The Best Thing You Can Do TODAY
Facebook has been likened to the shop window of the 21st century when it comes to brand awareness.(Although this analogy came pre-Pinterest, which arguably is even more like window shopping of yore). Just as consumers increasingly research their purchases online to obtain the best deals, so too do prospective donors increasingly research nonprofits online. So how we manage our social networking presence is of prime importance.
Facebook is the elephant in the room, on target to reach over one billion users this year. So, like it or hate it, we can’t ignore it. For brands, a Facebook page is the window standing between the one billion users and the experience a brand can offer, so it better look inviting and send the right messages about what can be experienced there. Nonprofit brands are no exception.
Many organizations think that simply creating a Facebook page, sticking a logo on it, and writing a short introduction is enough to connect with an audience. That’s wrong. Here in 5 Ways to Perfect Your Facebook Welcome Image by John Boyle are some easy-to-execute tips and tricks for making your brand page a little more enticing to two billion (or so) eyeballs. And some examples of what not to do as well. The ways to make your brand page stand out from the crowd are many and diverse.
The new Facebook Timeline provides another way to stand out from the crowd and tell your story in a rich, engaging way. In Facebook Timeline for Nonprofit Organizations you can read a number of suggestions to make your Facebook page more compelling. Also check out HOW TO: Post Milestones to Your Nonprofit’s Facebook Page, 5 Creative Ideas to Spark New Engagement in Facebook Timeline for Fan Pages and 11 Inspiring Nonprofit Facebook Timelines. What you’ll find are ways to put enticing stuff in your window, plus numerous opportunities to engage more deeply with your fans.
While the task may seem daunting, there’s no need to reinvent the wheel. The for-profit folks are figuring this all out for us. For one example, check 3 Ways to Supercharge Fan Engagement on Facebook. We just need to steal their best ideas. The Boyle article includes a great ‘makeover’ story about the Project Runway welcome page. I especially like the notion in the Boyle article that we must persuade folks there is a real benefit to ‘liking’ our brand. Are you making it clear what’s in it for them? Do they get exclusive content? Videos? Live chatting? Will a funder donate a $1 for every ‘like’? Once folks accept the invitation to like you, do you follow up with them? Do you acknowledge, and build upon, your fans’ protestations of friendship?
Providing consistent, relevant content on your page is the first step towards giving folks a reason to come, act and come back. What if the second time you went back to a store they had no new merchandise? Good Facebook pages are busy. As Tim Gunn of the aforementioned Project Runway would say, you’ve got to “Make it Work!” Just slapping something up there every now and again is not a strategy; it’s an afterthought. You’re just fooling yourself if you think this accomplishes anything beneficial for your brand. Chances are it’s more harmful than helpful. Do check out 10 Powerful Tips To Stimulate Facebook Fan Interaction to see what you can do to make your Facebook endeavor worthwhile.
Once folks become a fan you can begin the work of relationship building. You’ve got to take an active stance! Encourage fans with calls to action. Is there a video you’d like them to share? A petition you’d like them to circulate? An issue on which you’d like them to comment/offer their opinion to share with other fans? As long as the content is something your constituents care about, calls to action will encourage folks to respond to and share your content.
You’ll also want to monitor/measure your engagement to see how things are progressing. For a simple methodology check out How to Measure Your Facebook Engagement. If you’re not getting a lot of action, look back at your content. Was it all about you? Is it ‘insider stuff’ that no one else really understands or cares about? If so, interview some constituents and see what they’re interested in learning more about. Or ask your receptionist and/or field staff the most frequently asked questions they receive. Social media is ‘social’. It’s imperative that you remain constituent-centered.
Another common mistake is failing to include share buttons on all of your content. Make sure to do this to encourage folks to share your content to their Facebook walls. And don’t forget that sharing goes two ways. Include a sign-up to your e-newsletter from your Facebook page so you drive folks to your website and blog. And don’t forget to communicate the benefits of being on the e-news list.
And if you happen to be a nonprofit that doesn’t yet have a Facebook page? Worry not. Techsoup has an array of resources here. Here’s a basic “how to” post to help you along your way, plus a cheat sheet with tips to help you implement the new (since March) timeline from Beth Kanter. Just don’t start out without a plan to engage. Remember, elephants never forget; they don’t like being ignored.
Are you engaging supporters with your Facebook presence?
What strategies are working for you?
How much staff time does this entail?
Please share!
10 Comments
Great post, so many amazing tips! I am going to implement these ideas right away : )
Thanks for reading/commenting Natasha!
Content, content, content. It's the name of the game and many nonprofits don't know what content they have to offer.
This article is so on point. Facebook can be easy to use, but it still requires ongoing effort!
Thanks Clay. Content has always been queen. 😉
Absolutely Ericka. Anything worth doing is worth doing right!
We hired a social media consultant to help us develop engagement on our facebook. She has been excellent in helping us to change how we engage with facebook fans. Her encouragement was longer posts, photos and stories. She gave a list of nine tips and homework. We are working with her monthly to ensure we are getting it. The fact that we are accountable to review our results monthly has given us the incentive to make changes.
Great article and will share it with our team to see where we can improve.
I really enjoyed this, Claire. There were so many good tips on branding, but also practical applications of tools and even more resources. I'll be reading for days. THANKS!
Thanks for letting us know that consultation helped you to develop greater engagement with fans. It helps dispel the notion that social media is "free" and something to do as "add on". Like anything else worth doing, it's worth doing well. Hope you have continued success! And let us know as things continue to improve what strategies have been the most successful.
Thanks so much Emily. It's a lot to digest, and Facebook (and everyone else too) keeps changing things on us. Again, this is why we need to devote enough resources to social media to stay fresh and relevant. It definitely keeps us on our toes, so… may as well take a few dancing lessons. 🙂