cerina marlar, lcsw, cdvp outreach coordinator midwest regional childrens advocacy center...
TRANSCRIPT
Cerina Marlar, LCSW, CDVP Outreach CoordinatorMidwest Regional Children’s Advocacy Center
Understanding, Improving, and Evaluating Social Media Practices in the CAC Movement
Overview
Develop a better understanding of National Social Media practices across non-profit organizations
Develop a better understanding of National
Social Media practices provided by CAC’s. Acquire knowledge and resources on best
practices for top three social media tools (revealed by 2012 Survey), as well as information related to evaluating social media efforts on those three tools.
Who am I?
Agenda
History of Social Media
Overview Social Media and Nonprofits
MRCAC Survey Results
Guidelines and Best Practices for CAC’s + Social Media
Evaluating the effectiveness of social media
Resources
History of Social Media
1991 World Wide Web
1994Geocites founded. Users
create their own websites categorized by one of 6
‘cities’
1997AOL Instant Message is
launched
2001Wikipedia, a free
encyclopedia that anyone can edit, launches
Stumble Upon, a website that recommends web content to its users,
begins
History of Social Media
2003Friendster, MySpace,
Classmates.com, LinkedIn begin.
2004 Facebook launches from
Harvard, expands to other universities.
Reaches 100 million members in 1st year.
2005-2006You Tube, a video
sharing website, goes live
Twitter begins
2007IPhone takes Social
Media mobile
What is Social Media
Technology: Social media relies upon a technological platform (the Internet).
Scalable: Social media is not bound by physical limits to growth.
Accessible: Social media has low barriers to entry.
The Social Media Landscape
Social Media and Nonprofits
It is the quickest and easiest way to keep up with friends, family, and colleagues
We also use it to connect to causes, share photos, drum up business, and learn about fun events.
Non profits can now focus their social efforts to drive awareness, share their story, cultivate donor relationships and open up two-way communication with advocates in ways never before possible.
MIDWEST REGIONAL CAC SOCIAL MEDIA SURVEY, 2012
How are CACs using Social Media?
Methodology
Survey distributed online to 750 CACs and Chapters
46 Questions about Social Media practices
Respondents were given 2 weeks to complete the survey, deadline was extended for 1
additional week!
346 respondents completed the survey; a little over half of the Center’s contacted.
Demographics
Midwest South West Northeast
35%38%
14%12%
Respondents
Rural Suburban Urban
48
1923
Respondents
Respondents
Regional Representation Geographic Location
Demographics
Nonprofit Hospital Government Umbrella
63%
8%15% 12%
CAC Structure
CAC Structure
Accreditation Status % Respondents
Accredited 78%
Associate 20%
Affiliate 1%
Developing/MDT 1%
How many CAC’s use Social Media?
Yes No0%
10%
20%
30%
40%
50%
60%
70%
80%
72%
28%
CAC’s Not Using Social Media
Not enough resourcesPrivacy and
Confidentiality concerns
Not enough understanding of the
technology
84% agreed“We are concerned
about privacy issues relating to the use of social media in our
work.”
Length of Time on Social Media
Less than 1 year
1 - 2 years 3 - 5 years More than 5 years
0%
10%
20%
30%
40%
50%
60%
17%
56%
25%
CACs and Social Media?
Comm
unity
Awar
enes
s
Mar
ketin
g
Fund
raisin
g
Med
ia R
elat
ions
Prog
ram
ing
Other
0%
20%
40%
60%
80%
100% 91% 87% 84%
47%41%
6%
Social Media tools and CAC’s
Face
book
Twitt
er
Link
edIn
YouT
ube
Blog
Googl
e +
Pint
eres
t
Flickr
100%
35%25% 22%
10%3% 3% 1%
Who is managing Social Media?
57%Internally by the
executive director and/or leadership
staff
27% Internally by other
program staff
16 % communications and/or marketing
staff.
2% hired an outside company.
Trend Highlights-Clients
88% of CACs allow clients to ‘like’ their page.
71% of CACs allow clients to post comments and
‘like’ items
79% of those that do allow clients to post have not encountered any issues
Most common negative issue encountered was a client or parent thanking
the CAC and/or mentioning case-specific details. CACs reported that they deleted
the post and messaged them privately about the
matter.
Trend Highlights-Budget
84% of respondents budgeted $0 for social
media
As the budget increased, the
average length of time using social
media also increased.
Organizations with budgets less than
$500,000 were twice as likely to have less
experience with social media.
In regards to the budget; in the vast
majority of respondents did not take staff time used on social media into
consideration
Trend Highlights-Policies
83% reported that their CAC did not
have an external or internal policy regulating how social media is
used
18% reported having a “Social
Media Plan”
6% have written goals and
objectives related to social media
35% evaluate their social media
efforts.
Examples of CAC’s using Social Media
“The need for increased community awareness regarding child abuse,
specifically CSA dictates that every opportunity
be utilized to engage as many people to
recognize the signs and know how to be part of
the solution that mitigates the trauma
endured.
Any medium or forum that allows any
organization or person or government agency
to improve the community response to this horrific malady that
effects us all, has a moral and ethical
responsibility as well as a professional
obligation to bridge the gaps and educate the
public.
Survey Results
Survey Results
“Together, we stand better poised to impart positive change to the lives of vulnerable children who are at risk or
have, sadly been abused. Sharing vital information that our colleagues
have gleaned and promoting best practices for prevention and
intervention is paramount, and social media is a convenient and easy forum for which this can occur --
and, what's more, it's far reaching, and that matters.”
Survey Conclusions
Many CACs are currently using social media successfully without issue
Finds suggest that CACs need to develop more structure around their social media use in terms of defining goals/objectives, developing a social media plan, and a staff-use policy for social media.
A deeper look into how CACs evaluate their social media efforts reveals superficial evaluation primarily looking at statistics provided by the social media tool such as comments, likes, and insights. This suggests that CACs would benefit from more insight into how best to evaluate their social media efforts.
Additional information is need on the benefits and pitfalls of social media, as well as, its potential impact so that CACs can learn what to do and what not to do to ensure continues success.
Guidelines and Best Practices
for CAC’s and Social Media
Create a Social Media Plan
P=People• Who are you
trying to engage?
0= Objectives • What are you
trying to achieve
S= Strategies • What will it look
like when you’re done
T= Technologies • What are the
tools you place to use?
External Guidelines
If a client likes or follows your page, will you remove
them?
What sort of information will you
allow people to post?
How will you handle issues that may
arise?
Who will monitor your social media
page/s?
Internal Guidelines
Have separate staff and organizational accounts.
Your staff should not tweet “going out to lunch” or “watching
Avengers tonight” on your CAC twitter
account
Staff should not associate with clients or those involved with their cases outside of work.
It should be clear that staff actions represent
the organization. It should be clear when they are speaking on behalf of the CAC and when they are not.
Most, importantly, you should sit down with staff and review your social media policy.
Social Media Guidelines
Reflect your brand on your Social Media
Tools
Which logos and or image
are you using?
Think about the images
associated with your page
Monitor who and what
people post on your page
Do you want this?
Smoking Drinking
Or this?
Thanking Volunteers Accepting Donations
Social Media Guidelines
Post updates regularly and talk back
How does it benefit your constituents? (local news, politics, events, etc) Ask yourself new or current information is available
Ask staff, board members and volunteers to participate Post powerful stats, inspirational quotes, success stories
Social Media is meant create Social interactions amongst like minded individuals.
Be an active participant!
Social Media Guidelines
Grow a Community Join in on conversations, share content, and Connect with Like-Minded Organizations
Safe Start, National Sexual Violence Research Center, NEARI
Exchange professional resources like newsletters, reports, and research.
Open your page by allowing fans, friends, etc to post on wall updates, photos, videos, and discussions
Social Media Guidelines
Promote Events Local CAC Conferences, Fundraisers, MDT
Events
Feature staff from CAC’s.
Start a contest…with a minimal prize Example: Who can name all the CAC’s in California?
First correct answer gets…(t-shirt, free registration to a training, etc)
Thank volunteers, donors, partner organization
Social Media Pitfalls
Over or Under Committing to Social Media
Posting your personal opinion and/or politically controversial items.
Letting just anyone manage your page (does the intern understand the strategic direction of your brand)
Starting a page, neglecting it, giving up
Evaluating Social Media
If you don’t know where you are going, you won’t know if you got there!
Define outcomes for social media
Determine the outcomes (not
outputs) What does having ‘500 likes do
for your CAC or your Clients?
Identify evaluation tools Analyze and adapt
Resources
Social Media Use by Children’s Advocacy Centers Survey Report
Social Media 101 & Guidelines for Children’s Advocacy Centers
http://www.mrcac.org/resources/resource-library/
References
Cici, K.,(2011, February 15). Social Media Evaluation A Survey of Minnesota Non-profit Organizations. Retrieved from http://www.minnesotanonprofits.org/research/Nonprofit_Social_Media_Survey_Report.pdf
Steele, R., McLetchie, S., Lindquist, C., (2010, October 26). Getting Social Media Right- A Short Guide for Nonprofit Organizations. Retrieved from http://www.bridgespan.org/getting-nonprofit-social-media-right.aspx
NTEN, Common Knowledge, Blackbaud., (2012) 4th Annual Nonprofit Social Network Benchmark Report. Retrieved from http://nonprofitsocialnetworksurvey.com/files/2012-Nonprofit-Social-Networking-Benchmark-Rpt.pdf
Contact Information
Cerina Marlar, LCSWOutreach CoordinatorMidwest Regional Children’s Advocacy