Social media is an accessible, and (largely) free method of online communication, and should form part of your organisations overall communications strategy. Social media is a great way for charities and not-for-profits to involve volunteers, attract donations, recruit staff and raise their profile. Online communities such as Facebook and Twitter have millions of active members, and your social media strategy should focus on identifying, influencing and engaging participants in online communities.
Here are 5 points to keep in mind when designing your social media strategy;
1. Decide what your key messages are
Your key messages are the points that you want your audience to remember. Write down 2 or 3 bullet points of a sentence or two each. Remember your key messages need to be easy to remember and convey! Don’t be too technical and avoid jargon.
2. Identify your audience
Which audiences do you want your messages to reach? Identifying the right audience is essential in choosing the most effective way to communicate with them, so be specific! It’s no good saying ‘everyone’ – you need your audience to be definable and your goal to be reachable. (See my previous post on Knowing your Publics for further information)
3. Test your message
Does your message hit the nail on the head with your target audience? With the best will in the world, your professional communication will fall flat on its metaphorical face if it doesn’t reach or compel the people who you are targeting. Remember, the whole idea of a social media strategy isn’t just ‘having a twitter profile’, it’s about making sure the content of your tweets is relevant to your target audience. Test the effectiveness of your messages by establishing what your message means to your target audience through focus groups or interviews with the people you want to influence.
4. Choose your social media platform
Once you have tested your message and identified your key audience, you can choose how you wish to communicate with them. Setting up a social media profile on most of the most popular platforms is very easy, for example Twitter, Facebook, LinkedIn, Slideshare, or YouTube. The Mashable article ‘Choosing the right Social Media Tool for your Business‘ may help you choose which platform will suit you and your needs best.
5. Monitor
Now it’s a matter of keeping an eye and an ear out about what people are saying about your messages and your organisation. Track the conversation using online tools such as Addictomatic or Google Alerts or see how far your message is travelling with tools such as Tweet Reach. A good article about the types of social media monitoring tools available can be found on The Next Web‘s site.
And finally, always bear in mind that the key to a successful social media campaign is not just about broadcasting and listening. It’s about actively engaging with your audience – whether this is about responding to customer service enquiries, or actively participating in discussions around your particular area of expertise. Be part of the conversation.
Tags: addictomatic, audience, broadcasting, charities, facebook, google alerts, key message, linkedin, mashable, monitoring, nfp, platform, social media strategy, testing, twitter, youtube
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