Internal Vs. External Tools: Determining the Best Approach to Social-Media Marketing

By offering social-networking capabilities on their own Web sites, organizations can maintain their branding while deepening their interactions with donors and members. Allow supporters to log in, organize their own events and communicate in forums; it can increase their sense of connection to the organization. Develop a personal blog from the CEO through which the target audience, as well as staff, can relate. Open up parts of the Web site so that content, such as videos and photos of events, can be uploaded and shared.

Nonprofits and associations can quickly and easily garner participant feedback, discuss relevant issues and develop interest groups, with the help of an internal social-media tool set. The features also can help to increase Web traffic and search engine optimization, and be tied to an organization’s CRM system so that it can be easily administered and kept fresh.