Recruit, Retain, Recognize: Using Social Media to Manage Volunteers

Recruit, Retain, Recognize:Using social media to manage volunteers

June 22, 2011

@npowernwfacebook.com/npowernw

NPower Northwest

• Vision – A thriving community with high performing

nonprofits.• Mission– To strengthen the nonprofit sector by catalyzing

innovation and driving adoption of technology solutions.


Who am I?

• Community Engagement Coordinator @ NPower NW

• Late adopter of social media• Sponge for “social”


What we’ll cover today

• Social media: what and why• Goals and strategies• Statistics • Effective use– Case studies

• What to watch out for• Tools to make it easier• Q&A


This PowerPoint deck…

• Will be made available on our Facebook page later today


What is social media?

• Working definition:

Online communications channels that facilitate interaction and media distribution between

people. Allows participation, engagement, and feedback in real time.


Who are you?

• Personal user of social media?• Organization using social media?• Responsible for social media?• Do you even like social media?


What’s the big deal?

• Where people spend their time• Growing• Free (sorta)• Add human voice• Engagement• Drive web traffic• Leverage networks• Listen• Volunteer management


Goals and Strategy


Setting your goals

• “Look before you tweet”– Goal-setting informs tool/content

• 70% of strategy should be done


Busy ≠ Effective


Layers of strategy


Goals and strategies Activity

What are your goals* for your organization’s communications?

• Three overall communications goals• Three online communication goals

*If you are unsure of your organization’s official goals, just use what you think is most appropriate

10 minutes


About your goals…

• Are they SMART?

SpecificS

MeasurableM

AchievableA

RelevantR

TimelyT


Measure, analyze, track results

• Review stats – Facebook: Insights, comments, likes– Twitter: Click-throughs, RTs, tweets with your #– Blog: Shares and clicks– YouTube: Views, likes, shares– Third party tools

• Note what is resonating • Track upticks in recruitment


The Numbers


Overall use

• Widespread adoption among NPs• Still growing


Facebook

• Most widely used• Demographics:


Twitter

• Less widely used• Skewed heavily toward young adults• Demographics:


Other platforms

• LinkedIn– 17% of Americans have a profile– 30% adoption rate among NPs

• YouTube– 48 hrs of video uploaded every second– 47% of NPs have video on site

• Blogs– As of Feb, over 156M blogs online


Guidelines for Effective Use


General guidelines

• Goals/strategy determine tool• Cross-channel• Stick to the plan• Approach like a friendship


Remember this quote…

“There is no such being as nonprofits or companies - there is only a network of people

doing work under the same name with the same goals. Social media belongs to real humans

doing a very human activity - connecting with one another over shared interests”

-Wendy Harman Social Media Director

American Red Cross


Facebook

• Pages for organizations– Private pages for board

• Post events, photos, video• Encourage volunteers to post and tag photos• Promote and thank


Case study: NYC Anti-Violence Project

• Over 2,600 fans• Diverse volunteer opportunities• Used to recognize and recruit


Case study: Seattle Works Day

• Recruited over 1,200 volunteers• Promoted across channels• Real-time updates from org and volunteers


Twitter

• Conversation/listening• Search and engage• Use # • RT/tag volunteers/partners


Case study: American Podiatric Medical Association

• Over 1,300 followers• Utilize a targeted approach


Case study: Seattle Works Day…again

• Set # ahead of time to create buzz• Followed participants• RTs to recognize and thank in real time


LinkedIn

• Many volunteer to network/ resume build• Groups appear on member profiles• Screen skilled volunteers


Case study: Autism Speaks


YouTube

• Actual footage of the volunteer experience• Easy to make on the cheap• Potential for orientation videos


Case study: Images Cinema

• Step-by-step training for shift at theater


Blog

• Storytelling tool• Adds human voice– Fun tool: Typealyzer

• Profile volunteers or teams• Allow guest posts


Case study: United Way of King County

• Use blog to profile outstanding volunteers• Amy tweeted to her followers/posted on FB


Exercise

Write down one thing you are committed to do to move your social media efforts forward within the next week.• Share with your neighbor

5 minutes


Watch Out For…


Rogue post: American Red Cross






Controversial staff posts: Reel Grrls


Controversial staff posts: Reel Grrls


Criticism: United Way Hunger Challenge


Criticism: United Way Hunger Challenge


Tools To Make It Easier


Tools to make it easier

• Content development– Editorial calendar– Mix new/recycled content and guest posts– Google Alerts– RSS aggregator (my fave is Google Reader)

• Management– HootSuite/TweetDeck

• Monitoring– Social Mention– Radian6/ScoutLab– Twitalyzer


HootSuite – I you


HootSuite – I you


Social media resources

• Social media and #nptech– Beth Kanter– Mashable– NPower – NTEN– Social Media Club– TechSoup

• NP marketing and communications– Claxon Marketing– Frogloop– Katya’s Nonprofit Marketing Blog– Kivi’s Nonprofit Communications Blog– Mixtape Communications


Questions?


Thank you

Connect with me:Mandi Moshay

Community Engagement [email protected]: @mandimoshay

LinkedIn: www.linkedin.com/in/mandimoshay

Connect with NPower Northwest:Website/Blog: www.npowernw.org

Facebook: www.facebook.com/npowernwTwitter: @npowernw

mailto:[email protected]

http://www.npowernw.org/

http://www.facebook.com/npowernw

Technology

Recruit, Retain, Recognize: Using Social Media to Manage Volunteers