Getting realistic about microblogging to volunteers (also known as tweeting)
10:05, 7 July 2009
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While Twitter may have jumped the shark, micro-blogging -- sending text messages of less than 140 characters to several cell phones and/or via the Internet to subscribers -- is probably here to stay for many people. But while microblogs (called "Tweets" on Twitter) are a great vehicle to help organize political demonstrations in Iran (and an effective way to spread misinformation), how can nonprofit organizations really use microblogs -- particularly with volunteers?Microblogging, IMO, works best for nonprofits when they think about such as short messages going to subscribers via cell phones. Yes, users can receive microblogs as emails, as updates in their RSS readers or as updates on a particular web page, but that's the same for regular, old-school blogging as well. Microblogging via cell phones is what truly makes the phenomena unique, and truly sets it apart from email and blogging.
Microblogging is NOT for everyone. There, I said it. It's not appropriate for every nonprofit organization (and maybe most nonprofit organizations). It's also not something every volunteer and other supporter of a nonprofit wants to use. Rare is the situation where microblogging will be the only way a volunteer coordinator will interact with volunteers. Don't use it as a replacement for emails, posts to online discussion groups, regular blogging... and face-to-face meetings and phone calls.
A lot of nonprofits I have talked with abandoned micro-blogging after just a few weeks or months, because subscribers realized they really didn't want nor need frequent updates from a nonprofit organization they support and, eventually, there weren't enough subscribers to continue the microblogging effort. A tip sheet on using Twitter for nonprofits that I came across recently said, "Limit your Tweets to 5 per day, and no more than 6!" I almost fell out of my chair. I assure you: the vast majority of volunteers do NOT want to receive messages from you that often! Most people are overwhelmed with online and cell phone messages and are looking for ways to cut down, not increase, online noise. Yes, there are a few nonprofit groups out there who have microblog subscribers who love or who actually need to receive daily messages, or even multiple messages a day (such as the National Wildlife Federation - although, let's see if they are still doing so in, say, three years). If that's your situation, then hurrah for you for knowing your constituents and what they really want/need from your organization. But for the vast majority of nonprofit organizations and volunteers, microblogging multiple times a day is not appropriate, feasible or desirable.
In short, if you are going to micro-blog, find what works best for your organization and your volunteers, and know that your experience may be hugely different than another organization.
There is also the danger of “crying wolf,” using the service so often that it loses its impact. Volunteers and other supporters should know when they subscribe to your microblogging service that you will use it for critical, time-sensitive messages only, messages that require immediate attention or action. They want messages like, "Barack Obama just walked in the front door of our office and it's live on CNN", not "Our Executive Director is flying to Seattle today for a board meeting."
Here, IMO, are what effective microblogs to volunteers look like:
"Vote on state bill to prevent Dalmatian fur coats comes up for vote tomorrow a.m. Call your state rep now! More info on our web site."
"Volunteers R gathering @ our offices to greet our executive director on her return from Afghanistan. Arrives in 1 hour. Come & cheer!"
"A volunteer had to leave our booth at county fair; we need someone to come down ASAP & fill in! Please reply if U can!"
"The annual meeting starts in one hour; we RLY hope you will be there."
"Online survey of volunteers closes in 24 hours. If you have not completed it, please do ASAP!"
"Location of meeting has been change; please be at our Main Street location tomorrow at 9."
"Online poll at CNBC re: pet ownership. Please participate & help advocate for your pets!"
"Training schedule for week has now been posted."
"Training schedule has changed. Please check our YahooGroup for complete details."
"Please reply with your GPS coordinates immediately. More info 2 follow."
Note how all of these announcements are time-sensitive, and the goal of each message is to get volunteers or other supporters to do something immediately: going to the nonprofit's office, going to a program site, going online, making a call, forwarding the message to others, etc.
Messages sent via microblogs should still also be sent via email or posted on your online discussion group for volunteers, with much more detail (as they won't be limited to 140 characters via those tools). If the message is THAT important to microblog, then it's worth repeating via other communications channels. Remember that not everyone is reached by just one avenue of communication!
The only way to be sure what potential subscribers to your microblog would want is to ASK THEM. Ask volunteers and others if they would be interested in receiving updates via their cell phone from your organization, and tell them what such an update might look like. Ask them what they think would be an appropriate message vs. one that should have been sent via email or posted to an online discussion group instead. Ask them what microblogs they already receive via their cell phones and why.
Once you launch your microblogs, look at your subscription numbers frequently. Survey users three months into the experience, to ask what they like and what they don't. Ask ex-subscribers why they left. Always have data to help you refine your micro-blogging based on subscriber (and ex-subscriber) feedback. And measure your success with online tools by real outcomes, not number of subscribers, number of messages sent, etc.
It's appropriate for some nonprofits to have more than one microblog account. Maybe your housing manager needs such to communicate with housing volunteers, while your campaign manager needs another to communicate with her activists, and the overall volunteer coordinator needs still another to communicate with all volunteers. That's fine, however, make sure everyone who is microblogging to volunteers is coordinating efforts with each other, and that no volunteer is required to subscribe to more than one account.
The most important thing to keep in mind? Content is still king. The online tools you use that have staying power -- and are, therefore, worth investing in -- are those that have quality, highly-desirable content. The fluffier and faddy your messages, the shorter the time whatever tool you are using will be valuable to those you are trying to reach. Be thoughtful and be strategic about whatever communication tool you use, even the flavor of the month.
