Degree Type
Honors Capstone Project
Date of Submission
Spring 5-1-2010
Capstone Advisor
Ed Russell
Honors Reader
Kevin O’Neill
Capstone Major
Advertising
Capstone College
Public Communications
Audio/Visual Component
no
Capstone Prize Winner
no
Won Capstone Funding
no
Honors Categories
Professional
Subject Categories
Advertising and Promotion Management
Abstract
Social media and networking platforms have changed the game. Web 2.0 has put the power of the Internet into the hands of the user. Businesses and organizations are no longer the only ones with something to say. This can be daunting for companies and brands, but it can also be brilliant, especially for
Non-profits.
Today, hundreds of millions of people across the globe are online sharing information with friends, family, co-workers, and complete strangers via various social networking platforms. These users share everything from photos and videos to advice and opinions, passing on the information that they deem important to their friends and followers. The social media world is an open platform for sharing unique, personal messages, but it is also an opportunity for organizations to extend their reach, further their causes, and build awareness among a growing population of potential proponents and future donors. The power is now in the hands of the user. But it is the organization’s job to get the users talking.
This guidebook to social media provides non-profit organizations with an introduction to social media, information about the major players in the game today, what social media means for their organization and best practices and tips on how to become worthy of attention on the social networking stage. Everyone wants to be noticed and these guidelines will help non-profit organizations stand out from the crowd, provide timely and relevant information, and practice appropriate social networking etiquette.
This guide will also touch on why college students present great potential to become proponents for non-profit organizations online and how they could be the key to creating the foundation for non-profit organizations’ future donor bases. But college students are not alone in using social networking platforms. Social media usage among older generations continues to grow exponentially, proving that social networking has gone mainstream. Non-profit organizations need to understand that social media and online efforts are not something that they can ignore. The majority of organizations’ current donors are already using social media platforms to share information with their online friends. This guide shows non-profits how to create an online presence on social media platforms that will increase their exposure and awareness of their causes. The best thing that a non-profit can do to increase support is to get people talking. This guide shows them how.
Recommended Citation
Voigt, Laura, "A Non-Profit Guide to Social Media How to build a presence in the social networking world" (2010). Honors Capstone Projects - All. 371.
https://surface.syr.edu/honors_capstone/371
Creative Commons License
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-Noncommercial-No Derivative Works 3.0 License.
