Presented to a gathering of small nonprofits at The Family Centre in Kitchener. This presentation starts with the fundamentals of social media that distinguish it from other communication options and are necessary to understand for success on any platform. The second half looks at considerations for which social media to use including a review of what to consider for specific options.

1. Getting started on
social media
for small nonprofits
James Howe
@communic8nhowe
#FamCentre

2. What brings you
here today?

3. Do you?
• wear many hats
• have a limited budget
• keep getting asked to do more with less
You must work
for a small
nonprofit…
and social
media can
help you

4. James Howe
Communicateandhowe.com
@communic8nhowe

5. AGENDA
A. 10 fundamentals
of social media
B. Deciding
where to start
@communic8nhowe #FamCentre

6. 10
fundamentals
of social media

7. Social media is not just
to wish friends happy
birthday. It is a place of
business—your career
depends on it.
Columbia Professor
Sree Sreenivasan
@communic8nhowe #FamCentre

9. Your
personal use
informs your
professional
use
#1
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10. Be online
who you are in
real lifeBut remember:
Do you want your mother to see it in the news?
#2
@communic8nhowe #FamCentre

11. Social media is about
building
relationships
#3
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12. Social media is about
building
community
#4
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13. Social media is a
behaviour
#5
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14. There’s a difference between
having an account
& using it
#6
@communic8nhowe #socbizWR

15. There are no quick wins.
It’s all about the
long game.
#7
@communic8nhowe #socbizWR

16. Where do I
find the
time?
#8
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17. Good
content adds
value
#9
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18. Be generous:
Share.
Reply.
Comment.
#10
@communic8nhowe #FamCentre

19. Deciding
where to start?

20. Pick
1 or 2
social media
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21. Who do you want to talk to?
Where are they?
ASK THEM!
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22. Which social media fits best with
your organization—
culture, strategy & objectives
Which social media do you or
other staff know best?
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23. Blogging
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24. Why a blog?
• Demonstrate your expertise & knowledge
• Spark discussion and build relationships
• Give people a reason to return to your
website by keeping it current.
• Helps improve your site’s Search Engine
Optimization (SEO)
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25. What
goes on a blog?
• Present new information or your
thoughts on new developments
• Follow participants in a program
or using a product
• Updates on ongoing projects
• Promote events
@communic8nhowe #FamCentre

26. How often
should I blog?
• At least once a week
recommended
• When you have something
to say
• Don’t ignore!
@communic8nhowe #FamCentre

28. Different ways
to be on Facebook
• Page
• Personal profiles
• Groups
• Business account

29. Newsfeed

30. Page

31. PROS
• Lots of eyeballs
• Can build
engagement
• Light questions can
spark discussions
• Great for pictures
and videos
CONS
• Takes time & effort to
master the secret
sauce
• Constantly changing
• Teens moving away
from it
@communic8nhowe #FamCentre

32. Advertising
on Facebook
A great way to introduce people to
your page & build a critical mass
needed for engagement
• Pay only for clicks
• Targeted
• Control length of campaign
• Control costs
@communic8nhowe #FamCentre

33. Using your
Facebook page
• Write in a conversational style
• Have a personality
• Have one person responsible:
• Post something at least once a day
• Have “rules of use”
• Be prepared for criticism & crisis
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34. Use
Insights
to decide how to
use your page
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36. Twitter Feed
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37. Twitter Page
@communic8nhowe #FamCentre

38. PROS
• Greatest relationship
building tool that
exists
• Great to share &
learn information
• Greater the
investment, the
greater the benefits
CONS
• Best to be on
multiple times daily
• Moves quickly
• Primarily text based
• Takes time to
understand how it
works and see
benefits
@communic8nhowe #FamCentre

39. Who do I follow?
1. Start with people you know
2. Look at who is following you
3. Lists of “Following” and
“Followers”
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40. How do I get
followers?Grow them slowly overtime.
You’ll gain them if you:
• Be yourself.
• Keep value in mind when you tweet.
• Follow people.
• Tweet regularly
@communic8nhowe #FamCentre

41. What do I say?
• Answer: What are you thinking?
• Share a link to something
interesting you found online
• Share information that you find
in print or as you live your life.
@communic8nhowe #FamCentre

42. How often do I need to be on?
Take 10 – 15 minutes daily at a
regular time to:
1. Post at least one tweet each
day.
2. Retweet something that
someone else has shared that
your followers may find
interesting.
3. Reply to what someone else
posted.
@communic8nhowe #FamCentre

44. WHY?
Professional
Development
& Networking
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45. Why a
company page?
• A platform to present your company to
LinkedIn’s large professional audience
• Used to learn more about your company
• Tabs: Overview / Jobs / Products &
Services
• Analytics of visits/visitors
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46. @communic8nhowe #FamCentre

47. Video

48. @communic8nhowe #FamCentre

49. Where can you learn more?
James Howe
communicateandhowe.com @communic8nhowe
james@communicateandhowe.com 519-589-9597