Microblogs like Twitter are a great vehicle to help organize political demonstrations in countries run by corrupt governments (and an effective way to spread misinformation), but how can nonprofit organizations, non-governmental organizations (NGOs), libraries, government programs, and other mission-based organizations really use microblogs to promote their work, increase attendance at an event, get donations or mobilize or support volunteers?

Nancy Schwartz, president of Nancy Schwartz & Company and blogger at Getting Attention, has just finished analyzing data from a nonprofit marketing survey of more than 900 nonprofit leaders, revealing that they are doing a poor job connecting with their audience and community.  Nancy explains:

Google 'launched' Google Wave about two weeks ago at the I/O Conference. It's continued to create quite a stir on the blogosphere, Twitter, and YouTube (2 million+ views!). Check out the 80 minute intro. video or read this TechCrunch article for an overview. 

Through Google Wave, Google seeks to change the way we communicate and collaborate online. I think it's worth pausing, though, to reflect on the Google Wave team's process around how they communicated and collaborated with the community to get us to this point. How might the Google Wave team have done things differently to better position themselves for world-changing success? And what are lessons we could learn for our world-changing projects?

A few brief notes to start (or "old business" for all of you Robert's Rules fetishists):

Over the course of my next three posts I will be taking a look at the United Church of Christ's social media presence, talking with young people involved with the church, and assessing what part of the UCC's social outreach plan appears to be working and what parts could use strengthening based on the successes and failures of current methodologies.

When putting together a social media strategy, be it your initial plan or a revamp, please (except in a few - very few - exceptional cases) stop offering me another movement to jump onto.

A while back, I worked for a woman for three months as a contracted employee - something of an odds and ends outreach person - and after finally putting some thought into her mission, she finally came up with an overarching objective: "I want you to use the Internet to start a movement around [the release of my book]."

The publication in question, which read like a textbook, was a heady and conceptual description of a particular element of global economics. Her goal was radically unachievable and immodest.

Staying on top of the best times to email newsletters is imperative in the world of nonprofit 2.0. Also important is knowing which Twitter apps work best for you, as is keeping up with the countless other dos and don'ts of Internet etiquette. Getting overwhelmed by this ever-changing set of rules and compilations of best practices, however, is counterproductive when it makes one forgetful of the importance of maintaining human contact.

I wanted to give a quick shout out to say thanks to the folks who have been spreading the word about the NetSquared Mashup Challenge on their blogs:

JD Lasica on Socialmedia.biz
Rich Reader on Wirikutero
Ed Schipul on BrandToBeDetermined
Glenda Myles on Volunteers for Change
David Geilhufe on Social Source
Marshall Kirkpatrick on ReadWriteWeb
Nate Ritter on Nate Ritter
Justin Massa on MoveSmart.org
Bob Carlton on The Corner

Give 'em a little link love to help me thank them.

Did I miss your post? Lemme know.

A moment of personal exoterica before we launch into the N2Y2 events in San Jose; tonight I'm packing and now all of you are privy to my sundries:

* Laptop w/bag (liveblogging from San Jose)
* Camera (to remember what you beautiful people look like)
* Shoes (never forget the good shoes for dancing)
* Clothes (magenta and red, a fiery feeling)
* Books (any suggestions?)
* AMO Game (always connecting the dots)
* Chocolate (the raw cacao powder this time)
* Hand Cream (see Beth Kanter's tips for liveblogging post)
* I heard I love you! card (ask Jean Russell for more info)
* Virtually Delicious (our Second Life design team cards)
* Saving Grace (a gift for a friend)
* Go Green Guide (playa planning 101)
* Delight (for manifesting good cheer)