Comments on: Why Facebook, Twitter and Google Are Your Non-Profit’s New Home Page

By: Merrick Dog Food

Merrick Dog Food — Thu, 27 May 2010 07:23:23 +0000

I am big fan of facebook, I am using this. But also fan of twitter.

By: sara02

sara02 — Tue, 22 Dec 2009 10:50:59 +0000

I recently came across your blog and have been reading along. I thought I would leave my first comment. I don't know what to say except that I have enjoyed reading. Nice blog.

By: sara02

sara02 — Tue, 22 Dec 2009 05:50:59 +0000

I recently came across your blog and have been reading along. I thought I would leave my first comment. I don't know what to say except that I have enjoyed reading. Nice blog. I will keep visiting this blog very often.

Alena

http://grantfoundation.net

By: johnhaydon

johnhaydon — Wed, 09 Dec 2009 23:16:35 +0000

Debra – I just read your post, written back in March 2009. Since that time, Facebook has grown from 150 million users to over 350 million users. And yes, whenever I get a shared link about a non-profit, I go to their Facebook Page first.

By: Debra Askanase

Debra Askanase — Wed, 09 Dec 2009 21:18:20 +0000

Hi John, good post! A while back, I wrote a similar one entitled “The Facebook Page Is the New Website.” Now, I honestly don't think the website is dead – it has other uses – but I agree that certain social sites are a requirement now (Facebook included), for many of the reasons you mentioned. In researching my article, I learned that Facebook search traffic comes primarily from links posted within Facebook (though this may change with the new Google social indexing). I also found it interesting that Facebook is the second-most popular site to which users bookmark and share information socially. And, given that information about searches within Facebook, I think that it is even more critical to have a Facebook presence. If you are already on Facebook and hear of an organization, you're not going to leave it to look at an organization's website; you're going to look for their Facebook Page! (In case you're interested in the article, it can be found here: http://www.communityorganizer20.com/2009/03/27/...)

By: gerardmclean

gerardmclean — Wed, 09 Dec 2009 16:47:55 +0000

@alizasherman these are good real-world issues we deal with every day with our non-profit clients. Generating fresh content is key to success using social media tools, but a Facebook page, LinkedIn group, twitter just adds more stuff to an already overworked, underfunded group. The trick is to identify those things that once did, but no longer creates value and convince them to eliminate them (or spend less time/money on them). I'm not entirely sold that the newsletter does NOT create value, but the way most of them come together and are distributed is questionably inefficient and ineffective. Regardless, it is hard for non-profits to let go and step off a ledge with you, espeically when the skin you are risking is not yours.

Most often, the answer is “more stuff” on the web site or a “circle the wagons approach.” We fight that every day. We focus on the operational parts of the social media tools and don't push the “conversation” and “engagement” stuff so much. Once they see how Twitter can automate traffic to a cause, landing page, etc, they are more apt to ask about the other stuff..

@johnhaydon: BTW, the front page of a web site is still pretty important, if not critical. Our analytics show most of the entry comes in through there. While the outposts are important, the front door is still the most used. Unless you have data to the contrary, I'm sticking with “polishing the handle of the big front door.”

By: sdwells

sdwells — Wed, 09 Dec 2009 16:25:17 +0000

John – would you have a minute to post links to your posts about strategy? I know we're guilty of jumping into Facebook, Twitter etc. before having a good strategy in place – would love some direction on that!

By: johnhaydon

johnhaydon — Mon, 07 Dec 2009 20:00:58 +0000

Marc – thanks so much for the reminder. I have several posts about strategy that folks should investigate before diving in too deep. Thanks!

By: Marc Baizman

Marc Baizman — Mon, 07 Dec 2009 19:38:40 +0000

Just one comment: a lot of organizations want to jump on the new tools you've mentioned above but haven't done the *much* harder work of identifying their constituencies, clarifying their message(s), and just plain getting clear about who they are. That's all necessary pre-work before getting a Facebook page, or setting up a a blog. I appreciate that these are good, valuable tips, but don't put the cart before the horse here!

By: johnhaydon

johnhaydon — Mon, 07 Dec 2009 19:20:35 +0000

Exactly – especially the landing pages for those social media sites!