Facebook Readings
Many of you are probably following — more avidly than me — the changes being made to the Facebook platform.
With more time being spent on social nets, and Facebook in particular (it’s now having half billion user days!), it’s a platform nonprofits have to master. And at the same time, everything that’s ‘good’ for Facebook isn’t necessarily good for marketers … or for personal privacy.
Here are three articles that might give you some perspective on Facebook.
Probably of most direct and immediate help to nonprofits using Facebook is this excellent review of the current Facebook situation by Beth Kanter. As usual, her advice (which I read as ‘cautious optimism’) is sound, and her piece includes several very useful links to related resources.
Next, I’d point you to this item from Social Media Insider giving a commercial marketer’s perspective. Advises this writer, David Berkowitz: “There is no question that marketers need Facebook more than Facebook needs marketers. What do you do about it? Be engaging. Be relevant. Figure out what’s social about your brand. Set objectives. Measure results. Budget accordingly.”
A report from his agency on the changes notes: “The new changes should generate a tremendous amount of additional content on Facebook. That means brands will have an even harder time breaking through the clutter. Brands will have to be even more strategic, creative, and relevant to their fans to stand out.”
And for those of you who worry most about privacy, this Wall Street Journal article — Facebook Defends Getting Data From Logged-Out Users — should stir your juices!
I confess to still being an email guy, and a blogger on the side. But Facebook, warts and all, is a force to be reckoned with. As Beth says, however, stay focused on results … a ‘friend’ is not a result.
Tom
Behavioral Science Q & A
Integrating an individual giving appeal with other communications from a charity can have both positive and negative effects, and the outcome largely depends on how it’s executed. Advantages of Integration Brand Consistency: Maintaining a consistent appearance and messaging across all communications can reinforce the org’s brand identity and strengthen brand recognition and trust among your […]
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Based on what we know from existing data, those renewal notices can actually be pretty effective in getting people to donate. They tap into our psychology – creating a sense of urgency, reminding us of past support, and using personalization to make the message hit home. They’re playing on our natural tendencies to feel obligated […]
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There’s just one thing to consider when designing a supporter journey: the supporter. More specifically, you need to take into account: Who the supporter is i.e. their identity, which is the reason they support this cause, and their personality, which describes the way they “see” and process the world. These will determine the kind of […]
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I’m not an expert in this but a quick search surfaced this article on the effect of tax reforms on 2019’s charitable giving. The researchers didn’t find a reduction. Actually, they observed an “increase in charitable contributions in 2019, even with the lower tax rates and the dramatically smaller number of taxpayers who itemize their […]
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