Social media is no longer an option for nonprofit organizations -- it's a necessity. Standing on the sidelines simply leaves you standing on the sidelines. Online activity has become one mandatory tool in the nonprofit management tool belt.
"I believe the nonprofits that are most effective with social media are the organizations who take the time to connect with the influencers within their target and create compelling reasons for them to get engaged in supporting the cause," explains Pete Brand, co-founder of Mindscape at Hanon McKendry. "It's not just getting the influencers on board, though. The best organizations take advantage of the social buzz and communicate the meaning behind their efforts. When there is heightened awareness, it's important to tell the story and create long lasting emotional connections."
Two organizations have been superb in building those emotional connections online and benefiting from those interactions:
"Social media plays a large and important role for Humane Society of West Michigan," says Marketing and Events Coordinator Nicole Cook. "It helps us to reach our audience quickly with important news and allows us to get immediate responses from our supporters. Facebook has played an especially important role for Humane Society of West Michigan because it has resulted in increased adoptions of our animals, donations for our cruelty/special needs animals, the opportunity to find new staff members and increased media attention as a result of our posts. We are so grateful to our community of online supporters and we could not do what we do without them!"
Like the Humane Society of West Michigan, Kids' Food Basket also has quite a stake in the social media game. Bridget Clark Whitney, executive director of the hunger-fighting agency explains. "If we are going to stay at the cutting edge of childhood hunger relief efforts, we have to stay at the cutting edge of social media. The use of electronic communication, from Twitter to our website, allows us to mobilize vast demographics of individuals, engaging them in our mission. Bottom line: more awareness means more meals served to children."
Do you want to do good? Of course you do! Here's how:
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Follow the Humane Society of West Michigan on
Facebook
Source: Pete Brand, Mindscape at Hanon McKendry; Nicole Cook, Humane Society of West Michigan; Bridget Clark Whitney, Kids' Food Basket
Writer: Jennifer Wilson, Do Good Editor
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