January 2007 - Posts
We talk a lot about nonprofits using the social web to attract and engage donors, but the concepts trend more towards awareness than action. Using MySpace or YouTube to deliver your message to a broad audience is one thing - getting them to act is another.
That’s where
SixDegrees.org,
AOL Instant Messenger, and
Network for Good come in. Someone had the brilliant idea to put these three ingredients into a giant Web 2.0 blender in the hopes of producing a tasty, social fundraising smoothie – and it looks like they have succeeded.
With Kevin Bacon as
the natural pitchman, 6Degrees.org is asking donors to choose a nonprofit, then get 6 friends to give to the same organization. Network for Good is covering the online donations, while AOL's MySpace equivalent
AIM Pages handles the social aspect. The idea is to use a social network to form impromptu giving circles...got it?
No? Here, I'll let Mr. Bacon tell it like it is:
All you have to do is use the AIM for Good module on this page. Simply pick the charity that you would like to rally support for, enter up to six e-mail addresses of your buddies and family members, and write them a note asking for their support. The e-mail that they’ll receive will give them the opportunity to give, right there, to the charity you’ve selected. All transactions will be private and secure.
Another way you can help is by making your own AIM Page, which can include the AIM for Good module on it too. So, when your buddies stop by your page, they’ll be reminded to get the word out and rally support with their friends and families.
While I love the concept, the whole things feels a little thrown together. When you read about it, or hear
Kevin talk about it, it's not crystal clear who is involved and exactly what you are supposed to do. With some tighter integration and better defined user paths, I can see this program really taking off. Cheers to everyone involved!
Each week, billions of searches generate millions of dollars for companies like
Google and
Yahoo!. It's hard to believe this much revenue can be generated simply from clicks and data retrieval. What if some of that cash could be diverted to your organization?
That question was on the minds of Ken and JJ Ramberg when they launched
GoodSearch.com back in 2005. GoodSearch donates 50% of their ad revenue to nonprofit organizations...and the kicker is that users choose which ones. Here's how it works:
On the GoodSearch homepage, choose from thousands of organizations or add your favorite cause to our list. Search the Internet just like you normally would — the site is powered by Yahoo!, so you'll get the same high-quality search results you're accustomed to. Fifty percent of the revenue generated from advertisers is shared with the charity, school or nonprofit organization of your choosing.
Sounds so simple, doesn't it? There may be some room for fraud here, but I still like the concept and attitude. I performed a few searches with some of my
favorite nonprofits, and it's nice to know that a few pennies of that ad revenue will be going somewhere useful, rather than to a corporation's bottom line.
GoodSearch has some
great information on how to get your nonprofit listed, and how to link to them from your site. So setup an account, educate your donors, and put those billions of searches to work.
I recently ran across a new video sharing site for nonprofits,
DoGooder.tv. Very cool. The site is live right now, though in alpha, and allows nonprofits to post high-quality videos for a small fee free. They plan to include more community and online donation functionality down the road, so this is pretty exciting.
But will nonprofits flock to DoGooderTV instead of free alternatives like
YouTube or
Google Video? DoGooderTV will always have a captive audience looking for nonprofit content, but whether or not organizations will be willing to pay for that placement remains to be seen. Tracking…
Update: Michael says:
The site is 100% FREE! A new version is online now that allows nonprofits to create basic home pages and upload video.
That's great news from the DoGooderTV camp - not only because the the service will be free, but social elements like creating pages are coming sooner rather than later.
Using the
Social Web, also referred to as
Web 2.0, is a great way for your nonprofit to reach donors and spread your message.
Social sites are built to encourage sharing, and few things are more effective and inexpensive than viral marketing. While maintaining your own Web site will always be a priority, there
are other ways to spread your organization's story via the Internet.
Here are ten social web resolutions that can give your nonprofit an edge in 2007:
- Create a page at MySpace.com
Your donors are getting younger, or at least they are acting younger...so should you. Reach out to them via MySpace.com this year. Setup a page for your organization, gather friends, post bulletins, and point people back to your online donation page.
- Go in-world with Second Life
Get an account started at Second Life, and take your nonprofit into the virtual world. This is cutting edge internet marketing, so getting started now may get you closer to tech-savvy donors who are looking for something different. Have a meet-up in Second Life to discuss your annual campaign or just chat about issues. If you do it right, Reuters might show up and cover the event in the real world.
- Share videos at YouTube.com
Engage your donors with real life moving pictures! YouTube.com has put the whole world in the director's chair, and that includes you. Get your promo videos out there, start a video blog, and begin to integrate new videos into your campaigns. People like people, and your donors will appreciate seeing you.
- Share your photos at Flickr.com
A picture is worth a thousand words, so even a few can help show your mission to the world. Setup an account at Flickr.com and start tagging! Add desktop wallpaper and posters that your supporters can download.
- Archive your organization at Wikipedia.com
Do a search at Wikipedia.com - is your organization there? Get it added as soon as you can. Not only are Wikipedia entries becoming the go-to reference source, but they are showing up very high in organic search engine results at Google and Yahoo!.
- Start your own blog
It's 2007, which means it's time to start a blog. Your donors are doing it, the organization down the street is doing it, and I wouldn't be surprised if your kids are doing it. You can get one setup and running in a matter of minutes with the free tool Blogger.
- Start Podcasting
The spoken word is a powerful way to convey a message, and this is even more pronounced in the nonprofit world. The written word is a powerful force, but is easily trumped by speech. A downloadable interview with your board, DOD, or donors is be a great way to share your mission with Web visitors.
- Share your links with Del.icio.us
Social bookmarking may be new, but I bet your browser's favorite list is jam packed with useful links. If they relate to your mission, create an account at del.icio.us. By adding and tagging bookmarklets, you can share information with coworkers, board members, and donors.
- Join LinkedIn.com
It's simple...sign up at linkedin.com, network with others that do what you do, and learn from them.
- Bring the Social Web to your site
This one is easier said than done...believe me, I know. Even if it's just a discussion forum or blog, get something on your site that will allow visitors to participate. Go further and implement team fundraising or giving circles - these provide your supporters a vehicle to engage one another and further your organization's mission.
These resolutions are really just ideas - hopefully a few of them will make sense for your organization. The key here is that the Web is changing rapidly, and social concepts are becoming an expectation of your donors. Use these tools now to get ahead, before you get behind.
Happy New Year everyone!