Emerging Technologies

RE: Social Networking: Fruitful or Disappointing?

suzannecarawan — Thu, 14 Feb 2008 03:21:00 GMT

Please don't forget that comScore normally focuses on the Global 2000 which usually comprises manufacturing and CPGs and is a far cry from member/donor-based organizations. While customers can be very fickle, member-based organizations already have an advantage in that there is a common cause at the heart of the relationship. I think that NFPs have barely scratched the surface of social networking and social marketing; however, I do not think the way that they use the tools will follow a similar pattern to that of consumer commodity-based relationships. The key for NFPs is how to emotionally design the social networking tools into the daily life of the organization so that member entanglement/loyalty can be increased. I think that smart NFPs that take on social networking as a communication/content strategy will be well-positioned in terms of retention and recruitment.

Suzanne Carawan
Social Networking Strategist
Higher Logic
suzanne@higherlogi.com

RE: Social Networking: Fruitful or Disappointing?

MeganKeane — Fri, 08 Feb 2008 21:11:00 GMT

Hi ENO--

Yup, our blog was thinking on the same lines as you were. I like your mention of the comparison between CB radios and social networking sites. Maybe the question isn't whether social networking sites will die out, but rather, how our need for the kinds community activities served by social networking sites will express itself technology-wise in the future.

--Megan

RE: Social Networking: Fruitful or Disappointing?

EvilNetworkOverlord — Fri, 08 Feb 2008 04:05:00 GMT

Megan,

Yes, the blog references the same report I mentioned earlier.

Also, I read an article recently that compared today's social networking to the CB radio craze of the 1980's.

CB was a technological leap. It was friendly, empowering, improved personal communication, and was extremely popular. It was the subject of songs, movies and water cooler conversation. But it had inherent limitations and those limitations finally overcame the popularity.

The limitations in Internet activities are of a different sort than those of CB radio but for those of us old enough to have experienced it, there are a lot of similarities.

ENO (breaker, breaker, good buddy)

RE: Social Networking: Fruitful or Disappointing?

MeganKeane — Fri, 08 Feb 2008 01:02:00 GMT

TechSoup blog has a post related to this subject, pointing to a recent study that shows that use of social networking sites is actually in decline. Do you think this trend will continue or do you think social networking sites are here to stay? What do you make of this study?

--Megan

RE: Social Networking: Fruitful or Disappointing?

millss — Mon, 04 Feb 2008 14:34:00 GMT

I think that NPOs going onto social networking sites is worthwhile as it means that more people will be exposed to your brand. However, that being said, I think that has low measureable ROI (donations, newsletter sign ups, etc.).

I think that the most valuable online space for a NPO to be a part of is their own website, and the most weight should be put there.

As far as privacy is concerned - a lot of people don't mind that their personal data is there otherwise they wouldn't make that info available through those websites. Ultimately the onus is on the Facebooks of the world to protect the privacy of their users, and NPOs or any other organizations that connect with users don't have any responsibility for that information until those users become theirs (via enewsletters, etc.).

Ultimately you have to decide what marketing tactics you feel offers the best ROI for your time. If you have little time to make your presence on those websites viable then I'd suggest focusing primarily on your own website and e-messaging (enewsletters/email campaigns).

RE: Social Networking: Fruitful or Disappointing?

Jesse — Sun, 03 Feb 2008 19:45:00 GMT

Megan,

I see that I was a bit off the topic, "nonprofit's presence on an online social network...." My response was from the personal perspective because we have not really tried social networking on behalf of the organization. I see a few reasons for this: (1) my organization has not yet developed a robust marketing effort, (2) I'm the only person here with interest in technology and I'm unable to get our marketing person to adopt a technology-oriented program, and (3) I feel so uncomfortable with marketing (and I already have too much to do) that I will not take responsibility for much of marketing.

I agree that NPOs should see and should selectively use the same marketing resources that other businesses are exploiting on the web. Maybe I should give serious thought to efficient use of social networking on behalf of the org, so that I could feel that I could afford the effort, but many commentators have said that it is a somewhat arduous task to establish a respected presence on a social network. (See, e.g., the first response in this topic, "if an organisation wants to get involved in social networks, they need to employ a person who maintains relationships with supporters on these networks on a daily basis.")

So my comment might be viewed as cautionary; this social networking thing is new and it is not going to be what it first appeared to be. I feel that the exploitation of social networking is almost like computer viruses; soon intelligent people will be doing all they can to protect themselves from it, which will really change the online environment.

RE: Social Networking: Fruitful or Disappointing?

MeganKeane — Fri, 01 Feb 2008 21:10:00 GMT

Jesse, I share your concerns about privacy. However if you're looking at it in a strictly marketing perspective, it's exactly this kind of personal data, freely given of a large group of people that makes social network very viable as a marketing tool. I know recent efforts like the Giving Challenge on Facebook explored how nonprofits could very effectively raise funds using social networking platforms. I think it's still early in the game to have a lot of examples for long-term effectiveness, but I think online social networking in some form will be viable (even if the platform isn't necessarily MySpace or Facebook).

--Megan

RE: Social Networking: Fruitful or Disappointing?

EvilNetworkOverlord — Fri, 01 Feb 2008 07:25:00 GMT

An interesting article today on Facebook fatigue.

Although the tone of the article is perhaps overly negative and dramatic, the author presents information from web analytics firm comScore showing that social networking sites are losing some of their luster. Membership is in the millions but growth has slowed and the amount of time that members spend at sites such as MySpace and Facebook is diminishing.

Feel free to draw your own conclusions about the significance of the statistics.

-ENO

RE: Social Networking: Fruitful or Disappointing?

Jesse — Thu, 31 Jan 2008 18:47:00 GMT

I saw this new "Ribbit" service yesterday. Includes "Caller ID 2.0 - dip into the social web and know not just who is calling but what the caller has been doing."

I don't know if I like this idea. I see little or no benefit to letting people I call on the phone know what I've been doing in other activities. (To put this in context, I withdrew from Facebook, and covered my tracks as much as possible, soon after trying it. And a lot of what I do on the www does not have my name on it, and I'll be even more obscure if this idea becomes popular.)

RE: Social Networking: Fruitful or Disappointing?

millss — Thu, 31 Jan 2008 17:12:00 GMT

I am curious if people think that social networking as it pertains to Facebook and MySpace is a viable marketing tool for the long-term? Do you see many conversions or donations via this type of social networking? I personally hesitate to give too much weight to MySpace and Facebook, etc. when they are sites that are more about the "me" and less about organizations. It's one thing to get a bunch of "friends" - it's another to see results from that group.

RE: Social Networking: Fruitful or Disappointing?

mdjukic — Mon, 21 Jan 2008 05:24:00 GMT

I led a large, non-profit that was largely run by undergraduate students at thirty universities around the world. Of course, everyone had Facebook accounts, and it was immediately the best way to casually stay in touch one-to-one. It helped to see how we were all connected, and if any opportunities existed for marketing or getting in touch with third parties.

More than that, however, we learned that it was a great way to market the entire non-profit as one organization. As soon as Facebook became global (or public), we were able to create a group where all members of the non-profit could join. This not only put faces to names internally and externally, but it showed others that we were not kidding that we had hundreds of members around the world. They could look us up and count the individuals to see for themselves.

Ultimately, it's not the best tool for getting started or everyday use, but it's handy for networking here and there, and establishing a presence in a very global, growing community of social networkers.

Best,
--
Mizel

RE: Social Networking: Fruitful or Disappointing?

moguling1 — Tue, 15 Jan 2008 13:47:00 GMT

[duplicate message deleted by admin--please see this thread]

RE: Social Networking: Fruitful or Disappointing?

gridlock — Thu, 10 Jan 2008 22:36:00 GMT

There are a number of solutions out there that should lighten if not eliminate the technology and financial burden of introducing a social network - like Ning and in2commmunity - which would allow you to focus in on the marketing and promotional side of launching a social network. There are a few simple things to start with - make sure there is a link from the main navigation of your website if you are putting it on an existing one and a simple email to inform your members that you have created a new community for them to check out would get the ball going. Like with all web initiatives, make sure you include the URL on all on and off line correspondence that you send out to drive traffic to it.

RE: Social Networking: Fruitful or Disappointing?

tsfbeth — Thu, 10 Jan 2008 01:08:00 GMT

Priscilla,

Thanks for the year estimate. I've been hearing a minimum of 3-6 months - it takes time for the viral effect to kick in.

RE: Social Networking: Fruitful or Disappointing?

Marion — Wed, 09 Jan 2008 23:10:00 GMT

Thanks for this excellent article on social networking. I think that you have it exactly right. It isn't yet ready for prime time but has some interesting possibilities. It isn't worth putting a big investment in, but for some nonprofits with a youthful base it may be worth getting your feet wet.

I have begun to use the question feature on LinkedIn and have found it a great resource. It is inappropriate to use for fundraising but has advocacy possibilities.

Marion
marionconwaynonprofitconsultant.blogspot.com