Social Media For Public Advocacy

How can NGOs use Social Media to organize a movement?

Author: Alberto Brea | The Digital Economist

www.albertobrea.com
 Alberto Brea | The Digital Economist

Document Purpose

Develop a playbook to help small NGOs with limited resources

apply social media to mobilize public support

Guiding Principles for Playbook

• Easy to understand, implement and manage

• Relevant to NGOs’ needs
• Low cost to build and maintain
• Measurable and scalable
 Alberto Brea | The Digital Economist

Source: http://www.vincos.it/world-map-of-social-networks
 Alberto Brea | The Digital Economist

http://www.internetworldstats.com/stats.htm
 Alberto Brea | The Digital Economist

Case Study Simulation- For Illustration Purposes Only

Who: Education for All (EA) is a small NGOs with a staff of 10 people
in the Dominican Republic with the goal of improving education levels
in the country

What: The Government just announced that it is planning to reduce the

budget for education. However, the constitution established that
Education should receive 4% of the GDP

When/Where: To approve the measure, a congressional majority

needs to approve the adjustment next month, on March 20th
 Alberto Brea | The Digital Economist

Approach

Create Social Build Your Analyze and

Presence Network Adapt
 Alberto Brea | The Digital Economist

Create Social Presence

To create an social presence, we need to make an assessment to develop

a customize social plan

1. Conduct Self-Assessment
2. Set Clear Objectives
3. Define Audience Priority
4. Establish Social Channel Mix
 Alberto Brea | The Digital Economist

1. Conduct Self-Assessment
1. How much time does your staff currently spend on marketing and communications
tasks?

2. How much time do you expect to devote specifically to social media?

3. Which social media channels does your staff have experience with, either personally
or professionally?
❑ Facebook
❑ Twitter
❑ Blogging
❑ Photo sharing sites (like Flickr)
❑ Video sharing sites (like YouTube)

4. What assets are available to your organization?

❑ Experienced writers
❑ Experts in the topic area of your mission
❑ Lots of organizational photos
❑ Experienced photographers
❑ Organizational videos
❑ People with experience creating videos

Source: Idealware - Social Media decision guide 2010

 Alberto Brea | The Digital Economist

1. Implications

Number of hours a week Maximum number of social

Number of you can commit to social media channel you can take
Channels1 media 4 = on

____________________ ____________________

Activity Monitoring and Research Initiating Responding Measuring

( Engager)2
40% 20% 20% 20%

1.Source: Idealware - Social Media decision guide 2010 & 4 hours time based on author personal experience
2.Source: http://www.slideshare.net/AmberNaslund/ebook-social-media-time-management-2618863
 Alberto Brea | The Digital Economist

2. Set Clear Objectives

Based on a survey by Idealware among 460 NGOs in 2010, there are three main goals for
using social media. To increase the likelihood of success, NGOs need to set clear goals

Uber Goals Reaching Out Engaging Supporters Fundraising

Reaching new supporters Enhancing relationship with Raising money for your
for the organization your audience organization

Promote an event - Build excitement prior to an event - Get people to take a particular action
Call to Action - Draw traffic to a particular online resource - Build your email list - Solicit donations

Time Sensitivity Week - Month - Quarterly

Measurement Number of people to recruit for an event - Donation goal $$ - Number of press mentions…
 Alberto Brea | The Digital Economist

2. Implications

Uber Goal Measurement

EA wants to reach out to new supporters to sign up 10,000 people

to participate in a protest, “4% Education,” on March 4th in front of

the Dominican National Congress

Time Sensitivity
Call to Action
 Alberto Brea | The Digital Economist

3. Define Audience Priority

Focus on the people that count the most. The traditional model of casting a wide net does
not work today. Need to identify the people talking about the issue and reflect back to them

Market Impact FIRST-ORDER IMPACTS

• Publish a blog
• Publish their own web page
• Upload videos
• Write and post articles and stories

Creators

Followers
SECOND-ORDER IMPACTS

• Read blogs
• Post/ratings/reviews of blogs
• Comment on someone else’s blog
• Contribute to online forum
 Alberto Brea | The Digital Economist

3. Define Audience Priority

To identify advocates and followers, set up Google alerts, Technorati search, Facebok Twitter
search, etc. http://socialmedia-listening.wikispaces.com/Tool

• Your name and people connected to your

organization
• Your organization’s name
• Program or event names
• Peer/competitor names and program/event names
• Your tagline or other key phrases
• URL for any web properties (main website, blog)
• Related issues/topics
• Common misspellings Source: Beth’s Blog, Beth Kanter
 Alberto Brea | The Digital Economist

3. Implications

Advocate List Followers

Channel Advocates Followers Network

Twitter 200 300 60,000
Facebook
 Alberto Brea | The Digital Economist

4. Social Media Channel Mix

Social Network Blog Micro-blogging Image Sharing Video Sharing

 Alberto Brea | The Digital Economist

4. Social Media Channel Mix

Facebook, Twitter and Blogs work best to reach new supporters for the organization

Source: Idealware - Social Media decision guide 2010

 Alberto Brea | The Digital Economist

4. Implications

Social Network Blog Micro-blogging Image Sharing Video Sharing

Connect, engage and Showcase NGO Share photos of Promote videos

Goal Report news
recruit supporters expertise events and volunteers to support cause

Updates Daily Weekly Daily Per Event Per Event

 Alberto Brea | The Digital Economist

Approach

Create Social Build Your Analyze and

Presence Network Adapt
 Alberto Brea | The Digital Economist

Build Your Network: On Demand Model

Monitoring and Research 40% Initiating 20% Initiating 20%

Identify what people are Initiate conversations that reflect Publish and share with your
saying, and craft the message what you are hearing through multi- advocates and invite them to join
media platforms

Measuring Responding
20% 20%
 Alberto Brea | The Digital Economist

Analyze & Adapt

Analytics WP Stats Plugin Page insights RSS Insights Stats ($)

Google Analytics Backtype Bit.ly
Tools Feedburner Tweetmeme

Source: http://www.devonvsmith.com/2010/07/a-social-media-measurement-plan/
 Alberto Brea | The Digital Economist

Blogger Dashboard Example - Free

 Alberto Brea | The Digital Economist

Facebook Dashboard Example - Free

 Alberto Brea | The Digital Economist

Youtube Dashboard Example - Free

 Alberto Brea | The Digital Economist

Summary: Social Media For Public Advocacy

How can NGOs use Social Media to organize a movement?

Create Social Build Your Analyze and

Presence Network Adapt

1. Conduct Self-Assessment 1. Monitoring & Researching 1. People

2. Set Clear Objectives 2. Initiating 2. Engagement
3. Define Audience Priority 3. Responding 3. Traffic
4. Establish Social Channel Mix 4. Measuring
About the Author: Alberto Brea

International marketing consultant with more than 10

years of experience in managing brand strategy
development, customer research, CRM and digital
marketing programs in the U.S., Latin America, and
global markets. Postgraduate education includes an
MPA in International Economic Policy, an MS in
Integrated Marketing, and an MBA.

The digital Economist Blog: albertobrea.com

Email: albrea09@gmail.com