How to Turn Facebook and Other Social Networks into a Direct Revenue Stream

How to Turn Facebook and Other Social Networks into a Direct Revenue Stream

On Twitter: @cariegrls / @humanesociety / #informamedia11

Carie LewisDirector of Emerging Media

The Humane Society of the United States

Corporate Social Media Summit 2011 | Sydney, Australia

My name is Carie, and I’m a social media addict.


“I just got a keychain and address labels in the mail from you guys. Now that I see you posting on Facebook and know you're legit, I'll be sending a donation. Thanks for the work you do.”

– Posted to our Facebook Page wall, January 2010


humanesociety.org/connect

Where We Are

•Be where people are

•Stay on top of latest trends

• Research new opportunities

• Train staff & have guidelines

• Take an integrated approach

• Measure everything!

• Learn from others & adapt

• Executive participation

• Showcase successes

• Listen

• Respond to everyone & be transparent

• Don’t be afraid to fail

• Learn from mistakes

Our Social Media Strategy

By the Numbers


•

650,000 Facebook fans

47,000 Twitter followers

12 million Facebook Cause supporters

1 in 40 Faceboook users supports a Cause that benefits HSUS

Over 1 million people see a post from us on Facebook every day

$415,000 total raised on Facebook Causes

#3 top nonprofit on Faceboook Causes in terms of amount raised

Raised over $500,000 from social media outreach in 2010

• includes $100k in donations on our website sourced from Facebook

• does not include $250,000 from Pepsi Refresh Project

312% increase in number of fans from ’08 to ‘09

221% increase from ‘09 to ’10

Facebook is now the #1 referring site to HumaneSociety.org

Caution: this is not normal.


A June 2010 survey by The Nonprofit Times found that:

Only 0.5% of nonprofits have raised more than $100,000 on Facebook.

Only 2% of nonprofits have raised between $10,000 and $25,000.

So, what are we doing right?


• We were early adopters • Got buy in quickly• Invested significant resources• Large, loyal supporter base• Integrating into existing channels• Staying on top of latest trends• We are always listening

Keep in mind…• Social fundraising is still very new• Remember the first donate buttons?• Trust is not there yet for mass adoption

.

Social media is NOT a silver bullet for fundraising

How We’re Structured

Lara Koch

Mobile Communications Manager

Mobile technology initiatives

Carie Lewis

Director of Emerging Media

Emerging Media project management and strategy

Lara Sanders

Social Marketing Specialist

Social networking and advertising

Ellen Pascale

Emerging Media Intern

Social media administrative

Sarah Barnett

Emerging Media Manager

Response and volunteer coordination

Julia Worth

Online Community Manager

Community section of our website

Anne Hogan

Emerging Media Specialist

Blogger outreach, social monitoring

Online Volunteers


– Social media is integrated into all communications plans

– Every piece of web content has sharing capabilities

– Every email is shareable– Every page on our website has a

link to our social media presences

– Our homepage has a live feed of Twitter and Facebook

– Website content links to related Facebook Groups, Events, etc.

Integration is our #1 strategy for social media success

It wasn’t always like this.


• We started out with one staffer.• Built credibility and visibility by participating in discussion boards, other animal welfare pages• We spent a year building our fan base, building individual relationships, and seeing what our fans responded to before we asked for any money.

.

• Gave people “bumper stickers” to show support • Tried every fundraising widget on the market• Shifted to Facebook with links to our website donation forms• Didn’t work – people want to stay on Facebook• People were already fundraising on our behalf on Causes

Take a Step Back: Why Do People Give?


• Someone I know asked me to give

• I felt emotionally moved by someone’s story

• I want to feel I’m not powerless in the face of need and can

help

• I want to feel I’m changing someone’s life

• I feel a sense of closeness to a community or group

• I need a tax deduction

• I want to memorialize someone

• I want to be “hip” and supporting this charity is in style

• It makes me feel connected to other people and builds my

network

• I want to be seen as a leader/role model

.

It’s not that much different in social media.

What makes a good social fundraising campaign?


• Matching campaigns

• Incentives

• Tangible giving – what is my

money going to?

• Sense of urgency

• Individualizing a person or

animal

• Integration with other

fundraising techniques

• Peer to peer asks (walks,

birthdays, etc)

…also, not that different!

What do you need to fundraise on social networks?


• Existing, loyal supporter base• Clear, attainable goal• Replicated fundraising ask on Facebook• Process to thank everyone• Tracking mechanism• Sharing capabilities• Promotion / integration plan Think like the user. Tap into people’s

natural social instincts.

Case Study: Spay Day Pet Photo Contest


Case Study: Canadian Seal Hunt Campaign


Case Study: Year End Campaign


Common Roadblocks and Mistakes


• Set it up, let it fend for itself

• You build it and they don’t come

• Ask, Ask, Ask

• Talking to no one

• Talking and not listening

• Saying you don’t have the time

• Ignoring fan feedback

• Making “viral” your strategy

• No executive buyin

• Posting the same content to each network

• Taking negative feedback personally

• Assuming people know what you want them to do

• Not bothering because you’re too small

• Not bothering because you don’t have cute babies or animals

Measure Your Successes!


• Amount of donations• Number of donors• Donations to your website• Amount per fan• % Increase over time• New fans• # Comments and Likes

Intangible benefits: trust & access to uber-activists

Takeaways


• Take what large orgs are doing and adapt to your goals (read: STEAL)• Build your base first before you ask. Invest $100 in Facebook ads, try like-gating• Don’t beat people over the head with asks – make it FUN• Make your content as relevant as possible with Facebook Connect• Answer and thank everyone.• Keep people on Facebook• Do everything possible to enable sharing• Keep up on latest trends • Find uber-activists and involve them• Integrate into existing comm channels• Figure out tracking and measurement first• Build a listening system that works for you• Start small with fundraising goals• Watch your unsubscribes and act• Resources needed increases as volume increases• You don’t have to be big to be successful• Give yourself a break – this is still new!

“You may not have time for social media, but social media has time for your org.”

– Alan Rosenblatt, Nonprofit Technology Conference


Thank you!

Carie Lewis

Director of Emerging Media

The Humane Society of the United States

Email: [email protected]

LinkedIn: http://www.linkedin.com/in/carielewis

Twitter: @cariegrls

Presentations: slideshare.net/cariegrls

How to Turn Facebook and Other Social Networks into a Direct Revenue Stream

Technology

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