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- Four Lessons Learned: Social Media and Nonprofits Meme
Four Lessons Learned: Social Media and Nonprofits Meme
Beth of Beth's Blog and the NpTech Summary has started a meme with the question:
"What if I could start all my social media and nonprofits work over from scratch? What would I do differently? What lessons have I learned that will stick with me for 2008?"
The four lessons I've learned are:
1. Comments are small, but powerful tools.
I'll be honest with you. Commenting and microblogging are tough for me. I never know what to say. I'm continually amazed at the power of comments to start a conversation, and to build relationships. If I could start from scratch I would comment more.
2. Have a purpose for each of the social networks you join.
One of the things I like about LinkedIn is that they suggest that you don't link to everyone who asks you to, and they provide linking guidelines. Because it is a professional network, I have no problem telling someone that I am not connecting with them on LinkedIn because I don't know them. On the other hand, there are other social networks where I connect with anyone who asks, and still others where I connect with people I don't know, and decline invitations from others. If I could start from scratch, I would decide what my purpose was for each social network before I joined.
3. A blog can be a website too.
When I give talks about blogging, I often reference my friend Abby's nonprofit, Urban Sprouts, that uses a Blogger blog as their web site. The blog includes posts from staff, volunteers, and the people the organization serves. The sidebar has a donation button, Volunteer Match button, Cafe Press store link, e-newsletter subscription prompt, and Flickr photos, as well as links to press coverage, school garden resources and funders. What more do you need? If I could start from scratch, I would have skipped building a web site and made my blog my web site.
4. Information overload is real.
I LOVE being able to read, listen to and watch the kind of content I want, when I want to. I used to subscribe to everything I saw that interested me, and then try to consume it all, even if I discovered that the content wasn't that great. I didn't want to "miss" anything. Now I am much more discerning about what I subscribe to, and if I notice I haven't read or listened to something for a while, I delete it.
If you could start all your social media and nonprofits work over from scratch, what would you do differently? What lessons have your learned that will stick with you for 2008?
Photo Credit: Ladder of Knowledge by degreezero2000.
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One more I wanted to add . . .
But wasn't sure how to phrase, perhaps because it isn't something I wish I'd known in the past, but rather something I think is important for the future - to balance online communication with offline communicaton. To never forget the importance of meeting face to face. The more online tools can increase offline communication and connection, the greater progress we'll make towards changing the world.
Britt Bravo
Community Builder
NetSquared • A Project of Tech Soup
www.netsquared.org
bbravo@techsoup.org
Skype:bebravo
web 2.0
Very interesting. I completely agree with your points about social networks - know WHY you join each one. However, often times the stated purpose of a particular social network changes over time, and it's important to review your goal for each social network every few months to make sure you'll still be able to accomplish them. I find myself in social network overload, between my own personal social networking profiles, my volunteer organization's social networking profiles, and my clients' social networking profiles. Ahhh! New Year's resolution 2008: find a good social networking aggregator.
Great post, had to cite it
Wonderful points, Britt and thank you for them. I agree especially on the overload factor - and the wise counsel to network with a purpose. You and Beth inspired me to post here - http://www.nonprofitmarketingblog.com/comments/four_things_i_wish_id_known_about_social_media/
On #2, I agree that having a
On #2, I agree that having a purpose for each social network you join is hugely important, but sometimes the purpose/utility isn't immediately obvious. Ex. when I first joined twitter I didn't realize that it would be so great for networking/connecting with folks or that stumbleupon would drive so much traffic to my site.
I think an equally important thing is to always be looking around for innovative ways that people are using the tools before you start/as you go along.
Excellent points!
particularly that last one about information overload!
B