Ruben Brown of the American Red Cross and I presented this to the nonprofit SIG of the American Marketing Association's Atlanta chapter on August 27, 2013. It has tips that other nonprofits can use to promote their causes on social media.

1. Superstorm Sandy
October 29, 2012
Social Media
& the
American
Red Cross

2. Ruben Brown
Media Relations Specialist
Atlanta Red Cross
@AtlantaRedCross
Terri Thornton
Thornton Communications
@Ttho

3. Three Months After Superstorm Sandy
Red Cross
Provided Relief
in 11 States
Red Cross
Provided Relief
in 11 States

5. Two Social Media
People
in Red Cross Greater
NY Office

6. TIP:
Share
Timely
Info
6

7. TIP: Use YouTube
7

8. TIP: Create Content
“If you’ve got it,
flaunt it!”
Photos & Videos
 Have clients
sign Release
Forms
8

9. TIP:
Keep People
Updated

10. @Ttho’s Platforms & Tools

11. FREE ADVICE
 Share what excites you!
 Use “Reverse Mentoring”
 Engage Supporters and Friends
 Follow/Like News People
 Appreciate your volunteers!
 Correct Mistakes and Move On
 Google is your best friend!
11

12. How We Got Here

13. 1. Carry out the organization’s mission online.
Bucking Antiquity
2. Grow our network of passionate supporters.
Haiti, HGC, Online Giving
3. Give the public a seat at our operational
decision-making table.
Transparency
1. Carry out the organization’s mission online.
Bucking Antiquity
2. Grow our network of passionate supporters.
Haiti, HGC, Online Giving
3. Give the public a seat at our operational
decision-making table.
Transparency
13

14. 14
What changed with Haiti…

15. We estimate that we touched nearly 2
million Haitians with a variety of relief and
recovery services since the earthquake
and we expect to support these survivors
in the years ahead until the last donated
dollar is spent.
We estimate that we touched nearly 2
million Haitians with a variety of relief and
recovery services since the earthquake
and we expect to support these survivors
in the years ahead until the last donated
dollar is spent.
15

16. 16
Hundreds of millions of liters of drinking water…

17. 17
Treatment for people in Red Cross field hospitals and mobile clinics..

18. 18
Staff dedicated to the relief effort.

19. Before Haiti…
• Ability to text donations
existed before.
• The earthquake in Haiti
turned this capability into a
phenomenon.
• Prior to Haiti, the Red
Cross raised funds for
domestic disasters
through a program called
Text 2Help.
• Ability to text donations
existed before.
• The earthquake in Haiti
turned this capability into a
phenomenon.
• Prior to Haiti, the Red
Cross raised funds for
domestic disasters
through a program called
Text 2Help.
19

20. 20

21. 21
 24 hour cable news social networking sites like FB and
Twitter, news of destruction in Haiti was available
everywhere.
 The “tweet” You can text Haiti to 90999 to donate $10
spread rapidly.
 From Jan. 12-14 there were 2.3 million tweets about
“Haiti” and the “Red Cross”, of which 59% were retweets.
 First Lady Michelle Obama and others filmed PSAs
urging people to text donations to the ARC.

22. 22
 Growing trend in U.S. and across the world in
disasters to use social media to seek help.
 More people using social media, mobile
technology and online news outlets in
emergencies.
1. Trying to learn about the disaster
2. Asking for help.
3. Sharing information about well-being with
family and friends.
 Growing trend in U.S. and across the world in
disasters to use social media to seek help.
 More people using social media, mobile
technology and online news outlets in
emergencies.
1. Trying to learn about the disaster
2. Asking for help.
3. Sharing information about well-being with
family and friends.

23. 23

24. 24

25. 25
Dedicated Staff

26. 26

27. 27

28. 28

29. 29
 In-depth training
on engagement
tactics
 Engagement
console training
 Group workflow
and reporting
system

30. 30
Social Engagement

31. Hurricane Sandy Social Engagement
10/22 – 11/30
31

32. Hurricane Sandy Social Engagement
10/22 – 11/30
 31 Trained Volunteers
 Plus Spontaneous Volunteers
 229 posts about needs sent to Mass Care
team
 88 confirmed
 Resulting in services sent or definitive
change in service delivery plans
 19 digiDOC Daily Briefs
32

33. Hurricane Sandy Social Engagement
10/22 – 11/30
 1,960 pieces of published social content
 Most shared:
 Photos and infographics
 “Thank you” Tweets
 Data
 SafetyTips
33

34. Download Red Cross Apps
34

35. Give through
•PayPal
•iTunes
•Google
Checkout
Give through
•PayPal
•iTunes
•Google
Checkout
Visit
RedCross.org
Visit
RedCross.org Call
1-800-RED CROSS
Call
1-800-RED CROSS
Text
REDCROSS
to 90999
Text
REDCROSS
to 90999

36. 36
THANK YOU
redcross.org
@redcross
FB-American Red Cross