Are Nonprofits Good At Social Media?
Alexandra Samuel, writing in Harvard Business Publishing, says Yes! In her article, Why Nonprofits Are So Good at Social Media, she notes that social media are all about relationship building and points out: "In the nonprofit sector, relationships have always been the key currency: the relationships with the members, donors and supporters that NGOs depend on for volunteer labor, financial support and advocacy muscle."
Her article is sprinkled with links to what Alexandra regards as good examples (and in my opinion, they are) from March of Dimes, Brooklyn Museum, AARP, American Humane Society, KaBOOM!, and the Mid-Atlantic Great Dane Rescue League.
But she also set off a lively debate, with some commenters arguing that her examples are exceptions to the rule … that nonprofits, in their use of social media, are just as faddish, short-sighted and non-strategic as their commercial brethren.
Then along comes commenter Michael Hoffman of see3 Communications with these observations:
"I think the argument here — are nonprofits good or not — isn’t really that useful.
There are nonprofits who are doing the right things, making long-term strategic investments in communications, not taking short-cuts, integrating their social media work with their overall communications and fundraising activities, etc. And there are those who are not.
I think a bigger question is exactly what it means to be successful with social media. Is social media simply another marketing channel for you to push your agenda? Or is the promise of social media a new way of doing business, where your stakeholders are real partners in your work. The latter is much more interesting, but will require serious cultural changes among nonprofits who are often very concerned about brand and control."
Alexandra’s examples might be exceptional. But regardless, I think Michael has nailed the issue. The entire exchange is well-worth a read.
What’s your opinion?
Tom
One response to “Are Nonprofits Good At Social Media?”
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Michael did really nail the issue with the question “Or is the promise of social media a new way of doing business, where your stakeholders are real partners in your work.”
Utilizing social media not in just a way that create awareness about your mission, but creates the write structure that enables constituents to actually take part in, and even lead, your causes, is the real promise of social media.