Social media is a must for nonprofit organizations (NPOs).
NPOs have to get in the social media game if they want to stay relevant and grow their donor base with the up and coming (of age) donors. What I haven’t addressed is why NPOs shouldn’t use ALL social media networks unless they have a very large staff to manage them. So today we take a look at which social media networks are best for NPOs and why the answer isn’t all of them.
The needs and target audience of a NPO will determine which social media network is best for them. The answer will be different for everyone. Sometimes a presence on just one site will work, while others may need to reach out via multiple networks. The important things to consider when making these decisions are
- Do you have a staff person that has enough time to manage multiple sites?
- Which social network site offers you the services/features you need most
- Where is your target audience flocking?
First things first, do you have a staff person who can manage multiple sites? The quick answer is typically no, but managing multiple sites doesn’t have to be a full-time job. Most social networking sites offer ways to link to each other so that when you update a status on one, it automatically posts to another.
While I truly believe that any NPO can handle two or three social media outlets, I also believe there is such a thing as too many. Trying to be everywhere will dilute the time and energy you spend everywhere. So make sure you look at the time available for site management and choose wisely.
Once you’ve decided how much time you have to manage your social networking, how do you decide which sites fit your needs the best? The first place to start is with you and your organization. Determine what it is you really want to do online and then find all the sites that meet those criteria. Is starting a blog on your growth plan for the year? Do you want to post short, to-the-point updates throughout the day? Will you use social media to host chats or conferences for your donors or followers? Figure out what you need and want and go from there.
With your needs determined, the next step is hands-on experience. Get on the sites and see how easy they are to use and if their features are what you thought they were. Many sites offer similar features and it may be a tough choice.
With all of that homework and choices to make, the third thing to consider is the most important – know where your audience is and go there. If your target audience is into brief updates on Twitter then writing even the best blog won’t help you. There’s a good chance that some of your high-profile donor prospects are using LinkedIn and don’t have the slightest idea what Pinterest is. Know your audience.
Next, make sure you have a strategy. In other words, you know how to organize and consolidate everything you are doing on social media. Tools like Hootsuite and Linktree can help. Here’s a great guide on how to make a Linktree.
Having a presence on social media sites is a definite must for NPOs. Spreading yourself too thin with a presence on sites that don’t meet your needs is not. Do your homework and figure out what works best for you and then go for it!
