Social Good on Social Media – Best Practices

Social networks and online communities offer great possibilities for organisations and companies to connect with new and existing users, customers, supporters, donors etc. For NGOs, charities or companies, who want to show their corporate social responsibility, social media is a very attractive tool.

Social media has a global scope and each person you connect with has the power to pass your message on and to become an ambassador for your cause.

Compared to other media, running campaigns on social media is cheap. All you need is time and consistency along with a few good ideas and a good knowledge about how people

interact on social media.

Social media allows your organisation to be open and transparent. You are in the unique position of possessing stories that require no spin or false marketing in order to make an impact.

Here is a look at some social good campaigns that NGOs, charities and companies have done successfully on social media.

Dove Self-Esteem Fund

The Dove Self-Esteem Fund is committed to helping girls build positive self-esteem and a healthy body image, with a goal of reaching 5 million girls globally. They provide tools to create conversation and awareness.

Results: •  60,804 fans on FB •  Bringing the conversation and discussion into the families and in networks outside of social media • Branding Dove as a sympathetic company that acknowledges that beauty comes from within

Invisible Children is a movement created by three unknown young filmmakers wanting to do something about the war in Uganda. The cause is driven by film and engages community by encouraging them to:

•  Set up a club •  Host a screening of the IC movie •  Spread the word – create conversation •  Create things inspired by the movie •  Post pictures •  Organise events •  Make music •  Set up a rummage sale and donate

Results: •  217,000 fans on Facebook •  31 uploaded fan videos & 1000 uploaded fan photos • 149,000 friends on Myspace •  1100 friends on YouTube with app 300 comments on their channel •  High degree of interaction and collaboration •  Teachers are using the film in class

Invisible Children

For three years, charity : water have funded1400 water projects in developing countries to provide clean water. They use personal and visual stories from the field to encourage donations:

• 12 photo albums on Facebook •  Use of videos to document and communicate • Staff blog from the field in Haiti •  Locate wells with Google Maps

Results: •  48,000 fans on FB • 1,400,000 views on YouTube videos •  Provide people with an insight into a world far away from Facebook •  Closer connection to the cause you support

charity: water

Charity: water Twestival

On 12 February 2009, 202 cities around the world held Twestivals, gathering twitter communities for an evening of fun and to raise money and awareness for charity: water. By organizing an event globally using Twitter as a driving force with additional information on Vimeo and Facebook, the event was able to provide clean water for over 17,000 people.

Twestival’s success lies in its scale to change the world in a mass way on one single night, and by appealing to people to get together in person for the cause.

Charity: water’s Twestival managed to raise $250,000.

Twestival - charity: water

Well Wishes – charity: water

Well Wishes is Laura Fitton’s own personal project. She had a wish to save children’s lives and dicided to use her Twitter persona @Pistachio. Not wanting to ask for too much she realised that if everyone of her Twitter followers would donate $2 she could raise $25,000 and donate it to charity: water and build an entire water project for a school or hospital in Africa.

Laura’s Well Wishes campaign has raised nearly $20,000.

Founded in 1997, Livestrong provides a much needed network of support for people diagnosed with cancer and their families. The organization helps people find the information, support, and courage they need to face the fight against cancer head on. Armstrong himself is one of the top Twitter users, with over a million followers, but the Foundation also use blog, Myspace, Facebook and YouTube.

Their Facebook page is used as a way to directly connect with cancer survivors on a personal basis, and encourage the 700,000 fans to share their own stories on the discussion boards. Livestrong is also really good at using Delicious to bookmark cancer related news.

Results: 768,469 fans on Facebook 2,449,425followersonTwi1er

Livestrong