social media – Beck & Company

Do you use social media to keep in touch with friends, family, colleagues or acquaintances? If so, then you’re among the estimated 65 percent of all adults using social media. Whether you tweet, pin or post, social media has become an important communications channel for nonprofit marketing.

The Top Three Social Media Sites for Nonprofits

You probably have your favorite social media sites, but some seem to work best for nonprofit communications. The top three social media sites for nonprofits are:

Facebook: Facebook remains the social media site of choice for most nonprofits, and it’s no wonder. The site consistently ranks as the most visited site in the world with 09 billion active daily users. Nonprofits can share stories, webpages, blog posts, graphics, videos, and more, reaching an enormous audience who care about their cause.
Twitter: Saying what you need to say in 140 characters or less is tough, but Twitter’s newer features, including the ability to share pictures, makes it appealing for more people. Nonprofits who need to get the word out quickly about an immediate need or cause can do so via the rapid-fire delivery of the Twitter system. Twitter has 115 million daily users, far less than Facebook, but those users prefer the short, direct messages the site sends.
YouTube: YouTube, owned by search engine giant Google, is an enormous repository of videos. Anyone can establish their own YouTube “channel” and upload videos. Nonprofits who want to reach out personally to potential supporters by sharing videos of events, constituents, or the groups they serve can find no better way than through video. About one-third of the entire world’s population watches YouTube.

Nonprofits are using social media daily, with posts going out at least once a day (often more frequently). The person sending out those messages varies according to the nonprofit and its organizational structure. In some larger nonprofits, a director of communications handles the lion’s share of PR, digital communications, and social media. Other staff positions responsible for social media include executive directors and developmental directors, who may be tasked with both social media and other communications related to their programs.

Social Media Trends for Nonprofits

If your nonprofit doesn’t have a written social media management policy, it may be time to create one. A simple policy that spells out which sites your organization has a presence on and who has the final say about what goes on social media can help you stick to your message online.

More importantly, a specific social media policy can prevent media faux pas that can be a nightmare to clean up. One single mistake can derail a lot of good work by raising the ire of your constituents or creating negative press. Sites like Twitter create a unique, publicly accessible URL for every message you tweet. That means that even if you erase a message from your Twitter account, it may already be too late; it could be shared or indexed, making it even more difficult to remove.

Social media use and sharing policies should include instructions on who may post and who is delegated to check and respond to messages. Followers, fans, donors and constituents may choose to communicate with you via your social media sites. Be sure to have someone tasked with monitoring and responding within 24 hours to messages on social media. The instant nature of these sites has made quick responses important. People expect fast responses, and if they don’t get them, they can feel slighted.

Enduring Value in Nonprofit Consulting from Beck & Company

Social media started out as a trend, but it’s here to stay. At Beck & Company, we believe that any trend that offers enduring value is something of note. We hope that this information helps your nonprofit achieve its mission more effectively.

Beck & Company is an accounting and business consulting firm for the nonprofit industry. We have many years of experience and a staff with direct, hands-on experience in the nonprofit world. For more information, contact us online or call 703-834-0776.

Using social media for a nonprofit organization offers untold opportunities to connect with and engage your community. While email and websites are important marketing channels, social media is the area of greatest growth for nonprofits. Facebook and Twitter are the preferred networks while nearly every other type of social media is used in some way by some organization. While most non-profits participate in social media in order to drive donations, there are many other reasons to invest in this area. In fact, last week, we talked about the importance of communicating your vision and mission and social media can be a great avenue to do this.

Social media provides a cheaper, faster and more effective way to get your story out whether that story is going to donors, volunteers or those you seek to serve. It helps your stakeholders to more easily share your story with their friends and acquaintances thereby building your community of supporters. To be successful in your social media program, follow these tips:

Social Media Tips for Success

Be consistent. Your social media should be used consistently year round—not just for a specific event. Social media can be used to build and nurture the relationship throughout the year.
Be visual. People react to visual media whether that is a moving photograph or humorous video. Sometimes it is easier to tell your organization’s story through pictures than with only words. It also emphasizes the importance of having a great design in your materials and website.
Tell your story. Don’t just post great photographs. Use visuals to tell the story of your mission. It is important that your story connects with people and causes them to take action.
Involve your volunteers. Your volunteers may be the most powerful venue for sharing your message. When they share on behalf of your nonprofit, your message goes further. Include this task as part of the volunteer job. In fact, creating volunteer social community managers who get the word out when you have content to share could have an enormous impact.
Be social. There’s a reason it’s called “social” media. Don’t just put out content, but interact with the people. Ask questions and respond to them. Express appreciation and show that you care.
Be balanced. Don’t just shout your message. Social media is about conversation. So besides announcing your own events and asking for donations, share other information as well. Share content from related organizations and recognize your supporters, volunteers and employees.

Many nonprofit software programs include social media in order to increase collaboration both within the organization and without. Beck & Company, Certified Public Accountants and Business Advisors, can help you choose the best technology for your organization. We are an accounting and consulting firm delivering specialized expertise, creative thinking, and unsurpassed service to ensure that our clients’ endeavors flourish. Ultimately we want to see your nonprofit reach its goals and we would love to help you. Contact us to learn more about our specific nonprofit services.

To learn more about collaboration tools to streamline communication and coordination across departments, locations and practice areas and other ways to improve operational efficiency, join our webinar: Transforming Financial Management in Nonprofit Healthcare, Tuesday, May 17, 2016 at 11 AM PT / 2 PM ET. Learn more and register here.