I just read an post online put out by the Associated Press. The article talks about the potential risks as well as the upside of charities using social networking. Apparently those “Lil Green Patch” notices people are sending to each other actually do earn money for The Nature Conservancy. But that wasn’t the most interesting part of the article for me. There are a few points in the article that not only hold true for charities but for businesses using social networking sites to promote their businesses:
“It’s really a great branding tool,” said Sue Citro, digital membership director for The Nature Conservancy “It’s helping spread the word, educating people about our organization and its mission.”
The viral nature of Social networking sites makes them a great way to get exposure for a brand, company, etc.. The article also mentions that the conservancy is not so much concerned with making big bucks through social networking, but planting seeds for future generations. This is very astute. We are still at a turning point with social networking, and as it becomes more mainstream, we will see the younger generations adopting social network as second nature. In fact we are already seeing this. A good comparison is the computer itself, although almost every home in the US has a computer, they are much more integrated into teenager’s lives than retirees. Another example is the mobile phone. The list could go on, but I’m sure you get the point. Social networking is taking a similar path.
Melissa Brown, associate director of research for the Center on Philanthropy at Indiana University, goes on to say that this is it is a great time for companies as well as other organizations to get their feet wet, experiment and figure out where social networking and social media fit in their organizations. This is great for the transitional phase we are in right now.
Read full article: Charities see potential, risk with social networks
