Having done extensive research on Social Media over the past five months or so, I was somewhat reluctant to attend Margaret Hoegg’s beginner level presentation on Twitter. Contributing significantly to this reluctance was the fact that, of all the social media I had researched, Twitter seemed the least desirable to me. Margaret managed to change my mind, however, as she pointed out the very tangible benefits of Twitter. I have since started using Twitter extensively to promote my personal blog. So, I have converted to Twitter. Let me tell you why.
The benefits of non-profit organizations’ (NPOs) use of Twitter are significant for many reasons. As Margaret pointed out, Twitter offers free promotion for NPOs. In this economy, access to free promotion of any sort is a real benefit, especially to NPOs, many of whom are facing extraordinarily large cut-backs in funding. Twitter also allows NPOs to easily connect with each other, as well as with potential volunteers, supporters and even funders: all for no cost at all.
Volunteer Victoria has experienced the positive effects of this free exposure since adopting a Twitter campaign this fall. Recently, one of our “tweets” received over 785 clicks, an awesome testament to the networking capabilities of this form of social media. Keep in mind that we have just started this campaign (though we already have 352 followers): the numbers will undoubtedly continue to grow as we carry on encouraging dialogue and feedback: the possibilities are endless.
The response to Margaret’s Introduction to Twitter presentation was overwhelmingly positive. Everyone in attendance was keen to learn more about the intricate details of the Twitterverse. Thankfully, Margaret has agreed to do a more advanced level presentation in the future, so be sure to keep your eyes open for it. We sincerely thank Margaret for sharing her expertise with us!