Social media is a free-flowing, wide-open phenomenon that needs to be handled and handled well. What social media-ing is ok to do at work, and what's not ok? Leads to a consistent, recognized voice online -- via your Web site, e-news and social media presence(s). So frame its use for your staff, volunteers and base. The clearer you are, the more likely it is that your org will make an impact with these tools  -- whether you're just monitoring conversation about your org via Google Alerts, have a two-pronged approach with Facebook fan and cause

A good social media plan will have many elements in common with a good marketing plan. For example, social media is never a campaign . And while your members are used to getting emails and brochures, they may not be ready for all the possibilities social media creates. Here is what I would put But there are differences. For that matter, your boss and staff might not be ready either.

I had the pleasure of interviewing Dave Evans, author of Social Media Marketing: An Hour a Day, for a social media intensive I taught recently at the Academy for Nonprofit Excellence. a social media maven and well-practiced at breaking down what often seems our ideal guide to social media. Click here to listen now or download for later listening (Right click on a PC or cntrl click on a Mac, and "save file as" to your Desktop) : Dave is

This is also archived on the We ARE Media . What are Social Media? Social media comprise the vast array of communications vehicles including blogs, wikis, e-mail, and social networking sites that are powered by the Internet. Social media can be best understand by what they are NOT. Social media are NOT mass media, defined by Wikipedia, as "traditional means of communication" like television or newspaper or radio that were "envisioned and designed to reach a VERY LARGE AUDIENCE such as the population of a nation state.

Of all the different social media tools I’ve tried (e.g. As one article points out: “For businesses, it’s social media meets customer loyalty in a tangible and measurable way.” Foursquare is social media, but it’s also a game. Twitter, Facebook, blogging, etc.), a new one I just started using, Foursquare , probably has the most potential for cause marketers.

Thanks to everyone who commented on my post Help Me Convince My Boss To Use Social Media . Not only did you offer some great support and tips, but the 24 comments I got were real evidence that social media really does work! After giving my pitch on social media at the directors retreat my boss encouraged me to create a social media task force to help coordinate our efforts. I owe you all a Starbucks, which I’m happy to buy you when you come to visit me at my home store on 627 Tremont Street, Boston .

Common denominator here, beyond marketing expertise, is that all three women are all boldly plunging forward into the wild west of social media. the challenges they've found in moving that brand into the social media world Tags: 09NTC Branding and Messages Nonprofit Communications Social Medi  Talk about a branding brain trust!  I had the pleasure of designing, and participating in, today's NTC session starring nonprofit communicators Danielle Brigida, National Wildlife Federation; Felicia Carr, National Parks Conservation Association; and Wendy Harman, American

The daily volume of content and conversations created in social media channels – blogs, Facebook, Twitter and more – is huge, and growing exponentially. That's the first step in any effective social media strategy. Here are three guidelines for effective listening from panelists Larry Blumenthal, Director of Social Media Strategy at the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation; Laura Braham, Web Officer at the I had the fantastic opportunity of facilitating a conversation ( slides here ) on this vital topic at the Communications Network conference recently. Here's

This post is the third in a 4-part series on social media policies . In this part, we're looking at user agreements and moderation guidelines for an organization's official presence in social spaces like Facebook, LinkedIn, and Twitter. (Remember, We're not talking about your own website or blog or white-label social network--those will be covered in a later post. Remember, I'm not a lawyer. I'm just laying out what I've learned from smart people like Barbara Dunn from Howe & Hutton .

Once, when I was representing social media on an arts marketing panel, a fellow panelist said to me, one-on-one, something along the lines of “ okay, but how does this sell tickets ?” The longer answer is about social media metrics and the complexity of conversation, and it’s not really an answer. There is a lot of great writing and research out there, by people like Beth I guess I didn’t get that point across! I gave him the short answer .