Social Media 101

Whereas in traditional marketing, we are all spectators of the content that site owners make available to us, social media introduces a new paradigm for online communication, one that makes everyone a participant. Unlike traditional one-to-many communication, involvement in social media is a cyclical process of listening, participating and sharing content. To reap the benefits, you must recognize it as a conversation that requires constant maintenance and involvement. 

Interactivity on your website: Are you ready to let go of control?

The first rule of marketing might be "Control the message." But this doesn't apply to social media. In fact, participation in social media requires you break the rules of traditional marketing. This is why so many companies have difficulty with their social media presence. It requires a whole new way of thinking and connecting with supporters.

When delving into social media, remember that it’s less of a traditional piece of marketing communication and more of a conversation between you and your stakeholders. Like the best conversations, no one person should dominate (including you), and everyone should have the opportunity to speak. It's through this free-flowing dialogue you acquire the honest, unrestrained insights into your organization and your issues that make social media worth using. If you attempt to control what people say, participation on your sites will plummet, and (without active users) your social media presence will become an unfortunate waste of time.

Understandably, the act of relinquishing control makes many people nervous. Fortunately, you don't have to jump into the universe of social media unarmed. Here are ifPeople's top seven tips on how to facilitate a successful social media conversation after you've given up control.

1.  Stay transparent

Social media users can see a sales pitch coming from a mile away. When blogging or commenting on social networking sites, always give your full name, the nonprofit you work for and your position. If you're discussing an issue that your organization has a vested interest in, say so immediately. Being forthright will lend you credibility.

2.  Keep things conversational

A blog post shouldn't read like your annual report or a letter to your board of directors. Write like you would talk to someone in a casual but professional environment, injecting your personality and expressing what's on your mind. Engage your audience by asking questions and soliciting opinions. Join conversations in other online communities and leave links back to your organization's social media sites. 

3.  Write what you know

Distinguish yourself by posting about your areas of expertise. This will establish you as adding real value to online conversations, instead of just giving another random opinion.

4.  Everyone should join in

Since every organization has many unique voices, try getting everyone to participate in content creation. Each month, assign duties. One person could take and post pictures. Another could write a blog entry. Another could focus on updating your social networking profile. This level of engagement will give your nonprofit a more human face and make it easier for people to empathize with your mission.

5.  Admit mistakes

Everyone accidentally shares incorrect information or winds up expressing an opinion that should have remained private. If this happens, admit your mistake and correct it as quickly as possible. Even consider thanking the person who brought the mistake to your attention.

6.  Don't ignore negative comments

Inevitably, someone will say something negative about your organization. It comes with the territory of social media. Instead of ignoring negative comments, respond to them kindly. Answer questions and mitigate concerns. If someone cares enough to leave a negative comment, they probably care about your mission. It's a fantastic opportunity to turn a critic into a stakeholder.

7.  Trust your instincts

If you create content and think it could be considered inappropriate, you're probably on to something. Hold off on posting it. Identify the inappropriate element and correct it. If you're unsure, ask a co-worker to get an outside opinion.

Sharing: Videos, photos and multimedia

 Watching videos and viewing photos online have long been part of our online experience. Sharing and commenting on multimedia, however, is the territory of a result of some shifts due to social media. Sharing media is important for organizations because it gives them more creative ways to engage potential supporters—and gives supporters more creative ways to engage with you. Using media-sharing sites like YouTube and Flickr enable organizations to show instead of tell what they’re all about.  Media sharing also helps humanize organizations by giving supporters a window into the organization’s world and drive traffic to their official websites.  

Fostering Conversation: Blogs and forums

Only a few years ago, blogs were viewed as little more than online personal journals. Now, blogs have become valuable tools for organizations to communicate with their constituents. Unlike Web 1.0 communications like e-newsletters or email, blogs enable you to have conversations with readers around the issues that concern you both. The best blogs mix text, images, and video to create an interactive experience in which readers participate, comment, and discuss content. Ideally, the conversations on your blog bring more attention to your organization and drive traffic to your official website. The Streets Blog offers a great example.

Online communities: Facebook, MySpace, LinkedIn and more

With over 500 million people on Facebook alone, it's no wonder more organizations are using social networks to connect with and expand their support base. Online communities can help you communicate with supporters otherwise beyond your reach and network with like-minded organizations. They also help you raise awareness of issues and recruit volunteers. Social networks can be general, like Facebook and Twitter, or they can target specific audiences, like LinkedIn (for professionals) or Care2 (for activists).

Since so many social networks exist, there is a danger of spreading yourself too thin. Remember, it's better to have one or two well-run and well-populated social network pages than fifteen pages that lack content and active participants.

Changing the way people get information: RSS feeds and RSS readers

One of the biggest changes introduced by social media lies in how people receive information. Previously, information was something that had to be gathered by an individual user. With the innovation of RSS feeds, however, users can have their favorite content come to them. By using a free RSS feed reader (such as Google Reader , Bloglines , or NewsGator ), you can start subscribing to web content and have it aggregated on your reader's home page. Now all those stories, blog entries and media you previously had to search for are in one, easily-accessible place.

This doesn’t just make it easy for you to "listen" to what's being said about your organization and its issues online.  It allows stakeholders and customers to stay up-to-date on what's happening in your organization without having to seek you out. Make it easy for them to subscribe to your content by including an RSS button on your sites. (To do this, visit Feed Button.)

Some final words

When you start to experiment with this new way of communicating, remember that social media is nothing more than a tool. To use it correctly, you need a good strategy—one that keeps you focused on your message and your mission. Check out our presentation below to get more on of our Social Media 101 workshop. Next up, creating strategies for social media (more to come soon) or contact us for a free consultation.