT as a place where businesses can innovate and grow.
I am really looking forward to seeing how Still Revolutionary will be applied to business and plan to whole-heartedly support this campaign.
With that, please join me:
www.facebook.com/VisitConnecticut
www.twitter.com/ctvisit
www.youtube.com/user/ConnecticutTourism
www.pinterest.com/visitct
On Thursday, May 3rd the Digital Brand Conference came to Hartford, featuring a series of workshops on social media and the evolution of marketing. Our own Jessica Lyon was featured on the panel ‘The Future of Marketing’ which discussed how businesses can keep up with new marketing technologies. Joining Jessica on the panel were Andrew Perry, Director, Interactive Media at eVariant and Derek Beere, New Media Manager at Mason, Inc.
During the panel, Jessica discussed how businesses can leverage blogs to generate leads and convert prospects into customers. Among her recommendations were including compelling calls to action in blog posts and optimizing content with website keywords to make it search friendly.
Fellow panelist, Derek Beere, encouraged attendees to consider experiential marketing, discussing the ideas of convergence and emergence. He shared a case study from Coca Cola, which setup an amusement park in Israel and engaged audiences to share their experiences on social media through RFID technology. Derek also discussed the transition of the media landscape from paid and earned to paid, earned and owned, and how it impacts businesses’ marketing strategies.
Addressing the owned media space, panelist Andrew Perry cautioned attendees to be mindful of the 80/20 rule – 80% of people on social media do a lot of listening while 20% create a lot of noise. Andrew encouraged attendees to find meaningful ways to interact with those who are talking on social media, recommending companies invest in paid social media marketing tools to engage this prime audience.
Co-Communications president, Stacey Cohen, recently moderated a panel for BOMA – Let’s Get Social: Social Media and Online Essentials for Today’s Business. Featured on the panel were: Holly Alexander, founder, Top Spin Communications; Ellen DePasquale, Constant Contact Regional Development Director, NY Metro; David Hoffman, president, Search Smart Marketing; and, Daniel A. Schwartz, partner, Pullman & Comley, LLC. The panelists discussed social media tools and tactics; search engine optimization (SEO); email marketing; emerging trends; legal implications; and, best practices.
Among Twitter’s most valuable attributes is the ability to share timely information with key audiences. Whether it’s a new study commissioned by a trade organization, nonprofit fundraising milestone or new hire announcement, Twitter allows businesses, nonprofits and individuals to spread the news and build an online buzz in a matter of minutes. The challenge is, how does one fit all of the compelling information they want to share in 140-characters?
Less is more
While the strategic partnership your accounting firm launched with a local IT company may have many value propositions for your clients, cramming every morsel of news into 140-characters can lead to information overload. When formatting the announcement for Twitter, consider how to make the news re-tweet friendly. For example, leave 20 characters available so people won’t have to spend time shortening your announcement before they can re-tweet it and share the news with their followers.
Tease your followers
Did your nonprofit recently commission a study on the impact of budget cuts on client service? Are you eager to share all of the compelling data with your followers? Extract one key statistic that can be used to catch people’s attention. For example, tweet: X% of nonprofits nationwide have reduced services due to budget cuts, followed by a link to the full report.
Drive traffic
Twitter is a valuable tool for increasing website traffic. House the ‘full story’ behind what you are tweeting on your website, so people land on your website when they click the link within your tweet. By leaving room for re-tweets, you will also make it easier for people to share your news, further increasing the traffic directed to your website.
Making your tweets re-tweet friendly helps to increase the number of people who are exposed to your message. It also prevents your message from becoming misconstrued. Oftentimes, when updates are long and a re-tweet pushes them over the 140-character limit, users have to cut characters before they can share the update. This can lead to the unintentional spread of misinformation which, depending on the inaccuracies, can ultimately damage a brand.
When crafting social media updates, remember to leave room for re-tweets and make content easy for others to share. The more people who share your information, the more people – including potential customers and strategic partners -- become exposed to your brand.
As state budget cuts and decreased donations force nonprofits to do more with less resources, the importance of clear, concise and compelling messaging is more important than ever. Beyond demonstrating how the organization is upholding its mission statement and serving its target audiences, nonprofits must find creative ways to differentiate themselves from others competing for the same limited pool of donor funds. How can nonprofits stand out from other equally important organizations? By implementing creative communication campaigns that drive people to action.
Driving Audiences to Action
The cornerstone of an effective nonprofit PR program is a strong call to action. Is your organization seeking volunteers for a community outreach event? In need of hardgoods donations? Looking for event sponsors? Clearly communicating how target audiences can take action and support the outlined campaign objectives helps nonprofits quantify the success of their efforts. Based on this evaluation, communication strategies and tactics can be refined, offering intelligence regarding what types of requests are most compelling to the target audience(s).
Developing Personal Connections
Among the greatest 'selling points' any nonprofit has are its stories. Stories are about people. They showcase how circumstances impact certain individuals, how programs improve these individuals lives and how others in the community can help make an impact. This unique combination helps people to develop personal connections to nonprofits and empowers them to become change agents. These stories can be used across newsletters, e-communications, appeal letters, videos and blogs to demonstrate the vital role nonprofits play in the communities they serve.
Harnessing Creative Energy
Clear messaging is key to the success of any nonprofit communications campaign. However, a splash of creativity can help that clear and concise message to stand out in a crowd. Perhaps it is a creative way to engage volunteers or a unique fundraising effort. Maybe it is a program your nonprofit runs that it is the best kept secret in the community. Showcasing unique attributes of an organization and developing creative communications and fundraising campaigns can help draw attention to worthy causes while positively impacting the bottom line.
As 2012 surges ahead, pay careful attention to integrating compelling stories, creative campaigns and inspiring calls to action into your nonprofit's communications campaigns. This unique mix of key ingredients will help to motivate volunteers, raise funds and ultimately drive the success of the organization.
‘Build It and They Will Come’ has relevance in many applications, but social media isn’t necessarily one of them. With the thousands of individuals and brands alike that are engaging with multiple platforms, there isn’t a guarantee that people will happen to trip across your content. So how do you drive traffic to what you’ve built? By giving people a reason to visit.
Great Content
As with anything, users come to know who and what they can rely on. If you consistently produce compelling content that is backed by strong data, people will come back looking for more of your great work. The key is, driving people to the content. Whether it’s teasing them with snippets of the content or encouraging others in your community to share your information with their own audiences, it is important to actively drive traffic to your social media platforms.
Incentives
The words ‘win’ and ‘free’ are certainly among many people’s favorites. Offering free product samples through a brand’s Facebook page is a huge opportunity to engage new audiences, drive traffic to the brand’s online presence and, ultimately, convert prospects into loyal brand users. Think of unique ways to incentivize key audiences to engage in your online communities. Most importantly, remember that while standing out from the crowd is important, offering an incentive that is a complementary to the brand is equally important.
Cross-promotion
Social Media Marketing is most effective when it is part of an integrated marketing strategy. Take advantage of opportunities to promote your social media presence on your website, in e-communications and in offline marketing campaigns, as appropriate.
Added Value
Oftentimes, companies will implement an inbound marketing strategy where consumers can get some information by simply visiting a page and can then obtain additional information by downloading a free offer, such as a whitepaper or e-book. Providing audiences with this added value…and additional knowledge…is a great way to drive traffic to your website and social media platforms.
Link Love
Inbound links are a great way to boost traffic to your website and social media platforms alike. Seek out opportunites to guest post on industry blogs and submit contributed articles to online publications that reach your target audiences. These inbound links build not only credibility, but traffic.
As you work to create your social media strategy, focus on not only building well-developed platforms, but identifying ways to drive not only a volume of people to your online presence, but the right people to your online presence.
Monitoring social media mentions can be a time-intensive process. The larger the company, the more products it offers and the more employees it has, the more things to monitor. When tracking down brand mentions and monitoring online commentary, consider using these five free user-friendly resources:
IceRocket.com
Think Google for social media. Ice Rocket looks like a search engine and works like a search engine. Simply type your search term of choice into the search box and you’re ready-to-roll. One of Ice Rocket’s key features is the ability to search social media platforms one at a time or as a group.
SocialMention.com
Social Mention looks similar to Ice Rocket but also allows you to setup free daily alerts. Social Mention will also evaluate the sentiment of the content recovered in the search and provide the average number of mentions per day for each term that you search.
Addictomatic.com
I was introduced to Addictomatic at a recent PRSA-CVC workshop and have come to appreciate the way search results are displayed and how clear the source of each update is to the user. As with any platform, preferences vary by user.
Facebook Insights
If you have a brand timeline, you have access to Facebook Insights. A free tool, Insights reveal which updates get the most exposure and the most interaction. Use the data within Insights to refine your content creation and content sharing strategies.
Twitter Search
Curious about a specific hashtag? Looking to catch-up on a Twitter chat that you missed? Eager to learn what people are saying about your brand? This free and easy-to-use tool allows you to monitor Twitter mentions. Whether your company has a Twitter handle or not, it is important to search the company’s name. Oftentimes, people will reference a brand without using the dedicated handle or hashtag and it is important to acknowledge their feedback.
Whether you are a power user or a novice, it is important to monitor what is being said about your brand across various social media platforms. While some companies will require a deeper level of monitoring and measurement, these five free resources are great starting points for monitoring online brand buzz.
My colleague Jessica and I recently led a workshop on nonprofit communications plans for members of the Connecticut Association of Nonprofits. For those who didn’t attend the presentation, we wanted to share some key takeaways for building an effective nonprofit communications plan:
- Start by defining the plan’s objectives: What are the end goals of your nonprofit’s communications? Identifying the end goals will help in developing targeted communications that speak to these key items, be it increasing volunteers, meeting fundraising goals or attracting corporate partners.
- Clearly identify target audiences: Knowing who you are talking to is critical. The way you would communicate with a prospective donor is different than how you would communicate with a long-time volunteer.
- Develop key message points: When multiple parties are communicating on behalf of the organization, messaging can vary widely. Establish a list of three-to-five key message points that are critical to your communication efforts. Know which ‘selling points’ are relevant to your different target audiences to ensure everyone is receiving the information that is important to them while maintaining a consistent brand voice.
- Create an implementation timeline: Nonprofits’ resources are limited and often the communications person wears multiple hats. Develop a timeline that is realistic and includes all communication activities. Assign deadlines to tasks and clearly define who is responsible for which communications.
- Include success benchmarks: How will you evaluate the effectiveness of your communications plan? Whether the plan supports fundraising goals, awareness goals or community engagement goals, it is important to outline how the program will be evaluated. Use this data to guide any changes to the plan.
When building your nonprofit’s communications plan, be mindful of organizational objectives and leverage communications as a tool for achieving these goals. As your organization’s goals evolve, so will the plan.
Ever visit a Facebook page that looks identical to both the company’s Twitter page and website? Did you then wonder if the pages were updated by a feed or robot instead of a person? Unfortunately, as companies work to do more with the same or even less resources, automating social media updates is becoming increasingly common. While the technique can save organizations both time and money, it sacrifices five key components of an effective social media program:
Engagement
Unfortunately, as convenient as populating social media through newsfeeds may be, it compromises one of the most significant values social media offers organizations – engagement. Without this key element, it is challenging for companies to build community and generate a viral buzz.
Relationships
It’s difficult to build a reciprocal relationship with a robot or other automaton. Showing an appropriate amount of personality and addressing individuals that interact with a brand through social media helps to build relationships between consumers and a brand. This one-to-one communication quality is lost in a newsfeed.
Interaction
How do you get feedback from consumers? By asking questions and providing forums to share opinions. While you may garner an occasional retweet for a newsfeed-style update, you won’t get the level of interaction that you would from a Facebook poll, blog post that engages the community or even a ‘retweet for a chance to win’ program.
Dialogue
Social media enables companies to have a two-way conversation with key audiences. Talking at someone through a newsfeed doesn’t lay the groundwork for a back-and-forth dialogue.
Community-Generated Content
When a company reaches the point in its social media program where community members are generating wall posts, sharing photos and starting their own discussions about a brand, it lessens the company’s content generation burden. It also shows that audiences are invested in the online community. When this key component is lacking, social media can take on a brochure-like persona. By avoiding the newsfeed approach to social media, companies can build communities where users feel compelled to share their own content.
When planning and implementing a social media program, it is important to consider what resources can be allocated to maintaining the program and identify techniques for engaging and building relationships with key audiences. If your existing social media program is based on a newsfeed model, evaluate what resources you can allocate to developing a more interactive program and how you can leverage social media tools to drive key audiences to action.