It’s Time for a Reboot
I’m a mom to two teenagers, wife of 23 years and a social media intern. That’s right. I said intern. A position typically held by young 20-somethings trying to gain work experience. I’m what you might call a rebooter.
To reboot is defined as: “turning off and then on again.” Basically, I stepped away from my marketing career to raise my family (best thing I ever did, I might add). As my children are growing up and going off to college, I ask myself — what do I really want to spend my time doing?
Well, my fascination with social media began with MySpace. Then Facebook came around (I had five friends at the time), and I started having a lot of fun on it. I loved the idea of connecting with people and building relationships that typically would not have happened if it weren’t for social media. As all of the other social media platforms started popping up, I began to realize the significance of this new form of communication. It was replacing traditional marketing and advertising, sort of rebooting the industry!
I decided to set a goal for myself to learn the ins and outs of social media and take that knowledge to help nonprofit organizations. So with a 20-year-old mass communications degree and a passion for social media, I enrolled in NC State’s Social Media Management class. With the knowledge I’ve acquired so far, I’ve been thinking about how nonprofits can benefit from social media.
Here’s the Skinny:
- Get Connected
Having a strong social media presence is especially important for nonprofits because their causes rely so heavily on supporters. Social media gives them the opportunity to engage and connect with their followers, as well as, get their mission out there. In terms of where nonprofits should be active, Facebook, Twitter and Instagram are the top three platforms based on their user demographics.
- Get Content
The key to any successful social media strategy is good, shareable content. Social media’s a great tool for creating momentum for your campaign or cause. Be creative and original with your content. The more shareable content you produce on social media, the more people who’ll see what your organization is doing and be motivated to get behind it. With the popularity of Snapchat, it’s clear that video is the king of engaging content. And now that Facebook live and Instagram stories are capitalizing on Snapchat’s popularity, your organization is positioned to really grab your target audience’s attention.
- Get Traffic
Social media can help drive traffic to your website and hopefully bring donations, volunteers and awareness to your cause. In return, you can use your website to gain Facebook and Twitter followers. Supporters rarely check websites when looking for information about an organization. In fact, 80% of people consult an organization’s social media accounts first. Remember, results don’t happen overnight. It takes time and patience to build.
- Get Metrics
How do you measure these results? It’s not just about how many followers and likes you have. Measuring awareness, engagement, traffic and conversions are the underlying measurements you have to be on top of. Most platforms have built-in insights and metrics tools for you. There are also some free resources like Google Analytics. Keeping track of this data will show you what’s working and where changes need to be made.
Most nonprofits don’t have the time or staff to manage their social media accounts well. This is one area in which Angel Oak provides tremendous value! Incorporating social media into your integrated marketing plan can produce some powerful results. Yes, social media can be overwhelming. There’s a learning curve. It takes time and effort, but with perseverance and a plan, success can be found. Much like my rebooted career!
