Many nonprofits are still struggling with how (and why) to use social media.  Here are some tips:

• You can’t ignore it.  Your staff and others are already posting about your organization, whether or not you have officially sanctioned it.
• Segmenting your audience is a necessary, although sometimes challenging step.  If you don’t understand who you’re communicating with, how can you create effective messages?
• Other organizations like yours are already online;  learn from their successes / failures
• Find the social media savvy people at your nonprofit and ask that they help to plan your strategy (hint – it’s not only those who are in communications)
• Experiment to find out what content generates shares and comments – social media must be a conversation not a one-way monologue (e.g. email marketing)
• Post about your cause / mission not only about your organization
• Find a way to capture email addresses of Facebook fans / Twitter followers so you can contact them (and add them into your CRM)
• Make it visual.  Photos and videos generate considerably more interest than links.  Take the time to show how your organization achieves its mission.
• Use an editorial calendar to coordinate your social media posts with other communication channels, both online and offline.
• Watch your metrics.  Start here.
• Learn from social media gurus e.g. Beth Kanter, Heather Mansfield and John Haydon.

Need a quick primer on Facebook?  Listen to a recording of yesterday’s How to Create a Killer Facebook Campaign webinar sponsored by FirstGiving for many great tips.