NGOs responding to Crisis: Using Social Media to Meet New Challenges, The Case of Haiti

NGOs Responding to Crisis: Using Social Media in Meeting New Challenges

The Case of Haiti

Danielle Lazarowitz UN Department for Public Information, NGO Cluster

Communication Workshop February 24, 2010

Table of Contents

1. What is Social Media? - The Rise of Web 2.0 - Changes in Media and Marketing

2. How has the Relationship between NGOs and the Internet Changed? - Transnational Activism

- Building Online Communities - Virtual Diplomacy

3. What are the New Types of Technologies Available? - Communication - Collaboration - Multimedia - Cellular Technology

4. Case Study: Social Media and the Earthquake in Haiti 5. Further Reading 6. Next Steps

Strategic Objectives

Using Social Media Can… •  Deliver programs and services for public benefit

•  Fundraise for a specific objective

•  Create Public Awareness

What is Social Media?

Social media is “an umbrella term that defines the various activities that integrate technology, social interaction, and the construction of words, pictures, videos, and audio.”

http://www.wikipedia.com


Social Media Users: •  3 out of 4 Americans use social technology (Forrester, The Growth of Social Technology Adaptation, 2008)

•  2/3 of the global internet population visits social networks (Nielsen, Global Faces & Networked Places, 2009)

•  The average online user who uses social networking sites visits these sites 5 days a week and checks in 4 times a day or the equivalent of one hour (Anderson Analytics 2009)


The Rise of Web 2.0

Early1990s:PersonalComputers,theinternet,andemailbecomemainstream

1999:Blogger

2001:Wikipedia

2002:Friendster

2003:MySpace

2003:Facebook

2003:Del.icio.us

2004:Flickr

2004:Digg

2005:YouTube

2006:TwiLer

1998:Google

2008:Posterous



Changes in Media and Marketing: •  Social Media focuses on talking with your intended audience instead of at them

• Social Media personalizes the “brand” • The organization’s message can be spread in a relaxed and conversational way

• Social Media allows for conversation not just with clients, members, or customers, but also peer organizations

How Has the Relationship Between NGOs and the Internet Changed?

According to a new 2009 survey by Weber Shandwick/KRC Research:

88% of Nonprofits have experimented with Social Media

However

Only 51% are active users

52% do not have the infrastructure, staff, and expertise needed to take full advantage of social media potential

And 79% of nonprofit executives have yet to determine the true value of Social Media for their organization


Transnational Activism: •  “The coordinated international campaigns on the part of networks of activists against international actors, other states, or international institutions.” (Della Porta and Tarrow)

Example •  The movement to ban landmines – 1997 Ottawa Treaty

•  Diverse Coalition (NGO-State Partnerships)


Building Online Communities: •  Creates digital communication channels rather than face-to-face

Example: •  Kiva.org

•  Peer to Peer Micro-lending online community

•  Over $100 million loaned in 4 year





Virtual Diplomacy: •  State Department’s Virtual Foreign Service Program

•  Launched in May 2009, allows university students to be partnered with embassies abroad using digital technology to conduct diplomacy

•  First location is in Iraq, where a student from the University of Wisconsin has used videoconferencing, Facebook, blogging, and email to connect Americans and Iraqis


Virtual Diplomacy:

What are the New Types of Technologies Available?

Communication: •  Blogs •  Micro Blogs •  Social Networking

Collaboration: •  Wikis •  Social Bookmarking

Multimedia: •  Photo Sharing •  Video Sharing

Cellular Technology: •  Information Sharing •  Fundraising


Communication: •  Blogs

•  Blogger •  WordPress

•  Tumblr

•  Micro Blogs •  Twitter

•  Social Networking •  Facebook •  LinkedIn •  MySpace

Communication - Blogging: •  A type of website that is composed of regular entries of commentary, descriptions of events or other materials. •  Interactive by allowing readers to leave comments •  There are currently over 120 million blogs on the web, growing every day



Communication:

Blogging

Communication – Micro-Blogging: •  Enables users to send and read messages known as “Tweets” •  Text based posts of 140 or less characters

•  Post can be statements, links to articles or other web pages, comments to other Twitter users and more

•  Third most used social network with 6 million unique monthly visitors •  Allows users to “follow” or subscribe to other user’s posts



Communication:

Micro-Blogging

Communication – Social Networking: Facebook

•  Currently has more than 250 million active members

•  Facebook page •  Free public profile that allows users to become a “fan”

•  Offers ability to post photos and news, create events, and offer discussion boards

•  Creates seamless interface with Facebook Ads that are inexpensive and extremely targeted



Communication:

Social Networking


Collaboration: •  Wikis

•  Wikipedia •  Google Groups

•  Social Bookmarking •  Delicious •  Google Reader


Collaboration - Wikis: •  Wikipedia

•  Web-based collaborative encyclopedia project •  13 million articles •  Articles can be edited by anyone

•  Google Groups •  Support groups created on common interests •  Creates listservs, mailing lists, and discussion boards


Collaboration:

Wikis


Collaboration – Social Bookmarking: •  Delicious

•  Web service for storing, sharing, and discovering web bookmarks •  More than 5 million users and 150 million bookmarked URLs

•  Google Reader •  RSS feeds are feeds of blog content

•  RSS or Really Simple Syndication provides summaries of web content in a simple format. These feeds show what is new since the last time you checked the feed, without having to visit the website itself.

•  Web-based aggregator of RSS feeds


Collaboration:

Social Bookmarking

What are the Types of Technologies Available?

Collaboration:

Social Bookmarking


Multimedia: •  Photo Sharing

•  Flickr •  Photobucket

•  Video Sharing •  YouTube •  Vimeo


Multimedia – Photo Sharing: •  Flickr

•  Image and video hosting website and online community platform

•  Hosts over 3.6 billion images •  Allows images to be uploaded and “tagged” •  Users can comment on photos •  Similar to Facebook’s photos application


Multimedia:

Photo Sharing


Multimedia – Video Sharing: •  YouTube

•  Allows posting of videos and video clips •  Users can create their own channel

•  Viewers can comment on videos •  Videos are easily uploaded


Multimedia:

Video Sharing


Cellular Technology: •  Information Sharing

•  Text Blasting (Bulk Messaging) •  Smart Texting

•  Fundraising •  mGive


Cellular Technology - Information Sharing:

• 3.5 billion mobile phones in the world •  In developing countries phones are much more widespread and more commonly used than the internet

•  SMS – Send up to 160 character text message to supporters

• Mobileactive.org is a great resource for more information



Text Blasting (Bulk Messaging) •  A single message (of 160 characters) sent to a group of users, similar to a mass email •  Build a network of mobile supporters

•  Utilize existing organizational contact lists •  Place mobile number request on your website, blog, Twitter, and Facebook page

•  Request mobile numbers at offline events



Smart Texting •  An automatic response is sent to a supporter when they send text a certain keyword to the organization’s number •  Example

•  AIDS.gov National HIV Testing Day Campaign •  Text 566948 with the message KNOWIT and your zip code to find your local HIV testing location

•  Blue Ocean Institute FISHPHONE Campaign •  Text 30644 with the message FISH and the name of fish to find out whether the fish is sustainable


Cellular Technology – Fundraising:

•  mGive.com •  Raise money through text message donations •  Allows supporters to send a text message using your keyword and short code to send $5 or $10 donations

•  Donation cost is automatically applied to cell phone bill •  No credit card necessary •  mGive does charge NGOs a small monthly fee


Cellular Technology – Fundraising:

Case Study: Earthquake in Haiti

Communication •  Blogs

•  Twitter •  Facebook

Collaboration •  Wikipedia •  RSS Feeds

Multimedia •  Flickr

•  YouTube

Cellular Technology •  Information Sharing •  Fundraising


Communication – Blogs There have been over 1 million blog posts about Haiti since the earthquake, with almost half a million posts occurring within a week of the quake.

There are four main types of blog posts: •  First Response •  Appeal for Volunteers and Donations •  Informational •  Keeping a Crisis in the News

Communication – First Response

Blog Posts




Communication – First Response

Blog Posts


Communication – Appeal for Volunteers

and Donations

Blog Posts



Communication – Informational Blog Posts



Communication – Keeping a Crisis in the News

Blog Posts


Communication – Twitter Extremely effective in a crisis situation in spreading information in a very quick manner. Useful in periods of first response, relief, and recovery.

“We already had about 30 international staff and 700 Haitians working on the ground when the earthquake struck, so our first hours were making sure our staff was OK. It was only in the days after that we realized Twitter and Facebook could be used as a way to mobilize and get some of our teams off the ground.

In many regards, it was Twitter and the conversations we had with Ann [Curry] through Twitter that removed some of the obstacles. We just started sending Twitter posts out raising the question: Why aren't our planes able to land? Eventually, the Air Force's Twitter feed itself was responding. By Wednesday, we were getting calls from the very highest levels of government trying to facilitate the landings of the planes we needed. It clearly was a fire-starter to have this sort of communication online.”

Doctors Without Borders Communications Director Jason Cone on the benefits of Twitter during the crisis in Haiti


Communication – Twitter


Communication – Facebook A tool used to aggregate text, photos, video, links, and comments for organizations.

For Haiti, Facebook:

•  Helped users find information on lost or missing individuals •  Spread information

•  Over 1,500 status updates a minute regarding Haiti immediately after the earthquake

•  Encouraged donations


Communication – Facebook


Communication – Facebook


Collaboration The least important aspect of social media during a crisis situation, yet still provides a resource for those individuals searching for information.

•  Wikipedia

•  RSS Feeds


Collaboration – Wikipedia


Collaboration – Google Reader


Multimedia – Photo and Video The first visual pictures of the earthquake came from internet sources like Flickr and TwitPics. Video was later used to show first the devastation, and later the relief and recovery effort.

Multimedia puts a human face on a crisis and makes it more personal.

Currently there are…

•  Over 25,000 images relating to the earthquake on Flickr

•  Over 35,000 videos relating to the earthquake on YouTube


Multimedia – Flickr (American Red Cross)


Multimedia – YouTube (American Red Cross)


Multimedia – YouTube (Partners in Health)


Cellular Technology The biggest game changer for the future of relief and recovery response to crisis situations.

• Information Sharing • Smart Texting

• Fundraising • Largest ever mobile fundraising campaign


Cellular Technology – Information SharingHaitians were told to text 4636, free of charge, with their emergency info and location.

This led to: •  Finding and rescuing those individuals stuck in rubble •  Relieving needs at tent camps

Once text message information was analyzed, it was then sent to the appropriate organization to assist with the issue.


Cellular Technology – FundraisingAlready over $35 million dollars have been raised for Haiti relief through cell phones, with $3 million raised for the Red Cross in the first 48 hours.

•  Text HAITI to 90999 to donate $10 to the American Red Cross •  Text QUAKE to 20222 to donate $10 to the Clinton Bush Haiti Fund •  Text HABITAT to 25383 to donate $10 to Habitat For Humanity •  Text OXFAM to 25383 to donate $10 to Oxfam •  Text HAITI to 25383 to donate $5 to International Rescue Committee •  Text HAITI to 45678 to donate $5 to the Salvation Army in Canada •  Text YELE to 501501 to donation $5 to Yele •  Text RELIEF to 30644 to get automatically connected to Catholic Relief Services and donate money with your credit card •  Text HAITI to 864833 to donate $5 to The United Way •  Text CERF to 90999 to donate $5 to The United Nations Foundation •  Text DISASTER to 90999 to donate $10 to Compassion International

Further Reading

Here Comes Everybody by Clay Shirky

Activists beyond Borders: Advocacy Networks in International Politics by Margaret Keck and Kathryn Sikkink

Transnational Protest and Global Activism by Sidney Tarrow and Donatella della Porta

Cyberprotest: New media, Citizens and Social Movements by Wim vand de Donk, et. al.

globalvoicesonline.org

backspace.com/action

causes.org

mobileactive.org

Next Steps

Hire an intern to focus exclusively on your social media campaign

or

Utilize an existing “web” focused employee i.e. website manager

Start off with Facebook first, then move to a blog and twitter page, and eventually a YouTube and Flickr account

Try to create 2-3 posts per week on each of your social media pages to start

This can include a combination of links to news articles, opinion pieces, organizational news, upcoming events, photos and video

This should not take more than 1 – 2 hours a week

The more posts the better

Consider utilizing a site like posterous.com where everything can be done via email

Next Steps

News & Politics

NGOs responding to Crisis: Using Social Media to Meet New Challenges, The Case of Haiti