Mediaboss Marketing

Shannon Ritchie | October 14, 2013

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RT. @. #Hashtag. DM .... If you have no idea what any of that stands for, you're not alone. The social media learning curve is steep and daunting - jumping in requires learning a new language! But with almost three-quarters of adults in the U.S. now using social networking sites, the desire of nonprofit organizations to be more connected to an online audience and community is stronger than ever.

In the last 2 years, the percentage of Internet users who are on Twitter has more than doubled, currently standing at 18 percent. Facebook is still the most widely used social networking site, and Instagram and Vine are signing up new amateur photographers and videographers at record speed.

You might be ready to jump on board, but when strapped for time and resources, you want proof that using these sites will lead to results.

But ... not so fast. Don't rush out of the gate focusing on growing your base, analyzing the click rates of your content and designing innovative online campaigns. Take a step back and recognize what these sites are mainly used for - conversations.

I often hear from other foundations that they're "not sure what to say" or "don't have enough unique content to produce" because they're not direct service organizations. But these same folks are asked to attend important events and conferences and readily jump into exciting conversations offline, so they definitely have a unique and valuable perspective to add, online or offline.

Start by listening. Use hashtags and a trusty search bar to find groups and individuals who you're already connected to offline. On Twitter, create lists and save searches to organize those you're following by topic or geographic area so you're not overwhelmed by the feed. Following people on social networking sites is no different than showing up at a networking event with a "Hi, my name is ..." tag stuck to your lapel. You're in front of them now, and you're listening to what they have to say. Being online just makes networking easier and more efficient.

#Hashtags? What are Hashtags?

Read more:
Social media jargon confusing? It’s all about starting a conversation