Unburden Yourself to the Nonprofit Confessional

It seem I have more to say about social media  and if nonprofits are using it smartly and wisely. So, here is some research fodder for your social media strategy.

Item one:  the human touch still matters! At least according to research by Hyojung Park, a doctoral student in journalism at the University of Missouri. Park showed study participants mock-ups of the “social media websites” of real for-profit and nonprofit organizations.  Some sites just presented the organization—no names, no pictures, just the organization as a whole, while others had pictures and messages directly from the organizations’ PR/marketing personnel.  The latter are the ones defined as having a “human voice.”

What did Park find?  The personal, friendlier sites with the “human voice” get much higher marks than those without.   She says, “We have evidence that perceived conversational human voice may promote trust, satisfaction, and commitment in relationships between an organization and the public, which in turn results in favorable behavioral intentions toward an organization.” Which in the nonprofit sector translates into, among other things, money.

Item two:  ethnicity or race (not really clear what these researchers thought they were studying) matters.  Georgetown University’s Center for Social Impact Communication and Ogilvy Public Relations titled their research report “Social Media Plays Greater Role In Cause Engagement For African Americans and Hispanics.”

African Americans and Hispanics are significantly more likely to support a cause online (than offline) than are whites.  They are more likely than whites to believe that they can spread the word of the cause through social media, and more likely to see social media as an added source of useful information.  Most interestingly of all, however, is the finding that African Americans and Hispanics say that supporting causes makes them feel part of their communities.  Is that a different way of saying they feel like they are making a difference, one of the key mantras of fundraising– never deny anyone the opportunity to be part of the solution?

Interesting findings, but they beg some questions.  What about Asians? Native Americans? other key groups that make up the rich diversity of America’s population? And what happens when we disaggregate the multiplicity that makes up African American, Hispanic, Caucasian?

Do the results change among subsectors of those anything but heterogeneous groups?  Unanswered questions remain, but a clear lesson to relearn or reinforce:  one size does not fit all.  Know thy audience!  Old ways, new ways, it doesn’t matter.  We have to understand the tools we use and how they will be received by those on whom we wish to have an impact.

Sometimes the personal touch, the human voice, involves a kick-in-the-pants approach.  When appropriate, The Nonprofit Center is the one doling out the tough love to nonprofits or practitioners that deserve a trip to the proverbial woodshed.  That sometimes indelicate role is part of the impact The Nonprofit Center makes, in its effort to strengthen the sector.

Our call to action: But we’re not about getting in trouble by exposing their tales of woe inappropriately.  But we also know that there are valuable lessons to be gained through the stories of others, not to mention the great cathartic feeling that comes with “venting”.

So, instead of airing your stories of board member follies or donor demands via a blog or a tweet that could be traced back to you, take advantage of the “Nonprofit Confessional” we’re offering.

Tell me your story, educate, pontificate; the prouds, the sorries, the uglies.  We will read them all and even post—COMPLETELY AND TOTALLY ANONYMOUSLY—these cautionary tales.

You’ll get it out of your system, your colleagues will learn a thing or two and the message will be sent that you aren’t alone.