Once social media started to become popular as a marketing tool, businesses were ready to hit the ground running and begin utilizing this marketing channel from the word go. Nonprofits, on the other hand, were (and are) a little wary of jumping on the bandwagon so quickly. While many people think that businesses and nonprofits are opposite in nature, they both have one common goal: to generate a revenue stream in order to meet their business objectives. What is different is where the money is distributed, and as a result, their marketing objectives are somewhat different as well.

When working for a nonprofit, you are asking the community for money, or donations, without providing a service or product in return. (But I believe that you get the warm fuzzy feeling from donating and volunteering, so it’s a win-win situation anyway). And more often than not, you do not actually see where your money is spent and how it helps the organization. When working for a business, the relationship between the client and the business is mutually beneficial because it is, by definition, an exchange.  You know exactly what you are paying for, and you have expectations attached to the purchase. Needless to say, marketing for a business is different (and easier!) than marketing for a nonprofit. My friend, Jeff Poss, puts it best:

@jeffposs: I’ve always looked at nonprofit marketing as a way of rallying support/exposure, where as business marketing is a call to action. (via Twitter)

Business marketing is about communicating a want or need to potential consumers, while nonprofit is about evoking emotion that is connected with the organization’s cause. While blatant self-promotion is more accepted with nonprofit marketing, these organizations still have to create value for their potential advocates and volunteers. Nonprofits are serving the community, but they also have to be active in the community in order for people to relate with their cause. Like Jeff says, marketing for a nonprofit is rallying and gaining support for a cause, which takes time and trust from the community.

I wanted to write about this because we serve many different nonprofits at Fusework Studios, and we see the differences between how they operate as opposed to businesses. While we are certainly operating and functioning as a business, it is important to look at the trends in the industry, including nonprofits. After careful review, here are some tips I have for nonprofits in regards to social media marketing:

1.  Keep it internal.
While I support ghost writing, I believe that nonprofits should have an employee of the company implement their social media strategy. Employees understand the nature of the organization and know what is going on in the company. They are also more connected to the cause than an outsourced marketer would be. Outsiders need to see the passion and support within the content of the social media, which can only be provided by someone who actually advocates for the organization.

2. Provide testimonials.
The people you serve are your biggest marketing assets! Have them tell their story and show people how you've helped them! For example, we created a testimonial video for Easter Seals Crossroads that has won awards and evoked emotions in their viewers! When using social media, post videos, letters, and photos that you've gotten from those you've helped. This is showing people what you do, not telling them.

3. Partnerships are key.
Get involved with other nonprofits in the community. Host events together, volunteer for their cause, invite them to your events, etc. Retweet and comment on their posts on their social media networks. Promote their cause as well as your own. These relationships will help you get your name out to those who already advocate for the other organization, which, in turn, may lead to more advocates for your organization.

The point of this is that whether you're marketing for a business or nonprofit, you have to provide value for your audience. You have to create meaningful content in order to create advocates for your brand.
 

Although I use a variety of social media networks, I find myself using Facebook and Twitter the most. But I also find myself using these networks for entirely different reasons. On the one hand, I have a personal Facebook account for connecting with friends, posting pictures, and socializing, while maintaining clean and appropriate content. On the other hand, Twitter is both a personal and professional account that I use for networking, finding out about events, socializing with new people, and promoting companies or people that I support. Of course, there is an overlap between the two, but all in all, I use each for different reasons. Put simply, I use Facebook for friends and Twitter for business and social reasons.

In the current scheme of business marketing, almost every business has both a Twitter and Facebook account to promote their products or services. While this is important to reach a larger target market, I was curious to find out which social network people thought was more effective for business marketing. Here are some of the responses I received (via Twitter):

@chris_c_lucas: It all depends on where your customers/prospective [clients] spend their time. Different for every business.

@cphadley: I get more interaction from people via #twitter but I really like having both options. #facebook is good for events/photos. #business

@jasonrukus: I think they both offer different strengths. Twitter is great for direct contact & customer service. Also for promotion of something. [Cont.’d] FB is great for being that something promoted. With FBML you can create interactive content which reaches a very large audience.

@JaysMoving: #twitter has the most opportunity to be retweeted and by the numbers it has better potential. BUT you should be a fan of us on #FB.

@rustylive: I think twitter, b/c it's fast, direct and without all of that fluff. Followers are more active as well. Also it's easier to...

@ashanjay: I think Twitter would be the better option for biz marketing.. but fb is not a bad tool either.

Although this is a small sample size, you can see that it is a mixed group of answers, but there seems to be more of an inclination towards Twitter as a marketing tool. Of course, all of this depends on the industry of your business. But let’s look at these networks more closely, shall we?

Twitter, by definition, is a microblogging social network that allows it users to send out short tidbits of information that can include pictures, links, or text, simply called tweets. Other users, or followers, can reply to your posts, which can start a dialogue, but your profile only hosts your posts. Most people are under the common misconception that it is just a series of status updates, but it can be used to market a business effectively (and concisely!) in 140 characters if executed properly.

Facebook, on the other hand, is a social network that allows each of its users to have a profile where friends can tag pictures, post comments, promote events, and write personal messages. Your profile incorporates your friends’ interaction as well as your own, which all of your friends can see publicly (depending on the privacy options). This is a place where you come to connect with people, instead of simply sending out a message.

After reviewing all of these responses and looking at my personal experience with these networks, I truly believe that Twitter can ultimately provide customers with better service and timely marketing. Yes, pictures and posts disappear out of the Twitter feed when new tweets are posted, but there is a much quicker response time with Twitter as opposed to Facebook. I believe that Twitter is a much more mobile application as well, which feeds into the “timely” marketing aspect. Furthermore, I believe that businesses can overcome negative feedback in a more dignified manner on Twitter. If someone posts a negative comment on Facebook, all of your friends can see the post. While you can respond to this feedback, the reaction time might not be fast enough for the disgruntled customer. If someone posts a negative comment about you on Twitter, all of their followers can see it, but you can address the feedback by retweeting what they said with an appropriate response. For example, if someone had a bad experience at a restaurant, then they could mention that restaurant in a tweet. In response, the restaurant could retweet that content, and reply by giving them 10% off their next meal, which will be posted to all of the restaurant’s followers.  

Regardless of what I think, it is ultimately up to businesses to decide where there time is better spent. And it does depend on customer demographics and where people want to go to find information about a company. To be on the safe side, both Facebook and Twitter should be utilized by companies to reach those larger target markets, as well as fulfilling different purposes. The important thing to acknowledge at the end of the day is that you are providing your customers with exceptional customer service and building your brand into something that you are proud to represent.

Unless you’ve been hiding under a rock for the past month, you’ve probably heard about the oil spill that had caused a fair amount of damage to the Gulf of Mexico and to British Petroleum’s reputation. In order to “rectify” the situation, BP has released a number of press statements over the past couple of weeks that have not satisfied an overwhelmingly disgruntled public. In response to BP’s lackluster statements, a man, who has dubbed himself as Leroy Stick, decided to take matters into his own hands; he created a Twitter account, cleverly named @BPGlobalPR, which pokes fun at how BP executives are dealing with the current situation. According to Stick, he started @BPGlobalPR because he believed that BP did not offer anything to ease the nation’s concerns. As a result, @BPGlobalPR has already accumulated over 150,000 followers since May 19, and it continues to grow on a daily basis. Leroy also supports the campaign that sells “bp cares” t-shirts to fund the activities of the Gulf Restoration Network, and his team recently made a $10,000 donation to the charity. All in all, he has become a celebrity within the social media community overnight and has molded BP’s brand into the punch line of his own joke.

His popularity or humor, however, is not what has captured my attention; it’s his message. Leroy Stick felt the need to create an entire web based strategy with @BPGlobalPR because BP wasn’t responding to the general public with urgency, sincerity, or solutions. Instead, Leroy argues that BP has been doing whatever it can to maintain a positive image and to keep making money. In other words, the executives are paying Internet marketing and PR representatives to promote a positive brand image that has been destroyed by employees of the company instead of trying to fix the problems at hand!

“So what is the point of all this?” Leroy asks. “The point is, FORGET YOUR BRAND. You don’t own it because it is literally nothing. You can spend all sorts of time and money trying to manufacture public opinion, but ultimately, that’s up to the public, now isn’t it?”

This is exactly what marketers do not want to hear, but it’s the truth. Companies can pay agencies tons of money to create marketing campaigns that represent integrity, quality, service, etc. But at the end of the day, none of this matters unless the client perceives the company (or the point of contact) as such.

So what does this have to do with me? Well, as a project manager for Fusework Studios, I am charged with providing my clients with the best service possible in order to create a positive brand image for the company. I will be a point of contact for clients, and I have to face the truth that Leroy Stick presents. Despite this challenge, I am excited to take on the responsibility of embodying the brand of Fusework Studios while maintaining my own values. Regardless of whether it is a global, multibillion dollar company or a small Internet Marketing and Website Design Company (with offices in Indianapolis and Muncie, Indiana), the point is to represent your values by making ethical business decisions and providing your clients with the best possible solutions; something that both the public and Leroy Stick feel BP is lacking.

As a result, I am even more motivated to practice what I preach in response to Leroy's skepticism. So, thank you, Leroy Stick, for encouraging me to face this challenge.

Jenn Lisak is a new Project Manager for Fusework Studios, and obviously, we're excited to have her join our team! Look for more posts from Jenn soon.

• CONNECT members to other advertising industry professionals and resources;
• Encourage, support, and recognize members in their quest to CREATE the very best in advertising; and
• INSPIRE young professionals to enter the advertising profession.

• Search engines are the number one resource for people to find websites
• Targeted search engine marketing can have a high conversion rate
• Search engine marketing can be completely free (do not have to use pay per click)
• You win search by writing about what people are looking for

• Title your pages with keywords in mind
• Use keywords in your links
• Use keywords early in your content (first or second paragraph)
• Use keywords in header tags
• Create inbound marketing by generating buzz or links to your content (preferrably with keywords) by utilizing your social media community tools
• Utilize business blogging to drive traffic to your site

Original article by Indiana University Kokomo: http://www.iuk.edu/news/?naid=19&ncid=.

Kokomo, Ind. - Indiana University Kokomo has launched a new and improved Web site, www.iuk.edu, featuring easier navigation, online video, vibrant flash images, and socia media integration.

"The new site will allow us to share IU Kokomo in a more engaging and dynamic way. It brings with it a content management system that allows us to better manage updates and changes, as well as the ability to implement analytics that measure site usage and give us the tools to make constant improvements that better serve our users," said Katrina Janes, director of the Office of Communications and Marketing at IU Kokomo. "The redesign and launch of a new university Web site is a huge undertaking, and we are very excited to unveil this new Web presence to the students, campus and community that we serve."

The site, developed by Indianapolis-based Fusework Studios, provides easier navigation for the user, improved search functions, and a consistent look, design, and feel. The first step in the redesign was an audit of the old Web site that included an evaluation of its strengths and weaknesses. This evaluation enforced the need for IU Kokomo to clearly indentify and match target audiences with specific marketing objectives, as well as the need to transform the site from a static information source to a dynamic and engaging marketing tool.

This direction is supported by a recent TeensTALK®survey of high school sophomores which found that 74 percent of the respondents conducted general college research on the Web, and 67 percent visited a specific college Web site. It is clear that higher education institutions are positioning their Web sites as a primary marketing tool and relying more on electronic communication tools. The average Web user today is highly skilled and able to communicate through many technological formats, from text messaging to IM to Twitter. This is particularly true for prospective and current college students.

"This was a huge project and encompassed two years from vendor selection to launch. Every unit on campus participated," said Paul Nowak, vice chancellor for external relations. "A special recognition is due to our marketing and IT departments, and especially Rudy Kizer, our campus Web manager, and Katrina Janes."

Indiana University Kokomo serves a seven county, primary service area in north central Indiana. The campus offers more than 40 academic programs including four graduate degrees.
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Fusework Studios provides service in Business Blogging, IT Services, SEO Indianapolis, Indiana Website Design, Indiana Website Development, Web Based Strategy, Social Media Marketing, Indiana Video Production, Email Marketing Strategy, Corporate Blog, Internet Marketing Indianapolis, and much more.
 

• Learn more about your business (history, products, process, etc.)
• Hear testimonials from your customers about how great your product/service is
• See step-by step how your product works, so customers will buy it themselves
• Follow how-to instructions for accomplishing a certain task
• Be inspired and empowered to donate to your cause
• Be entertained by a different type of advertising
• Advertise for you by sharing your video across their social media networks
• And the list goes on....

• Make a plan. A web based strategy is a plan to achieve a goal. Put it on paper and keep it where you can see it.
• Make a habit. Practice working on your strategy every day until that goal is achieved.
• Do it when you don't want to do it. Some days it feels like too much work to participate in a social media community for your business, but those days are probably the most important to do the work.
• Have a coach. Even professional athletes have a coach to help set goals and achieve them.
• Form a team. Don't try to do this alone. Find skill sets that are needed to accomplish your goals, and find the people with similar discipline and passion to achieve your goals.

1. Begin the title of the article with the keyword phrase. The keyword should have a headline tag if the website is set up correctly.
2. Begin the article with the keyword phrase and use it again in the first paragraph if you can get away with it.
3. The keyword should also appear as the title of the web page by using the <title> meta tag. Your company name should be listed after the keyword phrase.
4. Although Yahoo is supposedly the only search engine paying attention, it is still a good idea to use the keyword phrase in your description and keyword meta tags.
5. Highlighting the keyword in bold can help improve search engine optimization.
6. Insert an image into the article with a keyword rich file name, alt tag and description.