Tag Archive for 'obama'

MLK Day: Social Media + Social Change

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I’m really excited, every day, by the new and successful stories I hear about nonprofit organizations reaching out to the global community via the Internet and social media tools to help spread their messages, more effectively and efficiently provide their services, find new supporters and donors while empowering others to help support and fundraise on their behalf.  The web is an incredible place to work and a fascinating thing to watch grow.

But, what’s more exciting than that?  Watching individuals leverage the same tools as corporate giants and make a positive change on the world.

That’s the best part of social media: it is an equalizer of sorts.  It provides much the same opportunities to everyone, whether you are that corporate giant or a teenage with an idea.  No matter who you are or where you live (obviously, granted you have Internet access), you can use the same tools as anyone else to harness the collective energy of others around the world who hear your call, believe in your missing, and think you’ve got a pretty great idea about helping out.

Why Social Media for Social Change?

Social change projects may take the shape of a traditional or recognized nonprofit organization or an individual with an idea, a venture capitalist or a marketer, a team of developers or a college kid who wants to make an impact.  These social change projects rely on communities coming together to succeed (whether they are identified by a shared geography, issue, cause, or personal characteristic) in making a real difference in our world. Social media tools allow people to come together online in new ways and across barriers.  The tools are only useful, engaging, and successful when used as part of a community (how fun is it to use Facebook without any friends?). Thus, tools that create community are great for communities making change.

What’s the Next Step?

Many organizations are already taking the next step to collaborate with individuals online.  Now that we all have the power to get engaged, create communities, collaborate on projects, participate in challenges and all the other opportunities for igniting innovation online, organizations are also able to tap some of those individuals in new ways.  Namely, providing individuals who are actively promoting similar services or issues (or have already started championing the organization on their own) with what they need (be it logos and messages, or just feedback and encouragement) to keep doing what they are already doing.

More and more opportunities appear every day for individuals to really become champions for organizations and causes in a dynamic way.  As organizations become more open to using and then actually create social media strategies, it’s important that they highlight these individuals, support them, and thank them(!) for their passions and contributions.

A volunteer who comes to the office every Friday to help with general operating support is something most organizaitons can understand and have probably experienced.  It’s a new world to imagine a volunteer who, usually without even contacting the organization, spends time every week telling people about your work, why they should care, and how they can help.  Tapping that passion and energy is important and providing those volunteers with the simple supports they need to more effectively support the organization is invaluable.

So…What’s this have to do with MLK Day?

I joined the cause to Answer Obama’s Call to Renew America Together.  I know there are lots of excellent things taking place back in Portland today, but it’s not a holiday over here in London.  It was a Monday like any other, really: conference calls, emails, deadlines, etc.  So, I felt like I was disconnected. Today was not day I wanted to be disconnected.

So, I started thinking about how much power all of us have individually, as well as nonprofits and social enterprises, thanks to the social web.  We are making a difference in the world.  We even saw the man who will be signed in tomorrow as President of the United States harness the passion and power of individuals online to win his office.  With social media, we can work together on the social change we seek.

Yes We Can.

Published on January 19, 2009 by Amy Sample Ward. 0 Comments

Net2 Think Tank: Lessons from the Campaign

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Originally posted on the NetSquared blog.

Earlier this month, the world watched as America elected a new president who came from a campaign rich with social media.  The campaigns had much more money and resources than all the nonprofit organizations that I know, but were really succeeding with free, or nearly-free, tools.  The question this month focused on lessons for nonprofits:

What was the best example or lesson learned about leveraging social media from the political campaigns this year?  We saw candidates speaking to citizens through various mechanisms, but we also know that candidates have a lot more money than most of our nonprofit organizations (even if the tools are free, staffing and strategy development isn’t).  What social media tools, tricks, and strategies were employed that could be used successfully with nonprofits?

Answers poured in from all over the web.  Here’s what Net2ThinkTank responders thought were some of the best ideas for nonprofits:

Holly Ross, at NTEN, explained Obama’s success with leveraging the under 30 voters thanks to talking to them in the communication styles they prefer – social media:

In this election, Obama rode a tidal wave of youth vote to the presidency, with 66% of voters under 30 casting their ballot for the Democrat. What the campaign realized, early and often, is that the under-thirty crowd communicates differently from the rest of us.  As Allison Fine writes in Momentum, this group is “… likely to engage in two-way conversation with staff, volunteers, and clients, rather than in one-way broadcasts, the style of communication most often used by organizations now.”

Joitske Hulsebosch, of Lasagna and Chips, reminds us that “you have to go out and be where your people are online,” but has a good reminder for us that it is more than just good tools that make campaigns and projects great:

Social media can help and support you when you have a strong service or product, but can also amplify weak services or product. At times I have the impression that is forgotten and that people think a web2.0 tool will automatically give you a good reputation. Take the example of a weblog: a weblog can also worsen your reputation because your work and ideas will be exposed.

Tim Brauhn explains that it wasn’t until the Obama campaign that his organization, and others, was able to really see the benefit of social media.  He also points out a simple lesson that, “It was always a very simply ask, “Please help us do good things. Donate $5 before midnight.” It worked, and it worked like a charm, too.”

Brian Reich, of Thinking About Media, says that the best lesson is yet to come:

I was personally disappointed that the Obama campaign didn’t do more with its big database, its command of social media and new technologies, and its giant war-chest to dig deeper into serious issues and give voters – struggling to find some little bit of serious discussion amid all the mud-slinging – the real facts they needed to make a choice in this election.  They basically ran a substance-light, play-it-safe, don’t-make-any-mistakes kind of campaign.

The MixedMedia blog picked up on the DIY message of the Obama campaign.

I have a hunch that more people made more use of Barack Obama’s imagery – and made it their own – that at any time in history. At the same time, more people independently produced more images, videos, songs, raps, apps and sites to promote Barack Obama’s candidacy *in their own voice* than at any other time.I think this is powerful – politically, socially, and culturally.

Shari Ilsen, of Great Nonprofits, points to Obama’s innovative uses of social media as the biggest lesson for nonprofits.

He took technology that had been around for a while and used it in a new way. He applied web 2.0 to a realm that had never met it before, and in so doing he changed the face of modern politics. What’s scary about what Obama did is the risk he took- putting large amounts of resources into an untried strategy. But his success reminds us all that anything new, exciting, and ultimately worth it requires risk.

I want to close this with a challenge from Brian Reich and hope that you will weigh in with your answers and ideas!

So, NetSquared, rather than looking back at the Election for lessons that nonprofits can use, I would challenge you to look ahead and help the Obama Administration brainstorm what is possible for using technology and the internet to improve our Democracy and bring nonprofits more directly in contact with the Administration as they start to tackle tough issues.

Share your ideas and responses on the NetSquared blog here.

Published on November 24, 2008 by Amy Sample Ward. 0 Comments

Obama’s Social Media Campaign

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Originally posted on the NetSquared blog.

We have seen it and heard about it time and again, but the Obama campaign is capitalizing on social media use and setting some great examples for nonprofits and other social change campaigns looking to try something new.  Without any candidate endorsement, we can look at the success the Obama camp has had and try it out in our own work!

Newest in the playbook: iPhone app

On the official Barak Obama website ,supporters can now download and use the Obama iPhone application.  As the site explains, the features include:

  • Call Friends: A great volunteering tool that lets you make a difference any time you want by talking to people you already know. Your contacts are prioritized by key battleground states, and you can make calls and organize results all in one place.
  • Call Stats: See nationwide Obama ‘08 Call Friends totals and find out how your call totals compare to leading callers.
  • Get Involved: Do more. Find and contact your local Obama for America HQ.
  • Receive Updates: Receive the latest news and announcements via text messages or email.
  • News: Browse complete coverage of national and local campaign news.
  • Local Events: Find local events, share by email and get maps and directions.
  • Media: Browse videos and photos from the campaign
  • Issues: Get clear facts about Barack Obama and Joe Biden’s plan for essential issues facing Americans.

What does this mean?  They are putting all of the campaigning tools in the hands of supporters, and not just giving them the options but putting them right onto the screen where it is one touch away from an action.  Volunteer support has never been easier!

More Social Media Tools

The Obama campaign is taking advantage of  much more than the iPhone.  It is using a wiki to organize volunteers, Twitter to keep followers in the loop play-by-play, Facebook apps to show support, and even a branded social network to connect supporters.  An important part of successful social media use that the campaign is really capitalizing on is meeting your supporters where they already are, where they are already talking about you or making up their minds to support you are not.

In Other Words

There has been a lot of coverage about the Obama campaign’s smart use of social media from all corners of the web.  To read more, check out these links:

Have any of Obama’s social media tactics caught your eye?  Are there any lessons you’ve learned or tricks you plan to try at your organization?

Published on October 14, 2008 by Amy Sample Ward. 0 Comments