Slides delivered as part of the 'Benefits of Social Media' workshop at Voluntary Action LeicesterShire Future Focus 15 conference on 7th September 2015

1. 7th September 2015
Voluntary Action LeicesterShire
Paul Webster – Digital Skills Advisor & Community Builder
Twitter : @watfordgap
The Benefits of Social Media

2. Good afternoon ...
Too often you see this ...
... instead, please turn on
your phones, tablets and
other devices if you want
to try out any of the
social media websites.

3. Is your social media living in the 90s?

4. Social media is online media that starts
conversations, encourages people to pass it on
to others, and finds ways to travel on its own.
Idealware - http://www.idealware.com

5. http://wearesocial.net/

6. Of 64.1million UK population, there's 57.3million Internet users (76% access daily)
96% of internet users aged 18-34 are on one of more social networks
Adults using the internet have an average 5.54 accounts and are active on 2.82
Use of social networks is 64% of all the time spent on the internet in UK
Average time spent online per person everyday is 3hr 59mins (1 hr 52m from mobile)
The main networks - showing active users as % of connected population
Facebook – 27.5 million active users, 26% are Aged 25-34 (Comscore – Dec 2013)
Twitter – 12.1 million users, 40% just read & don't post (Twitter – Sept 2013)
Linkedin – 15 million (Linkedin – Mar 2014) (374k Engineers, also 5 mermaids!)
YouTube – is the second most popular search engine
Which is right for you?
Now is always the right time …
... tomorrow isn't.
Can't be ignored by charities!Rose McGory & 'We Are Social' Report Jan 2015

7. For messaging it's
Snapchat and What's App.
Don't just consider 'established'
Social Networks.
Look to the future.
For interest sharing it's
Instagram or Tumblr

8. There are many
social media
websites!
You could dive in,
but...
For maximum
benefit first
Think as a
Social Organisation,
Plan,
then select the
suitable websites &
tools.

9. "We've got a 'problem' with
social media in our organisation"
Where to start
Knowledge
Confidence / Fear
Capacity / Resources
Access
Time
Cost
Scepticism
Any more?

10. How to benefit from social media

11. Increases speed of communication – fastest way to
spread messages to get action through social networking.
Less of financial cost, but the ‘expense’ may be time
Widens awareness of organisation's message to people/groups
that may be missed using traditional methods – ‘viral’
marketing campaigns hugely powerful creating awareness
extremely efficiently. Friends tell their friends.
Deepens relationships to build new and different networks and
communities of interest to bounce ideas off and
share experiences, increase commitment, connections and
belonging for campaigning activity. Show
understanding and start some conversations!
Think of an activity you are doing ...
How could social media be of benefit to it?

12. Generate Change by on-line conversations, promotion and
awareness about the work or latest campaign by the
organisation. Use RSS and Google Alerts to stay ahead of
developments in your area of interest
Joins together communities for Action who are interested in
similar things, have the same likes or are striving for the same
objectives. Tell your visitors and supporters about your work in
a new way
Consider all Five of these together and you have tools that are
very powerful – Social Media For Social Good
Commoncraft Video explaining Social Media
Think of an activity you are doing ...
How could social media be of benefit to it?

13. The most
important reasons
people have for
using social
platforms
(April 2015)
https://app.globalwebindex.net/products/report/social-media-motivations-q1-2015
Note : The top 4 reasons are
passive uses of social media
“In today’s digital world a charity
chief executive, a leader who
represents an important cause,
should be accessible and
accountable to their charity’s
supporters." (Guardian Voluntary
Sector Network - April 2015)
Unfortunately many aren't.

14. Your organisation
is Famous
Free publicity!

15. Is your organisation on Social Media?
No? Probably – Yes!
Who is using Social Media?
Does your organisation have a website … that is interactive?
Have you got a blog?
Do you use YouTube or Flickr?
Are you on Facebook?
Do you Tweet?
Have you checked?!
How are you being represented?
How are others marketing what you do?
Even if you've not started any social media activity,
there may be others talking about you.

16. Have a plan
Know your objectives and goals, have a clear message
Provide advice or support for local communities in Leicester
Research where your audience are – do you ask them?
Listen to find out, work in spaces where your target audience are
Tie together a strategy for the story – who / how
Which voice is best to use – What style of conversation works the best?
Choose tool to match audience and implement it
Look what other organisations do & what works well
Don't neglect your 'offline' spaces, use 'hooks' to this content
Sustain the conversation and say thank you
Encourage people to return, keep it new, links from websites
Engage with people on line, be receptive, respond, react
http://www.idealware.org/reports/nonprofit-social-media-decision-guide

17. Do some research
It’s easier to go where
people already are
It can be difficult to get
people to come to you
Start with your website as the hub, your
shop window.
A Web Search is still most popular form
of brand or service research
..so..
Do you know your audience & how they communicate?
Build a social relationship first before asking for action.
Could you tell your story in 140 characters ... or a blog ... or a video ... ?
It's Social
media, not
Selling media

18. Media Channels
Make it Personable
Your Website as a Hub with Social Spokes
Use Mixed Media and combinations
suited to your audience
– Audio - Audioboo
– Photos - Instagram
– Video - Youtube
Get a website – even just a FREE
Wordpress or Weebly site to Tell your Story

19. Can you tell a good story?

20. Listen to your volunteers, Tell a good story
Is your story unique, personal, heart-warming and fun?
Not a corporate message selling the organisation, but a social message.
Do you have a picture or video with the face of a volunteer on your
website that triggers emotion and connects to your story?
Does it create urgency with something important at stake, something
you 'really must' share with your friends?
Does it have a call to action that will inspire more people to volunteer?

21. Telling your story - Never Seconds Blog
Started by Scottish 9 year old Martha Payne in April 2012 as a school writing
project about her lunchtime meals.
Seen by social media users … but as not all reviews
of the food were good the local council tried to
close it down… which generated MORE interest!
Martha appeared on TV & Newspapers and always
replied to many comments on blog and featured
worldwide meal pictures
Chef Jamie Oliver supported campaign to get better school meals and link to the
“Mary's Meals” JustGiving campaign raising funds for school food in Africa.
A school kitchen costs £7,000 to build in Africa.
A small target was set to support this campaign
But...

22. Build your Narrative and Build Success
Initial target of £7,000 now £144,448 (August 2015)
A book of the story has been published to raise more funds
A local council changed
it's social media policy
The blog has over
10,000,000 hits
But the important
part...
Children who would
have been hungry in
African schools are
now being fed by
'Mary's Meals'!

23. 98% of users are
never more than 3
metres from their
phoneThink Mobile

24. Stop! What about Mobile Websites?
In 2015 mobile will has overtaken desktop for web access (3.26 hrs / day)
Make website responsive (test across platforms) & avoid excessive text,
images & tiny buttons, Flash / Animations. Test here...
https://www.google.com/webmasters/tools/mobile-friendly/
Make donor sign up very easy
with clear call to action
Make it 'Socially Sharable'
Minimise data entry – no long
forms
Remember visitors may be on
slow connection
Check … have you viewed your website on a phone/tablet?
-----

25. Audience for Mobile
http://www.textsprout.com (2013)
In 2013 :
900 million Android Devices
600 million iOS Devices
Mobile use :
82% of all UK mobile phone
sales are smart phones
21% of US web users use ONLY
a mobile device to go on-line &
is 17% of Global Web Traffic
81% never turn their phone off,
30% check web & social media
when they wake up, make sure
it's yours they see.

26. Choose the right time
http://flickr.com/photos/61718807@N07/7676798058

27. Immediacy and Response? - It's a 24/7 world
Print 7 days 2 weeks
Type News travels Reply within
Email 7 hours 2 days
Twitter 7 seconds 2 minutes
Facebook / Blogs 7 minutes 2 hours
Include time in staff work plans to build your
social media presence and even reduce time
needed for other communication channels.
Social Media websites are organisations main
'shop window' – the place visitors check first.
Average 'life' of a
tweet is just 18
minutes.
Don't 'walk away'
from being social.
Respond to
immediate alerts
and replies to
scheduled content
or if your
organisation is
mentioned

28. Time Planning - A Posting Schedule
Every Day
(30 mins)
Once a Week
(45 mins)
Tweet, re-tweet, check Google Alerts,
check RSS reader & reply to comments
Write blog post, check analytics, monitor
groups & find new people to follow
About Monthly (60 mins)
Add video to YouTube, share
a resource on-line, create
podcast & build profile
Buffer & Hootsuite will help
with post scheduling (but be
alert to responses too!)

29. From Flickr – Claire Sutton and justinbaeder
http://nptechuk.wordpress.com/sms-links/
Find the right tool for the task

30. Social Media – Shortens cycle
Meet people where they are
and on the platforms they are already on
A generation like(d) mailed / e-mail
campaigns
Write or call …
Get donation pack …
Complete forms …
Post to Charity …
Cash Cheque …
Wait for Clearance ...
(From www.pinterest.com/markphillips/old-charity-ads)

31. Social Media – Shortens cycle
Current 'Baby Boomers' use social media
'Millennials' have only known SMS and mobile as a way
to communicate and engage!
If your online presence doesn't allow
'share & connect' then it's invisible to
many
Thanks - @jon_bedford & JustGiving

32. Make profile 'followable'
- Add current Pictures
(avatar & header), Place
to find you, descriptive
Profile and web Page
- DON'T leave blank, over-
sell or push advertising
See content of tweet, not tweeter, e.g. @valonline, @navca etc
A small network of quality followers results in better conversations through shared
links/knowledge than a large network of followers who rarely share content

33. ....if Facebook
were a country, it
would be the
third most
populated in the
world, ahead of
the United States.
Only China & India are more populated
It’s where many, many people will already be networking and sharing

34. Facebook Awareness & Promotion
Use Header space to promote your
charity
Embed Apps to external fundraising
donation sites
A Group for an invited network of supporters (can be secret)
A Page for people to Like & follow updates

35. Facebook Actions - Donate & Engage
Add a 'Donate' button - it's FREE
for charities
Use 'About Us' to link back to
main website
Have conversations with supporters
Share pictures & videos of your story

36. Get Noticed

37. Consistency across all websites &
social networks
Link closely with offline promotion

38. Sharing Socially
Sharing Buttons helps
visitors tell others on
Facebook, e-mail or Twitter
about your website
Feeds from social media sites
pulled in attracts visitors to
click through to Twitter or
Facebook

39. Monitoring and Measuring
Monitoring & Analytics
- Sparkwi.se, Tospy, Twitter Analytics, SocialBro, Social Mention
- https://analytics.twitter.com/user/watfordgap/tweets
Search and Discover
- It's an extra pair of eyes and ears for your organisation
- New people, new organisations ... and it's worldwide
- Levels the conversation ... link with people before you meet
Join in - It's about a conversation with people (not about the numbers)
- It may happen around you, be 'a part' even if you didn't initiate it
- Don't need to ask permission & it's not a one-sided broadcast
- People tweet ... not organisations - but it shows your org is social
- Getting your stories in front of the right people (local press etc)

40. Measuring Social Media Success
- Check how many times links are clicked on Bit.ly
- Listen what's said about your organisation using Topsy
- Monitor Google Analytics, Facebook Insights, Wordpress visits
- Measure Tweetreach, SocialBro, Social Mention, Sparkwi.se
- Visualize Infographics on Visual.y, Infogr.am, My Social Strand
BUT …. real success is not just about the numbers
- Tell stories of real people and real changes
- Build relationships by joining in conversations
- Social media presence a reflection of your organisation
- Engage press, funders, supporters with pictures and video
Say Thank You!

41. How do you feel about your use of social media now ?
Start small … which one idea will you try out today?

42. Step 2 – Pick one goal to pursue
1, Free publicity for your organisation as people may already be saying good
things about your activities.
2, Majority of social media websites are free (only cost is your time).
3, Everyone HAS a story ... Every Organisation IS a story.
4, It is like having an extra 'member of staff' - use social media to signpost on to
campaigns & information about your work.
5, Your news is instantly on the smartphones and tablets that many of us (and
our audience) already own.
6, Instant response to questions from supporters helps them feel more involved.
7, Drastic reduction in the 'call to action cycle' - saves time and money.
8, Facebook (and Youtube) Donation buttons are free.
9, Get noticed through matching your web page and social network page styles.
10, Your website at the centre with buttons to social media sites and links back to
the hub. An integrated organisation using social media for social good.
Summary - Benefits of Social Media

43. Connecting Care
http://www.connectingcare.org/uk
WeNurses
http://wecommunities.org/resources/twitterversity
Foundation for People with Learning Disabilities
http://www.learningdisabilities.org.uk/
Idealware - Social Media Decision Guide
http://www.idealware.org/reports/nonprofit-social-media-decision-guide
Resources

44. ICT Knowledgebase
http://www.ictknowledgebase.org.uk
Community How To
http://www.communityhowto.com/#
KnowHow NonProfit
http://knowhownonprofit.org/
Social Media Surgeries
http://www.socialmediasurgery.com
Media Trust - All Our Stories
http://resources.mediatrust.org/allourstories/
Resources

45. Paul Webster
Digital Skills Advisor & Community Builder
Email : paulwebster43@gmail.com
Twitter : @watfordgap Tel : 07876743096
Any Questions?