It got me thinking that social media sites, if used and managed correctly, could be so incredibly important to NFPs. They're free to use, often easy to set up and give NFPs the chance to highlight their causes (in a market sector that is becoming increasingly competitive) without needing to spend huge amounts of money to do so.
The Australian Red Cross has a fantastic, interactive facebook page that is truly inspiring. They keep fans up to date with campaigns they are running, volunteer drives they are conducting and events that are happening around the world that are related to their core purpose and values. Naturally it also includes links on how to donate too.
What do you all think about NFPs using social media? Do you think its a good idea? Or do you think that many of the problems of social media that we have discussed throughout the semester could apply to NFPs if the SM platforms used are not managed correctly?
Great point, Natalie. Yes, NFPs are often criticised for misuse of money, so SM should be an ideal fit for them. As we know, SM isn't "free", due to the resourcing necessary to use it properly, however most people perceive it to be free, hence the perception they have of a NFP using NFP is one of responsibility. A perfect partnership! :)
ReplyDeleteInteresting post Natalie, it's an area of interest for me also. I am very aware of the fine line that non-profit organisations walk between promotion for fundraising and perceived misuse of funds for advertising etc. There are a few nfps doing a good job on social media, Red Cross is one as you mention, and World Vision is another one that comes to mind. I think that SMM offers a great opportunity for nfps to build communities, share information, develop advocacy and increase awareness. However, aside from a couple of initiatives, like Movemeber, I haven’t seen SM provide a huge income stream which is critical for organisations that operate on donations. We had a recent learning recently when we tweeted a comment asking for people to donate to our appeal. We dropped a significant number of followers directly after, maybe this points to a difference between our marketing messages and the messages that our online communities want to hear from us....
ReplyDeleteI agree that SM is good for NFP. I would however say that there is still a risk, a with any other business. It must be used with caution. We develop plans for all other marketing activities to know what we want to achieve, how we will measure whether or not we achieved it and to minimise these risks, NFP's should plan too.
ReplyDeleteRoss