Social Media to Engage and Mange Online Communities - Article Example

Embracing Social Media to Engage and Mange Online Communities Name: Institutional Affiliation Embracing Social Media to Engage and Mange Online Communities Engaging and managing online communities is an important part of running an organization. Through online communities, organizations are not only able to increase their stakeholder support base, but also able to turn their potential customers into a community of people who share a common interest. Having an online community that is focused on your organization as a brand means that you have to engage with them and keep them talking to each other. At times, community members who are new to the new media such as the social networks or the internet may not know their way around the website, blogs and social media pages. It is, therefore, vital to tap into such opportunities by inviting people to comment and give constructive feedback that is important for gauging the organization’s growth. Furthermore, the organization should find some common ground and invite the online community to share thoughts and ideas that are in line with the organization’s vision and mission (Bodner & Cohen, 2011). In order to keep a vibrant online community that is active and engaging, organizations should be ready to create fun content that people will find enjoyable. It is advisable that organizations employ some humor and have a reputation to make people laugh. If the organization dwells on only serious things or topics then the community might find it boring. It is, therefore, imperative that the organization keeps its online community excited in order to enhance its reputation. Managing and engaging online communities also mean that the organization has to avoid negativity. Negativity should not have a place in online communities and community managers should strive to stamp out vices such as trolling, insulting, and should not allow members to snipe at each other. This is because such kind of negativity can only tear apart the community (Zarella, 2009). The organization should frequently spotlight members of the community and always be on hand to help the conversation flow while making sure no one is crossing the line into negativity. Members of the community should be the ones doing the bulk of talking. The organization can offer rewards and congratulatory messages to members of the community who have gained certain achievements. When the organization shines the spotlight on members in this way, it will encourage more members to take a step further and become more active and honest members of the community. Organizations should engage effectively with the online community by creating open-ended content. Content that the community members can respond to should be a key focus. Online community managers should avoid posting just statements that do not invite conversation, but rather create content that everybody can relate to. Questions requiring yes or no responses should also be avoided and instead create content that members can read and respond (Yorkshire Publishing Group, 2010). External communication Communication is a vital component for the success of any organization. It forms the basis for facilitating processes, integration of people, and technologies by effectively managing change to deliver desirable results, ensure the survival during challenging times, and help strengthen the organization. Organizations should use targeted communication to inform, influence and prepare stakeholders. Additionally, organization should prepare a communication plan that is in tandem with its goals, including specific and measurable communication objectives. Targeted planning and implementation of a communication plan increases community awareness and understanding (Pactera, 2012). The organization should use external communication to allow for flexibility. Firstly, the organization should carry out communication planning by making the audit. This audits should consist of a situational analysis of existing research and benchmarks for measurements. The organization should then set objectives by stating their overall goals and the objectives as per the audience. After this, the organization should come up with a strategy and a plan that includes the activities, messages and timescales by audience. Lastly, results and outcomes should be quantified. The organization should determine whether it was able to achieve its objectives, add value or learn new lessons (Mandiberg, 2012). Identifying audiences and stakeholders As a non-profit environmental organization, our aim is to reach out to governments, international institutions, and secretariats of multilateral environmental agreements, civil society, the private sector, the public and other relevant partners to support in the implementation of our medium term strategies. Targeted audience will vary depending on the individual needs of the activities as defined by the organization project (Pactera, 2012). The organization builds its credibility through targeting the scientific community and students. Moreover, it provides access to vital scientific data to support policy development. The business community that includes the industrial and financial sectors is also key stakeholders. The organization communicates corporate environmental responsibility as a collective responsibility to safeguard natural environment, and for business and economic importance. The youth also forms a large part of our audience. The youth makes up 3 billion of the world’s population; hence, their future will be greatly affected by environmental changes happening today. They should be made aware that they are the future guardians of the environment. Civil society groups and other major groups that represent environmental development, consumer, youth, aid, justice trade unions, and other faith groups have developed into key stakeholders, influential shapers of public opinion and sophisticated communicators. Donors such as the G20, G8, G5 and leading countries in island developing states, the BRIC countries and the European Union are key stakeholders. Other key stakeholders and audience include intergovernmental organizations, governments and aliens at the grassroots level. The organization should acknowledge that there are several demographic and social differences among its stakeholders and tailor make its communication plan accordingly. The organization message mainly describes the urgency of challenges the global community faces to ensure sustainability and a healthy ecosystem. In terms of environmental challenges, it calls for immediate action. Ecological systems are at high risk of reaching a point where potentially irreversible changes might occur. This risks losing both lives and livelihoods. There are unforeseen changes in the ecosystem, accelerated by human activities taking place in an increasingly industrial world and driven by unsustainable capital economies. The new media in Australia is vibrant, and it consists of very active and dominant companies on the internet, social media and digital content industry in Australia. For instance, the internet advertising board was founded by news interactive, Fairfax digital, Yahoo!7, ninemsn, Sensis and Google. The organization should make use of such a platform as a channel to engage the publics. The mobile content industry is one of the youngest in the key digital environment, moving from just being a communication device in the last few years. The development of the mobile sector has enabled mobile devices to be used as a key social media platform that is vital for engaging and managing online communities. In order for an organization to utilize social media and mobile applications, it is imperative; that the demographics associated with social media use in Australia are well established (Quraishi, 2013). The Australian social media users have an average 258 friends and followers whom they have not met face to face for a long time. According to this research, women were more likely to have seen their virtual friends in the past year. The younger segment of the population meanwhile was more likely to have seen their virtual contacts in real life the past year. This information enables the organization to determine the type and methodology of communication when engaging with the publics (Yellow Pages, 2013). The survey also found out that Australians tend to access the social media throughout the day with 37% of social media users checking social media networks first thing in the morning and 42% before going to bed. 53% of people preferred to check out networks after work. Men were more likely to access social media during work and in the evenings, while women preferred to use social media first thing in the morning and the last thing before bed. By using the findings of this survey, the organization will be able to determine the best time for using social media to reach specific members of its community (Yellow Pages, 2013). Several social media site are used in Australia. According to research, Facebook is the most dominant and the most popular social media site. 95 % of Australians, who uses social media, were using Facebook. LinkedIn was the next most popular platform, being used by 20% of social media users. It experienced a 4% increase up from the previous year. Instagram was used by 16% of social media users in Australia, most of them being the younger age demographics and usage dropping significantly for those over 30. 15% of social media users were using twitter, and Google+ was used by 15 %. Pinterest, which was mainly restricted to female users, had 7% of the social media users (Yellow Pages, 2013). The chart clearly represents this data on a bar chart. Source: Mobile Industry Group, (2013) This shows that mobile applications such as Facebook cannot be ignored as a tool for engaging and managing online communities. Because of the sheer number of Facebook users, it is an ideal platform to build a national or even a global community focused on the mission and issues the organization addresses. To achieve this, the organization should not just post content on its Facebook page, but invite discussions and responses from the audience as a means of expressing themselves. Facebook can also be used by the organization as a fundraising tool. The organization can mobilize it online community on Facebook through campaigns and seek their support by creating awareness about the importance of contributing towards safeguarding the environment. This way, Facebook, can have a huge role in a successful fundraising program (Mobile Industry Group, 2013). Social made applications such as Instagram and twitter can be used by the organization to share stories and photos of fundraising or publicity events. This is important as building your online community as it lets them visualize the organization’s mission in action. Furthermore, this keeps the organization at the top of their mind regardless of other things they are doing in their profile. Other huge nonprofit environmental organization such as UNEP have been successfully employing these tools to engage with their publics. Additionally, social media platforms such as Google+ can be a great way to have back and forth interactions, which are essential in successfully implementing a social media programs. The organization should commit time and resources to monitor this kind of engagement since their benefits are innumerable (Sharma, 25013). The organization can use twitter and Facebook to get volunteer force organized and spread word about events. For instance, Facebook has an option for people to add calendar events on their profiles. Once a member has joined the organization’s Facebook page, they have the option of sharing such events with their friends. This natural spread of messages will yield much higher participation and consequently contribute to more active community. The organization should make use of all social media platforms that are at its disposal without ignoring the minor platforms such as Pinterest and LinkedIn. This will ensure that no potential members of the online are left out. in addition, the organization should build a case for support through all the social media platforms by telling stories of people and societies the organization has impacted through its with its work. In addition, achievement made by the organization in accordance to its mission should be made public to its audience through these platforms (UNEP, 2013). Organization should effectively utilize the demographic data on social media usage in Australia to accurately segment their audience in a way that each group receives information. Social media is unique form other platforms for engaging key stakeholders who include donors, supporters and volunteers. Although most nonprofit organization have been slow in embracing social media, those that have been using it have seen great benefits. References Bodner, K., & Cohen, J. L. (2011). The B2B Social Media Book. New York: John Wiley & Sons. Mandiberg, M. (2012). The Social Media Reader. London: NYU Press. Mobile Industry Group. (2013). Australian Mobile Phone Lifestyle Index. Sydney: Mobile Industry Group. Pactera. (2012, may 19). Communication- Internal and External. Retrieved from http://www.pactera.com: http://www.pactera.com/consulting/organizational-change-management/communication-internal-and-external/ Quraishi, A. (2013, March 12). Three Essential Ways Your Organization Should be Using Social Media. Retrieved from www.npengange.com: http://www.npengage.com/social-media/three-essential-ways-your-nonprofit-should-using-social-media/ Sharma, R. (25013, March 13). How Nonprofits Use Social Media to Engage with their Communities. Retrieved from nonprofitquarterly.org: https://nonprofitquarterly.org/management/23837-how-nonprofits-use-social-media-to-engage-with-their-communities.html UNEP. (2013). External Communications Strategy (x-com) 2010-2013. External Communications Strategy , 6-12. Yellow Pages. (2013). Yellow Social Media Report. Sydney: yellow pages. Yorkshire Publishing Group. (2010). The Big Book of Social Media. Yorkshire: Yorkshire Publishing Group. Zarella, D. (2009). The Socail Media Marketing Book. Chicago: O Reilly Media. Read More

The organization should use external communication to allow for flexibility. Firstly, the organization should carry out communication planning by making the audit. This audits should consist of a situational analysis of existing research and benchmarks for measurements. The organization should then set objectives by stating their overall goals and the objectives as per the audience. After this, the organization should come up with a strategy and a plan that includes the activities, messages and timescales by audience.

Lastly, results and outcomes should be quantified. The organization should determine whether it was able to achieve its objectives, add value or learn new lessons (Mandiberg, 2012). Identifying audiences and stakeholders As a non-profit environmental organization, our aim is to reach out to governments, international institutions, and secretariats of multilateral environmental agreements, civil society, the private sector, the public and other relevant partners to support in the implementation of our medium term strategies.

Targeted audience will vary depending on the individual needs of the activities as defined by the organization project (Pactera, 2012). The organization builds its credibility through targeting the scientific community and students. Moreover, it provides access to vital scientific data to support policy development. The business community that includes the industrial and financial sectors is also key stakeholders. The organization communicates corporate environmental responsibility as a collective responsibility to safeguard natural environment, and for business and economic importance.

The youth also forms a large part of our audience. The youth makes up 3 billion of the world’s population; hence, their future will be greatly affected by environmental changes happening today. They should be made aware that they are the future guardians of the environment. Civil society groups and other major groups that represent environmental development, consumer, youth, aid, justice trade unions, and other faith groups have developed into key stakeholders, influential shapers of public opinion and sophisticated communicators.

Donors such as the G20, G8, G5 and leading countries in island developing states, the BRIC countries and the European Union are key stakeholders. Other key stakeholders and audience include intergovernmental organizations, governments and aliens at the grassroots level. The organization should acknowledge that there are several demographic and social differences among its stakeholders and tailor make its communication plan accordingly. The organization message mainly describes the urgency of challenges the global community faces to ensure sustainability and a healthy ecosystem.

In terms of environmental challenges, it calls for immediate action. Ecological systems are at high risk of reaching a point where potentially irreversible changes might occur. This risks losing both lives and livelihoods. There are unforeseen changes in the ecosystem, accelerated by human activities taking place in an increasingly industrial world and driven by unsustainable capital economies. The new media in Australia is vibrant, and it consists of very active and dominant companies on the internet, social media and digital content industry in Australia.

For instance, the internet advertising board was founded by news interactive, Fairfax digital, Yahoo!7, ninemsn, Sensis and Google. The organization should make use of such a platform as a channel to engage the publics. The mobile content industry is one of the youngest in the key digital environment, moving from just being a communication device in the last few years. The development of the mobile sector has enabled mobile devices to be used as a key social media platform that is vital for engaging and managing online communities.

In order for an organization to utilize social media and mobile applications, it is imperative; that the demographics associated with social media use in Australia are well established (Quraishi, 2013).

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