Gah! I’m not even going to mention how long it’s been since I last posted, so instead, I’m just going to jump right in.
Recently, I read a very clear and useful resource by HubSpot, called 100 Awesome Marketing Stats, Charts and Graphs. It’s jam-packed full of good stuff to mull over and work from, so I’m going to pull out a couple of things that I personally found interesting.
Facebook: once the playground of tweenage girls joining groups and liking pages such as “I make groups just to see how many fans it would get!” and “Gwen Stefani Taught Me How To Spell B-A-N-A-N-A-S”. Now, HubSpot handily tells us that 93% of US adult Internet users are on Facebook. Changes the landscape a little, doesn’t it?
If you were feeling unsure whether joining Facebook or creating a page for your non-profit was worth the time, consider this:
- 1 out of every 8 minutes online is spent on Facebook.
- Facebook has become the preferred way of sharing content, second only to email (for now).
- We’re not just engaging with our friends on Facebook. We’re engaging with businesses of all kinds.
- Many internet activities that once took place on separate, isolated venues are now funneled through Facebook. These include email, instant messaging, blogging, gaming, video-sharing and online shopping.
The truth is that it’s highly likely that a great deal of your audience, potential supporters & potential donators use Facebook. The more content you want seen, the greater brand awareness you need, the more conversations you want to have, the more it makes sense to go where your people are and make it as easy as possible for them to interact.
Ok, so you’re buying the Facebook idea. Now what? Good question. There are quite a few useful guides out there on do’s and don’ts, and here are a few I’ve identified: Mashable’s Non-Profit Facebook Guide, Inside Facebook’s 10 Tips for Non-Profits on Facebook, and for a series of short how-to videos, see John Haydon’s Inbound Zombie Facebook Page. Those should get you well on your way to Facebook success.
As HubSpot says, “If you don’t like Facebook yet, you will”.
Question: Have you created a Facebook page for your non-profit? What successes can you share? Any tips for things to avoid?
