Web 2.0 Strategy – How Urgently Do You Need a Web 2.0 Strategy?

How Urgently Do You Need A Web 2.0 Strategy?

Over the past few days, some participants in various online discussions I’m engaged in have expressed the opinion that while there may be some value in nonprofits engaging in social media / Web 2.0 tools, the need to shift emphasis to a web approach is not all that urgent.

I found it quite timely that through a Linkedin group I’m involved with an article appeared, courtesy of ThirdSector, regarding a soon to be released survey from Charities Aid Foundation.  The survey report “How to Connect With Donors: Essential Messages for Charities” is due to be released in full in February.  The survey involved 203 people surveyed between March and June 2009 and the initial findings are revealing.

The lead-in for the pre-release article states, “People want charities to communicate more through email and social networking sites”.  The article elaborates on this, stating, “Sixty-nine per cent of respondents said they thought charities should make more use of social networking sites, but only 12 percent said they wanted them to do more telephone fundraising and 13 per cent said they should send more direct mail”…

For me the message is clear.  While many nonprofits have been debating the web’s potential and asking whether it and social media can be an important part of their organization’s outreach, society has embraced the web wholeheartedly.  It is likely that if the same survey were conducted today, (6 months later) the number of respondents indicating a preference for web-based communication would be even higher.

On a secondary level, the traditional fundraising approaches of telephone and direct mail solicitation did not have a favorable response.  I don’t find this surprising for two reasons.

1)   There is a growing segment of the population who no longer sees the need for a home telephone.  These individuals opt for a cell phone only lifestyle and don’t want their mobile phone number on anyone’s solicitation list.  In fact there are already U.S. Laws in place limiting unsolicited calls on mobile phones.

2)   The movement to preserve natural resources is growing around the world.  Unsolicited direct mail is often seen as a waste of these resources while electrons are perceived as comparatively waste free.  In the face of the green movement, “snail mail” isn’t green.

So how urgently does your organization need to embrace web 2.0?  Here’s my answer.

If your organization doesn’t intelligently implement some version of Web 2.0 strategy in 2010, you will assume a subordinate position in the realm of public opinion to those organizations that do.  Those organizations that move forward promptly and reach out through the use of web tools will be rewarded with higher levels of recognition and correspondingly higher levels of support.  You may be able to recover with prompt action, but valuable time and opportunity will be lost.  Time wasted can translate into income lost from missed donations and if you’ve monetized your e-newsletter, lost earnings.

If your organization does not embrace Web 2.0 by the end of 2011, your organization will probably be in trouble.  You will be competing for support with organizations that have a two year head start establishing themselves as the legitimate and current voice for their cause in the Developed World.  As such they will attract the lion’s share of support and recognition, leaving you in a subordinate position and facing some harsh realities.  Two years doesn’t sound like long, but we are speaking of Internet Years.  To give you some grasp of how quickly social media has taken hold and changed the rules of the game I recommend this video, featured as a courtesy on our website.

It sounds harsh and I’m sure proponents of “traditional methods” like telephone and direct mail solicitors will argue that their methods still work.  The question however is not whether they will work or how long they will work; methods and tools have always changed and will continue to do so.  The real question is whether your organization will be able to survive the societal changes going on around you and what do you need to do to insure that survival.

©W. R. Cordle

January 21, 2010 | Rand | 2 Comments »

Web 2.0 Strategy: Twitter- A Little Information

Twitter – A Little Information

I have to admit that when I first started hearing about Twitter, I was somewhat doubtful as to its usefulness.  Essentially I saw Twitter as little more than text messaging on steroids and one of the first questions that came to mind was: “How much useful information can you really pack into 140 characters?

At the same time I had to acknowledge that Twitter has a huge user base, Twitter is extremely popular with youth and young adults and reaching out to this demographic is important for the future health of nonprofit organizations.  Knowing these facts, instead of asking IF Twitter can be used to promote involvement in nonprofit causes and organizations, we must focus on HOW Twitter can be used to promote involvement with nonprofit causes and organizations.

This question in some form should be asked in nonprofit boardrooms around the world.  It is time to stop thinking about IF Social Media can have an impact, accept that it is having an impact, and get down to HOW can Social Media positively impact you.  The future health of your organization and perhaps the nonprofit industry in general demands it.

This brief exploration of the subject will share some ideas on ways to use twitter to draw attention to your cause, publicize events and promote programs to twitter followers.  The principles should sound familiar to followers of this blog and are applicable to the use of social media tools in general.

In order to use Twitter you must of course set up a twitter account and attract followers.  Setting up a twitter account is fairly easy and it is free.  I won’t go into the details of setting up an account because it is pretty simple and there’s plenty of free information on the subject available free on the Internet.  The second step, attracting followers, is not difficult either but unless you’re a celebrity it may take a little while.

Once you have set up an account your first move should be to start following tweeters who share your interest in your cause.  The primary tool you will use to accomplish this is the twitter search tool, specifically the advanced search.  Using this tool you can, similar to Google search, input a word or phrase and perform a search to find tweets on the subject.  Once you have found tweets on your topic of interest, you simply start following them.  You will be pleasantly surprised to find that many of them will then start following you.  As you contribute positively to the ongoing discourse on related subjects, more Twitter users will find you and additional followers will ensue.  The trick is to contribute positively and regularly.

I recommend you spend a little time following tweets before you start posting.  When you do begin posting, as in any social media, don’t be one dimensional that every post you make points back to your website, your blog, your Facebook group.  To put it bluntly, it isn’t all about you.  Engage in social media conversation without blowing your own horn every time.  It will establish you as a contributor to the dialogue and not just a user trying to leverage the dialogue exclusively for your own benefit.  Your cause and your organization benefit, directly and indirectly, every time you contribute positively.  When there is an obvious connection, use twitter to point followers to your online content that will be of interest to supporters of your cause.  For example: events, new programs and new services can be announced or promoted through Twitter and links provided to your website for more information.

I repeat: your tweets should not exclusively point to your website, Facebook page, or blog every time you post, but if you’re providing quality content in those media tools, it will naturally happen frequently.  A good rule of thumb is to reference your content about half the time, assuming you’re providing good content.

Understand that regardless of where it comes from, linking to interesting and valuable content establishes your website, twitter page, Facebook group, etc. as a resource for individuals interested in your cause.  Having a reputation as a “portal” to valuable cause-specific content and resources is an excellent way to build Internet traffic which enhances your organization and builds support.

In other words, Content is King, regardless of where it comes from and if you don’t have the time or ability to generate much of it, link to the good content that is available.  After all, for the most part newspapers and news broadcasts don’t create the news, they just report it.  If content is a challenge for you, you can do essentially the same thing using Twitter, Facebook, your website, Linkedin and other social media tools.  Find the good content and report it regularly and you will as a result gain followers and fans.

©W. R. Cordle

January 14, 2010 | Rand | 1 Comment »

Web 2.0 Strategy: Facebook – A Useful Tool

Facebook has become firmly entrenched in society.  Facebook has more members than the population of most countries. Although there are rumors that Facebook intends to start charging users, I wouldn’t leave Facebook out of my Web 2.0 toolbox on the chance that it may at some point in the future cease to be free.

We won’t go into great detail about how to open up an account in Facebook or how to manage it. There are plenty “how-to” guides available.  You can start with Facebook itself, check out guides available on Mashable.com or purchase a book on the subject.

What we will discuss are some of the methods you can use to promote your cause to Facebook users.  Because Facebook seems to be constantly tweaking its program, I’ll try to stick with basic tactics that should be applicable regardless of the program changes that seem to be constantly taking place.

There are five basic features in Facebook that you may employ in support of your nonprofit cause.  They are:

  1. Your basic Facebook account.
  2. Facebook Groups
  3. Facebook Pages
  4. Facebook Applications (Apps)
  5. Facebook Ads

Your Facebook account:

Opening a Facebook account is free.  It takes only a few minutes and requires a name and an email address.  Once you open an account you look for friends already on Facebook and invite them to become “Facebook Friends”.  You can post messages on friend’s “walls” and conduct online chats through Facebook.  Your account opens the door to online discussions you can take part in.  Social success online means contributing topical, interesting and helpful comments, just like the real world.  Be polite, pay attention first and inject commentary only if it is topical and contributes to the conversation.  If you get on Facebook and hammer away at people with no consideration as to what is going on with other members you will find yourself ignored at best and may do more damage to your cause than good.

There is a saying, “People don’t care how much you know, until they know how much you care”.  Facebook members will quickly pick up on it if you are one dimensional and your every comment is based on promoting your cause.  You will discover quickly that most people avoid fanatics.

Facebook Groups

Facebook groups are essentially a group of users who share a common interest.  They are easy to join and provide an opportunity to interact with others who share your interests.  Facebook Groups can present a real opportunity to introduce your organization to like-minded members.  It is simple to set up a group and can provide some real benefit to your organization.  For instance, if your organization’s cause is preserving “Widget Habitat” you can join or set up a group for “Widget Lovers” and through it identify fellow members who care deeply about “Widgets”. Through the group you can provide links to “Widget-related” information which appears on a website or in a blog.  You can post links to YouTube video about “Widgets”.  All of this can be done easily through groups without appearing to be a fanatic because the group was set up expressly for Widget Lovers.

Tip: To put the above example to practical use, set up your Facebook account, perform a group search for interest groups related to your cause and join them.  If there isn’t one, it is easy to start one. Once you are a group member, participate appropriately in the group, providing useful, informative, and interesting information about your shared interest.  Make it a practice to genuinely participate first and promote your organization only when it is appropriate.

Facebook Pages

Facebook “Pages” work similarly to groups.  Users become fans of a page versus members of a group.  A page can be launched by any user. The page option does carry with it the unique ability to install a widget which allows some online interaction, for example: a subscription form.  Outside of this feature, I have never seen an overwhelming advantage to Pages over Groups.  I recommend you explore both, but select only one and focus on doing it well.  The interactive feature in pages isn’t a great advantage and a similar result can be achieved by posting a link on your group page to an online subscription form, etc.  Additionally, recent changes in Facebook have halted member notification of page changes which helped keep fans engaged. Tip: Groups typically grow faster and attract a larger following than pages due largely to an easy-to-use “share” feature.

Facebook Applications

It may be possible to create a custom application to promote your cause, but the inherent programming expense involved and the potential liability should your app result in damaging users computers make me hesitant to advise anyone to take that route.  If done properly it could be a useful tool, but even if you produce a popular app involving your cause, you then have to find a way to turn it into real-world support.  At this time I don’t see apps as a viable tool for most nonprofits.

Facebook Ads

Facebook sells advertising space and you can pay to have a link to your organization’s website appear on users pages based upon specific criteria like age, gender, interests, etc.  This is another option but only those who are prepared to pay for click-throughs should engage in it.  It could be used to invite members to donate to your cause, but I haven’t seen any specific data indicating it to be a cost-effective option in the case of nonprofits.

©W. R. Cordle

January 7, 2010 | Rand | Comments Closed

A Blog – Weaving Your Net

Every nonprofit organization that intends to utilize web 2.0 to build their organization should have a blog.  For the benefit of any reader who doesn’t know what a blog is, here’s an official definition.  A Blog:  “A web log. A shared on-line journal where people can post diary entries…”

This official definition of “diary entries” may be a little misleading.  For your blog to be an effective tool for your organization it might be more appropriate to use the terms “journal entries” or “essays”.  In any case, your topics should revolve around your organization’s causes and programs, as well as related subjects of general interest to your supporters and those you wish to become supporters in the future.

A Blog is not simply an online means to solicit donations. If all you do with your blog is beseech readers to “Please Send Money” you miss the point, and you will miss the boat in web 2.0.  Remember the third law: CONTENT IS KING.  If all your blog does is expound on needs, you will turn readers off.  Everyone wants to be a “winner” and wants to be associated with winning.  Blog about your organization’s victories and your clients’ success stories.  If you focus only on the conditions of those in need, you are focusing on your inability to reach them and your failure to help them.  You may truly lack the resources to address those problems, but don’t focus on what you lack.  No one, including your supporters, wants to be associated with failure.  It is all a matter of perspective and attitude.  Be positive and focus on your victories and how much more you’re going to accomplish.  Do not focus on your how bad things are and how overwhelming the problems are.

Your organization’s blog may be written by an individual or a team of individuals and it should be updated regularly, (I recommend at least 3 times per week).  A blog should always be topical, helpful, and interesting.  Writing about how you found a unique way to serve a client, tips on valuing non-cash gifts to nonprofit organizations, a new program you’re offering, how you effectively reduced expenses to serve more clients, and success stories about clients, etc. are all potential subjects, some of which can be ongoing.

A quick Internet search of “free blog service” will reveal a number of free blog services available on the Internet.  A “blog service ratings” search will give you comparisons you may be able to use as well.  With regard to “How To” there is an enormous amount of free instructional information on using blog services available on the web or you can purchase a book on the subject.  I would recommend spending time reading some blogs prior to launching your own in order to get a feel for what is available.  Don’t hesitate to open an account and try it out to get a feel for what is involved in blogging.

Tip: Link your blog to your website.  Some web hosting companies provide blog hosting software as part of their hosting services, allowing you to not only link your blog to your website, but to actually incorporate it into your website.

Technically blogging isn’t too difficult and can be learned quickly using information available through blogging providers and other Internet sources.  Your greatest challenge may be coming up with blog topics and actually writing your blogs. Because of the challenge of identifying topics and the time required for writing, you may wish to consider a team approach.  For example: Put together a team of say, three people, each of whom will post one blog a week. Then gather the team for an hour or so and through brainstorming come up with a list of topics or ideas.  Note: Blogs can be short or long. A few hundred words are sufficient as long as they are helpful and informative on a sufficiently interesting topic.  Some topics may generate longer blogs that can be broken down into multiple postings which can help promote ongoing readership.

Tip: You may find it desirable to have topics and blogs submitted to your communications team leader for approval prior to posting.  In light of the fact that you are using it as an organizational communications tool, you want to avoid controversial topics and subjects which may reveal personal information about clients or employees.

Here’s a brief example of how a blog can be used:

1)   Write your blog and post it. Include links to your website for additional or related information where appropriate.

2)   Promote your blog using social media sites like Twitter, Facebook, and Linkedin.  Interested readers will be referred to your website for more information and presented with the opportunity to subscribe to your e-newsletter.

3)   E-newsletter subscribers translate into more supporters, and if you have monetized your e-newsletter with Corande Publishing, directly raise funds for your programs.

4)   In each issue e-newsletter Subscribers are invited to forward their e-newsletter to like-minded friends and family members, who are exposed to your organization and provided the opportunity to subscribe as well.

5)   As your e-newsletter subscribership grows, your support grows and through Corande Publishing you have the opportunity to attract more and larger corporate sponsors to partner with.

This example should have awakened some idea of the possibilities and revealed the essence of web 2.0 strategy.  Put interesting and helpful content on the web, promote that content through a “net” of web 2.0 tools linking to that content and let your “net” draw support from the vast sea of Internet users.

©William R. Cordle 2010

January 4, 2010 | Rand | Comments Closed