Social Media

Hey, We Like You Too!
February 21, 2013

Wow, we here at FundRaising Success had a collective Sally-Field-winning-the-Oscar moment — you know, "You like me! You really like me!" — yesterday when we realized that we were just 12 "friends" away from 1,000 on our Facebook page and 18 followers away from 3,000 on Twitter.

Looking Back: OMG! Comment Me!
February 12, 2013

In the October 2007 feature, "OMG! Comment Me!" then FS Associate Editor Abny Santicola took a look at how organizations large and small were using social media.

Create a Social Media Policy for Your Nonprofit
February 5, 2013

As nonprofits have increasingly turned to social media, policies to govern their use have become the new frontier. It can be difficult for organizations to find examples that fit their needs. A good social media policy will provide clear guidelines as to what staff should and shouldn’t do when posting and interacting with the community on a day-to-day basis, freeing them up to think more strategically. But what’s involved in creating one?

Looking Back: Losing at the Game of (Second) Life
January 28, 2013

A few years back, folks were talking about the possibility of fundraising in that weird, little world called Second Life. Thinking it might be fun, like the self-contained world of The Sims I was into at the time, I tried to jump in to that realm — without much luck. Here are my columns outlining that sad effort — one from July 2008 and another from July 2009.

Social Scoring and Why Charities Can't Afford to Ignore It
January 25, 2013

The question today is not whether a charity should use social media, but how it should use the information that supporters are sharing on social media to attract more people to its mission and increase fundraising. The answer to the question lies in understanding social media constituents and identifying which ones are the most “social” — those who best interact with and influence others across their online networks — because, while each constituent is a potential donor, some are more adept at spreading the word and energising others.

Crowdfunding: It’s Just Fundraising, Right?
January 21, 2013

When it comes down to it, crowdfunding is just a form of fundraising, reframed for the 21st century. Basic fundraising principles still apply: You have a cause or a project, you tell people about it, and they pledge their support. But there are some intriguing differences that make crowdfunding a very modern way of fundraising.