enhancing volunteer programs through social media

Enhancing your volunteer program through social media

Margot Brenna

Goals and outcomes

Why are you using social media for your volunteer program?

What do you hope to gain?

How will you know if you’re successful?

Social media is a means to an end. It’s not the

end goal.

Are your goals smart?

Specific We want to have 3,000 Facebook post shares total

Measureable We’ll use Facebook insights to track on a monthly basis

Achievable Last year, we had 2,500 and this year and 2,000 the year before, so this year: the goal should

be achievable.

Relevant This will help us achieve the overall communications goal (outlined in our strategic plan) of

having more individuals talking about our organization

T imely We want to reach our goal by the end o the year

Understanding social audience

Demographics of social media networks (source: PEW Research Center study 2012)

Demographics

Demographics of organization’s social networks Facebook: insights & graph search

Twitter: free reports www.simplymeasured.com

4 easy guidelines

Strategy

Cross promotion

Stick to the plan – make changes when necessary (and when in alignment with strategy)

Approach/voice (friend, informer, reference)

Recruiting

Where to post volunteer opportunities?

What type of content?/How to post?

Website

Blog

Facebook

Twitter

Pinterest

Other social media sites

FirstLink volunteer website

Volunteer-

match .com

Recognition

Social media is meant to be social

Include volunteer recognition on organization’s social platforms = perfect outlet!

Retaining

Tap into volunteer’s motives: why do they volunteer? Are they happy with their “job”?

Tell volunteers what to expect (job descriptions): transparency

Make volunteering convenient

Make volunteering fun

Show appreciation

Get to know them

Contact non-recurring volunteers

Discussion

Tell how you’ve used social media to either recruit, recognize, or retain volunteers

How do you know if it’s been successful?

How will today change how you use social media for your volunteer program?

Follow/like me, please!

www.Facebook.com/BelugaSocial

www.Twitter.com/BelugaSocial

www.Pinterest.com/BelugaSocial

www.Facebook.com/HEROFargo

www.Twitter.com/HEROFargo

www.Pinterest.com/HEROFargo