digital community building for nonprofits

www.mediacause.org | connect@mediacause.org | @mediacause

DIGITAL COMMUNITY BUILDING FOR NONPROFITS

Eric Facas @ericfacas Michelle Thai @michellethai

Community Building & Essential Tools

1. Community Building 101

2. Community Building Tools• Google Ad Grants

• Email List

• Social Networks

• Website/Blog

@mediacause

What Is Digital Community Building?

@mediacause

Quick Poll

A.1B.2C.3D.More than 3

How many interactions does your nonprofit typically have with donors before asking them to give?

@mediacause

How Not To Do Community Building

You don’t ask for a

donation within

the 1 minute of

meeting

someone. Why do

so many nonprofit

do that online?

@mediacause

Community Building Vs Advertising

Advertising is

expensive

$1 Cost per Click

5% Conversion Rate

1 X 100 X .05 = 5

$100 to reach 100 people

$20 to drive 1 important action

@mediacause

The Power of Community

mediacause.org | connect@mediacause.org | @mediacause

Single Tweets go unheard…

but thousands can start a

revolution

Want to know the secret to successful community building?

Review and prioritize your GOALS before starting

The COMMUNITIES’ GOALS are more important than yours.

But don’t forget…

How It Works

1. Get permission to

continue the

conversation

2. Connect on issues the

community cares about

3. Share content that

informs and inspires

4. Celebrate wins and

progress together

5. Ask for participation @mediacause

Community Building In Action

Meet New Supporters:

Grow Community

Engagement: Focus On

Community Goals

Active Community

of Supporters -- Driving Org Goals RSS

(blog)

Social Conten

t

Email & Newslet

ter

Google Ad

Grants

Shared Content & Social Ads

Blog (seo)

Community Building & Essential Tools

1. Community Building 101

2. Community Building

Tools• Google Ad Grants

• Email List

• Social Networks

• Website/Blog @mediacause

Program Overview $10,000/mo free ad credit

on Google.com $2 max cost per click Ads shown below paid ads 1000’s of new potential

supporters on your website each month

Sign up IMMEDIATELY at Google.com/nonprofits

Google Ad Grants

@mediacause

@mediacause

Your #1 Goal is Donations, but…

Before: Traffic to Homepage 0 newsletter signups 0 donations

After: 1 Year 15,000 emails collected

Email List Building with Google Ads

@mediacause

Community Building With Email

Tips:• Don’t forget to thanks

and welcome supporters

• Remember to focus on

the communities’ goals

• Over 50% of emails in

2013 were open on a

mobile phone (use

responsive templates &

mobile friendly donation

tools) @mediacause

The secret to building community:

ENGAGEMENT

Facebook: likes, comments, and

shares

Twitter: retweets and replies

Email: open rate, clicks, forwards

Blog: subscriptions, comments, and

shares

Community Building With Social Media

@mediacause

Tip #1. Leverage High-Arousal Emotions

Physiologically high arousal emotions fire

people up.

They drive people to action and spread the word:

• Awe• Excitement• Anger• Amusement• Humor

Learn more:

bit.ly/FirePeopleUp

@mediacause

Tip #2. Share Content That Achieves Community’s Goals

Futures

Without

Violence

Audience size

37,579

Post reach

89,984

@mediacause

Tip #3. Share Progress & Victories

Water4

Audience size

2,435

Post reach

14,336

@mediacause

Tip #4. Encourage Participation

Cornell Lab’s weekly quizzes help maintain its audience engagement

at 50%

@mediacause

Community Building With Blogging

Tips:• Focus on your

communities’ goals

• Do your SEO keyword

research

• Use titles that draw

readers in

• Make it easy to

subscribe, share, and

comment @mediacause

Case Study: Cornell Lab Fundraiser

BOTH:Reach – 24,160Donors

–19

@mediacause

Thank You!

Learn More: www.mediacause.orgEmail: eric@mediacause.orgmichelle@mediacause.org

mediacause.org | connect@mediacause.org | @mediacause

Questions?