More Social Networking
Sorry, but I’m on a social networking roll this week.
Some interesting articles and sites to ponder as you chart a course for your nonprofit …
Is there a future in setting up your own proprietary social network … indeed, will the prospects of Facebook and MySpace fade as folks head to more niche sites as they follow their main passions, hobbies, causes, localities? Read what blogger Catharine Taylor, a digital media and advertising veteran, has to say.
While you’re at it, check out the Social Media Insider blog. It’s aimed at commercial players, but still lots of relevance.
If you’re a subscriber, Ad Age offers nine profiles of consumers using social media and where they are.
Here’s a white paper from RepNation Media and mr.youth (an agency) on Consumer 2.0: Five Rules to Engaging a New Breed of Consumer. Though not specifically on social media, this paper offers insights as to why social sites and networks will be so powerful at influencing consumers (donors) in the future.
- My favorite rule: Niche is the new norm.
- My favorite factoid: 14-24 year olds have on average 53 people they consider to be online friends, and all are considered real friends despite not having met many in person … a decade ago, that number would have been 5-10 and they would all be face-to-face. Think about that in terms of grassroots fundraising or cause proselytizing.
- My favorite observation: "As consumers increasingly gravitate to more efficient means of communication, they will expect the same from those trying to communicate with them." Case in point … my 14-year-old daughter refuses to accept calls from her parents on her cell phone … it’s text or forget it!
Speaking of teens … It’s been around 8-9 months now, have you looked at Think MTV, the music channel’s social activism and community site? You might want to, if your concerns include discrimination, environment, politics, substance abuse, faith, health, education, human rights, relationships & sex, war & peace, poverty or crime. Whew!
Time to take my Geritol!
Tom
2 responses to “More Social Networking”
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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I’m not aware of any in-market tests specifically comparing recurring vs. gift frequency language. I suspect the answer might not be the same with all gift frequencies, nor with all people. It sounds like a great opportunity for you to test and find out what works for your audience. Based on the literature, here’s a couple […]
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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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Interesting question. I had a quick look at the testing done on this topic. On the positive side, in all cases, over half of donors decide to cover the fee. In some cases, it goes as high as 65%. Not a negligible percentage at all. Here’s another test from iRaiser showing consistent results (see point […]
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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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I really enjoy The Agitator.
Since you’re on a social networking roll, you should check out Heather Mansfield’s work around providing training for nonprofits wanting to launch into the MySpace, Change.org, and Facebook world. Her Best Practices are particularly helpful for those of us who don’t spend hours per day on social networking. I have attended her trainings and she is a die-hard nonprofit junkie with an amazing passion for change.
Her site is http://www.diosacommunications.com
Her myspace page with 31,000+ friends is http://www.myspace.com/nonprofitorganizations
Take care and thanks for reading all the things I’ll never have time to review and sending out a synopsis.
I have to agree with you when you say “niche is norm”. Facebook and other mainstream social networking sites will continue to dominate, but for those who want to engage on a specific topic (which is increaseing) custome social networking sites will become more and more popular and used by greater numbers of individuals.