Social media opens up a whole new playing field whose rules are still being defined.  While it is certainly an avenue a nonprofit should consider, all platforms are not created equal and a bit of research is required to determine what's right for a particular organization.

Twitter is a convenient, portable and ubiquitous social media platform that delivers messages, or "Tweets" of 140 characters or less in real time.  They can be sent and received using mobile phones, computers and other electronic devices, and there are a number of additional benefits to using Twitter as a means to get a message across, gather volunteers, solicit donations and follow up afterward. It forces all users equally to be brief and to the point, ensuring clarity on an even playing field.  With messages limited to simple text messages and small images, the message really stands out.  It is portable and fast, so updates can be sent while they are still fresh.  In addition, Twitter messages can also be "re-tweeted", adding the potential for exponential expansion of the charity's network.

However appealing Twitter is in the world of social media for nonprofits, nothing is perfect and there are potential downsides to the service, in particular regarding its use by well-meaning, but perhaps misguided volunteers.  The platform's viral capabilities are a double-edged sword. Great pieces of wit and wisdom and total flubs alike can be instantly spread around the world, with little hope of controlling the end result.  A tweet can go viral if it is re-tweeted by enough people, and the postings do not necessarily end with Twitter, as postings have wings and minds of their own in Facebook, Twitter and social sites.

Tweets, like Facebook posts, are open to impulsive decisions that cannot be taken back.  Allowing volunteers to tweet on behalf of the organization opens it up to a lot of potentially positive exposure, but it limits control over public perception and the brand. One misguided post or even a benign one taken out of context could potentially go viral and spell either the end of the campaign or a world of trouble trying to manage damage control.

While Twitter is an emerging force in the world of networking, it is not the only social media platform for nonprofits.  Before deciding to go the route of the tweet, organizers should evaluate how the platform fits in with their demographic, nonprofit branding and their overall fundraising goals. Twitter is a double-edged sword, but a powerful one.

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About the Author:
Born and brought up in Oklahoma City, having a Ph.D. in European History, Kelly is a passionate writer and a voracious reader. She has been fortunate enough to live in many countries and cultures because her husband Lawrence works with the US embassy and has to travel a lot. Kelly volunteers for a local non-profit organization to help underprivileged children, and works as a freelance writer the rest of the time.
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Powered by Twitter Tools

Powered by Twitter Tools

With the twitter user base now in excess of 100 million people, there should be no reason at all as to why your website, business, product or brand is not taking full advantage of this fantastic "microbloging" service. Twitter is now one of the biggest social media websites on planet today and is growing at an exponential rate! In this short article, we are going to give you some tips, techniques and strategies on how to get your website, business, product or brand started with Twitter.com

For more information about marketing with Twitter.com, please visit our website LearnIM.net

Once your account has been created, it is time to start work on your profile. Firstly find a good "avatar" or profile picture to use with your tweets.  Tip: people like to speak to other people and don't want to stare at a logo or business related image. Therefore, it is a good idea to upload a good mug shot of yourself. Make sure you choose a photo that you are happy to show the world as this will become your online image / avatar. Next you need to write a good BIO or biography about you or your business, product or brand, ideally you want to sound authoritative and position yourself as you have great information to contribute to the BIG conversation happening on your feed.  Next you need to go through and find people that you would like to follow. This is a very simple task to complete, simply go to the top of your Twitter window and click on the search bar to find people that you would like to follow. If you are in the knitting or Crochet niches, you would use the search terms "Knitting" or "Crochet" after you are happy with your chosen niche or area, you need to click on the "Search" tab located next to the box.  If there are people interested in your specified niche, (chances are there would be) you would instantly see a whole range of users appear below your search. The words or terms, in which you searched for, will be picked up as keywords in user's tweets.  Once you find a user or users that you would like to follow, and then simply move your cursor to the right of the user you want to follow and click on the follow tab. You are now following this user. Now you are all done as far as the general setup procedure goes, you can however access your profile by clicking on the "profile" tab to change further settings. Now you need to find good information / content that you want to promote to your followers (followers come from users following you after you have followed them or if they like your tweets / updates.) Make sure that you reference any or all information that you post to your profile (if it is not your own) to ensure the correct author's details are shown.

This pretty much sums up the basics of getting started, for more advanced information, please visit our website LEARNIM.NET

PLEASE NOTE: ALL INFORMATION MENTIONED ABOVE IS SIMPLY MY OPINION AND THEREFORE, NO GUARANTEES ARE MADE TO VALIDATE THE USE OF THE INFORMATION. FOR MORE INFORMATION, PLEASE VISIT OUR WEBSITE: LEARNIM.NET

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About the Author:
Tyler Leese runs a website called LearnIM.Net helping users to get started online with internet marketing, brand awareness, product exposure, business marketing etc. His highly sought after skills have put him in the front line of trusted internet marketing and social media marketing experts.
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Powered by Twitter Tools

Powered by Twitter Tools

This social site is still going strong and is officially defined as a social networking and micro-blogging service. You can think of Twitter updates as mini blog posts written in 140 characters or less.

Twitter is a little different from any other form of social media, but at its heart it is essentially a communication tool.  When people first begin using it, it can seem a bit confusing.  You may wonder, how can I really type anything of substance in 140 characters or less—and how can I make the most of it once I've signed up?

I personally built a large part of my own business through Twitter and many of my clients and students also report great success with this social media site, so what exactly is it that we are doing to bring about such stellar results?

Upon really giving it some thought, I came up with six important steps you can follow to get the most out of your time on Twitter.

1. Set Yourself Up for Success. When you create your Twitter profile at twitter.com, be sure to use a real photo of yourself and list your location and website URL.  For your Twitter bio, you don't get much room, so be sure to include a succinct description of what it is you do. Tip: Include keywords in your bio that reflect how you want to be found in a search.

2. Understand Twitter Lingo. Twitter has spawned a whole new world of vocabulary–some clever, some silly.  There are some basics you should be aware of, as you'll surely come across them being used sooner or later.  Brush up on the meanings of terms like "re-tweet," "direct message," "hashtag" and more. Tip: Check out the "Twittonary."

3. Build Your "Tribe."  The more people you follow on Twitter, the more followers you'll gain and the richer your experience will be.  Use directories like Twellow.com and Wefollow.com and Twitter's own "find people" function to get started.  Look for people who fall into your ideal target market by searching by keyword and/or location.  Tip: Search everything on Twitter in real-time by using search.twitter.com.

4. Build Those Relationships.  This is where the rubber hits the road.  I always say that Twitter works if you work it. First, understand why you are there and what your goals are, engage in 2-way conversation (instead of just broadcasting and promoting your own stuff all the time), continually follow good people and use Twitter consistently—once every two to three weeks does not a consistent user make!  If you have made the decision to use Twitter as a marketing tool, then really use it.  Tip: Find key people to build relationships with by using Listorious to search Twitter lists by category.

5. Generate Valuable Tweets.  Getting stuck on what to tweet about is a common stumbling block.  Be sure to share links and resources that reinforce your expertise, ask and answer questions, re-tweet and acknowledge others and show some of your personality.  Tip: Use tools like stufftotweet.com and the twitthis button to make finding and spreading content super simple.

6. Manage Your Time and Your Strategy.  Use a productivity tool like Hootsuite, a desktop client like Seesmic or Tweetdeck, and utilize Twitter lists and a Facebook application such as Selective Tweets to automate, delegate and save you valuable time.  Tip: Check out this post on social media productivity tools to get you up to speed.

The biggest Twitter takeaways?

•    Understand why you are there and what you are trying to achieve;
•    Spend a good a good amount of time interacting and engaging with others;
•    Mind your manners: for every 1 promotional tweet, do roughly 10 non-promotional tweets;
•    Share valuable content—yours and others';
•    Take advantage of the many tools and applications that can boost your productivity.

Follow my advice, and in no time, you'll be tweeting like a pro.

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About the Author:
Christine Gallagher, MLS, MSIS, founder of CommunicateValue.com, teaches small business owners and professionals how to conquer the overwhelming aspects of online and social media marketing to increase business and maximize profits. For FREE tips on how to build profitable relationships, leverage technology and create your own successful online business, visit http://CommunicateValue.com
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