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| Flickr: Thos003 |
Why? Because social media is FREE to use. If your nonprofit is not taking advantage of the vast marketing opportunities offered by social media, then it's time you jump on board. How can nonprofits benefit from social media? Read on for some compelling answers:
Staying relevant. Today, people use the Internet more than any other form of media, and the Internet is therefore tantamount to the success of any nonprofit organization. While it is great that you have a website, you simply are not keeping up if you are not using social media. Staying relevant has everything to do with your reputation; if the public does not see you as relevant in today's society, then how can you expect people to want to invest in your cause?
Broader reach. When you participate in social media forums like Facebook and Twitter, you open your nonprofit up to an audience of millions. That is because everyone who is familiar with your organization will connect with you, and all of their connections will see that connection.
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| From American Red Cross Facebook Page |
Cultivate relationships. The trick to succeeding as a nonprofit is to amass a group of loyal supporters who donate on a regular basis. One of the best (and simplest) ways to cultivate those important relationships is to connect with them through social media. This also allows you to get to know those who support your cause on a deeper and more meaningful level, which means you are better able to reach out to them when it's time to fund-raise.
Stay fresh in donators' minds. When you get a friend, fan, or follower, you can be sure that your posts will be in their network. That is a great way to stay fresh in your supporters' minds, to provide current information about what is going on with your cause, and to request that contributors make donations.
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| RedCross.org |
Multimedia. Today's society is centered on technology, and technology delivers a vast amount of information quickly, and in an entertaining way. If you really want to get peoples' attention, you have to provide them with a stimulating experience.
Using social networking sites enables you to provide a multimedia experience for those who are interested in your nonprofit. Not only can you post write-ups about your organization, but you can also post photos, videos, and links to other web pages.
As you can see, there are a lot of great reasons for why you should be putting social media to work for your nonprofit. Consider these benefits and how you can use them to your advantage when you create your social media campaigns.
About the Author: Elinore Freudenberg loves working with nonprofits and generally handles their social media campaigns. She helps them understand their Facebook and Twitter statistics and works to help them strengthen their brands.
Thanks for guest posting on my blog Elinore :)
ReplyDeleteI'd like to add that social media is very powerful and if you know how to create a viral campaign, you could get a lot of people involved in what you're doing.
But the main driving impetus for SM is for political causes as we've seen in the sweeping changes happening in the Middle East. People need to associate with your mission and vision and the rest is history.
I think the key here is in associating your mission with something that is phenomenally viral for the moment. Freedom is always a good cause and people will support it if you can show them how it also benefits them in the broader context.
Saving the environment is also one.
The limits are actually endless and the beauty of social media too is also the vast array of talent that you can use to further your cause.
Make your Non-Profit viral, make it phenomenal - use Social Media.