The State of Social Media

News | Friday, October 21, 2011

In early 2009, Any Baby Can took the social media plunge. Among agency staff and supporters, there were mixed emotions of excitement, skepticism and uncertainty. Would posting on Facebook and Twitter take too much time? Would social media replace traditional mediums of communication like print pieces and email marketing? Would it support fundraising efforts? Myriad questions surrounded the venture.

Two and a half years later, we now have some insight. Staff time is carefully balanced, so the agency has a consistent presence on social media, but employees aren’t wrapped up in posting such that other responsibilities go ignored. Facebook and Twitter haven’t replaced other mediums of communication. Instead, they are part of a multi-channel approach whereby information is spread via print, web, traditional and social media.

For Any Baby Can, the most successful social media effort thus far has been winning a new vehicle in the Toyota 100 Cars for Good program. The campaign was held over the course of 100 days, during which Toyota gave 100 cars to 100 nonprofits. July 26th was ABC’s designated day to compete against four nonprofits from around the nation and the voting only took place on Facebook. The campaign was a great way to engage new followers, but it also provided a forum to tell friends why winning a new car would matter (via the campaign video, for example). Any Baby Can staff collectively drives more than 20,000 miles per month in the service of clients, so a new vehicle has a huge impact on everyday operations. Some Any Baby Can clients have physical disabilities, and the agency was able to select a Sienna Mobility, outfitted with the latest accessibility features and valued at $35,000.

Any Baby Can will continue to keep a watchful eye on trends and evaluate the state of social media. Currently, our vote is strong: it works.

P.S. Be on the lookout for our Facebook and Twitter “Day in the Life” series. As case workers post hour-by-hour updates of their day, you’ll get a glimpse into the inspirational moments and the heart wrenching challenges of serving ABC children and families.