Why Should I Use Twitter? (Part 2)

Two weeks ago, Mitch asked PhilanTopic readers to explain the value-add of Twitter. We received feedback from two readers who found the service to be an efficient way to share news, announcements, and feedback in real time.

Yesterday, Matt Blasi addressed the same question on the onPhilanthropy blog onLine. Praising Twitter as "very powerful if done properly," Blasi pointed to Tweetsgiving, a fundraising campaign held on Twitter this past Thanksgiving that raised $10,000 for a school in Tanzania. "In just those two days," Blasi noted, "[Tweetsgiving] had over 9,000 absolute unique visitors, and over 16,000 page views with visits coming from around the world."

He then outlines, at some length, other ways that Twitter can be used:

Twitter is a great source for building a brand and loyal follower group. By allowing you to post messages as often as you like, forcing you to keep those messages short, and providing a way for people to share your message with a large number of other people who may be interested you can develop quite a following...

Twitter can also help to show activity, in many cases with nonprofits and small businesses people who want to know you are actually doing something. It is human nature to be skeptical but if someone sees you Tweeting several times a day with what people are doing in your organization or updates on product development then it provides a means of being more transparent easing the tensions people have.

Twitter is also a great way to get volunteers involved. By giving them a way to also promote your cause or product you are simply expanding your customer base. It is really a word of mouth campaign done over a digital age technology. Volunteers can post links to you, updates on what they read from you, and share even more about what they are doing....

And the best part about Twitter, Blasi adds, is the cost. "It is a free service….For those looking at a solid ROI you can get it here[,] if you make a dedicated effort and use the right strategy for your situation."

So, it sounds like there's value to using Twitter after all. And we just might…

For more on Twitter and how nonprofits are using it, check out:

• How To Think Like A Nonprofit Social Marketing Genius: What's Your Brilliant Thought? (Beth's Blog)
• Step-by-Step: How To Set Up A Nonprofit Listening Post (Twitter - Part 1) (Beth's Blog)
• The Lend4Health Journey: Reflecting on #TweetsGiving (Social Actions)
• Twitter for Cause Marketers (Selfish Giving)
• Give Fast (Philanthropy 2173)

-- Regina Mahone

Comments

[Beth]

Here's the history of fundraising on Twitter to give you some perspective
http://beth.typepad.com/beths_blog/2008/11/twitter-as-char.html

Here some more resources about Twitter and nonprofits
http://bethkanter.wikispaces.com/twitter_primer