Social networking for IT managers

Norman ReissNonprofit Bridge

www.nonprofitbridge.com

Nten Long Island 501 Tech ClubOctober 7, 2010

1.Why should I care about social networking? Does it really matter to IT?

• Tools may change but idea of social networking / media will persevere

• Will help you play a more strategic role in your organization

Norman Reiss, Nonprofit Bridge

Social Networking for IT Managers, Oct. 7, 2010 2

2.Which social networks should I focus on?Where are your constituents?

Start with Facebook and Twitter – don’t try to be in too many places at beginning (better to use one or more channels well than many channels poorly)



3. Facebook or Twitter?Where are your competitors?

Use Twitter for brief, frequent updates

Use Facebook for more detailed updates, to share videos and build ongoing conversation



4. Who in organization should handle social networking?Best to assign to a specific person

Volunteers are OK but are they educated enough about your mission / focus?

Best to have staff involved too



5. How much time does my organization need to spend on social networking to be successful?2 hours / week / channel

Devoting time to social networking does not necessarily guarantee success, but not putting in enough time almost guarantees failure



6. Can social networking be used for fundraising?Yes, but this is not its main benefit

Best for engaging / communicating with constituents

See Facebook Causes (facebook.com/causes) and Tweetsgiving (twitter.com/tweetsgiving)



7. How do I measure ROI on social networking?Email list subscribersFacebook ‘likes’Twitter followersAdvocacy actions takenFacebook InsightsGoogle AnalyticsTrackable links (e.g. bit.ly)



8. How can my organization develop a social networking policy?Do this FIRST before getting started

See Wendy Harman’s Red Cross Social Media Handbook

sites.google.com/site/wharman/social-media-strategy-handbook



9. How do I build a community on our social network?Ask questions

Encourage feedback

Respond quickly to comments



10. Should I consider a private social network instead of a public social network?Both can be useful but depends on your

available resources

Private best for sensitive subject matter and for more control over platform



Halfway Through

Questions?



11. What do I talk about on our social network?Information about your cause, not just about

your organization

Give examples of your nonprofit’s work

Integrate with other communication channels



12. How do I convince management that social networking is worthwhile?Start with small pilot project

Show what your competitors are already doing

Find an internal advocate



13. Should we create a Facebook application?Do you have a large audience on platform?

Do you have expertise to create – and maintain application? (Facebook changes daily)



14. What type / size nonprofits do best with social networking?Smaller organizations sometimes have the

best results

Large organizations can do well if they don’t get embroiled in debate

Will your culture support an open communication with your constituents?



15. How often should we post on social networks?Establish a baseline frequency and stick to it

Don’t promise more than you can reasonably deliver (e.g. email newsletters)

TIP – plan in advance with an integrated communications calendar



16. What are hash tags and how are they used?Start with #

Ways to identify specific topics

Include in your posts on Twitter



17. What are examples of nonprofits that have succeeded with social networking?

American Red CrossNational Wildlife FederationHumane SocietyLance Armstrong FoundationAutism Speaks



18. How can we monitor what others are saying about our organization?Google Alerts – www.google.com/alerts

Twitter Search – search.twitter.com

Technorati (to search blogs) – www.technorati.com

iGoogle Dashboard – www.google.com/ig

SocialMention – www.socialmention.com

Listen before you post



19. Should I use products like TweetDeck, HootSuite and Seesmic Desktop?

Good way to combine data from many social networks

Helps to filter topics you’re most interested in

Can be distracting if you keep active throughout day



20. What are some good resources on social networking?Nonprofit Social Network Benchmark Report

nonprofitsocialnetworksurvey.com

Nonprofit Social Media Decision Guide www.idealware.org/reports/nonprofit-social-media-decision-guide

Beth’s Blog – www.bethkanter.org

Upcoming Nten Webinars – nten.org/webinars

10/8 – Developing a Social Networking Strategy10/15 – Learn about Nten’s Social Network Strategy10/21 – Managing Your Personal and Professional

Brand10/26 – Social Media Decision Maker’s Toolkit



Thank You• Read my blog at www.nonprofitbridge.com• Connect with me on social networks:

• LinkedIn - www.linkedin.com/in/nonprofitbridge

• Twitter - www.twitter.com/nonprofitbridge• Facebook -

www.facebook.com/#/nonprofitbridge

• Email – [email protected]• Phone – 646-827-0635



Technology

Social networking for IT managers