Experience
SOCIAL MEDIA STRATEGY
The Mid-Atlantic Chapter of the National Multiple Sclerosis Society is a community of individuals who want to achieve a world free of MS. Founded in 1955, the Chapter helps over 8,000 individuals impacted by MS in western North Carolina and the state of South Carolina.
Problem
The Mid-Atlantic Chapter had been dipping its toes into the social media pool for about a year. However, this testing period had resulted in six different Facebook pages and groups, and four Twitter accounts, all purporting to represent the Mid-Atlantic Chapter. Each of these accounts had been opened and operated by employees, one of whom no longer worked for the Chapter. None of the accounts had been updated in at least six months. The result was a fragmented social media presence that was confusing the Chapter’s constituents.
In testing the waters, the Mid-Atlantic Chapter recognized the potential opportunities social media could offer and now wanted to develop a comprehensive social media strategy. After a lengthy discussion with the Director of Marketing and Communications about their goals and expectations, we were able to identify several things they wanted the strategy to accomplish:
- Integrate social media into its overall marketing and communications plan so it supports the Chapter’s mission.
- Coordinate and streamline the chapter’s social media efforts.
- Accommodate organizational limitations.
We were also able to identify what the Chapter hoped to achieve through its social media presence:
- Cultivate supporter relationships.
- Build cause awareness.
- Connect with new supporters.
Action
The first thing we did was determine that Facebook would be the Chapter’s central social media hub. Due to the limited resources, we knew the most effective approach would be to deeply engage in a few places, emphasizing quality rather than quantity. After conducting an audience assessment, we determined that people and conversations relevant to the Chapter’s mission were most heavily concentrated on Facebook. This social network also offered a wide variety of tools to facilitate engagement (e.g., wall posts, status updates, videos, pictures). The Chapter would also maintain a presence on several other social networks (e.g., Twitter, YouTube, Flickr), but all efforts on those networks would be to funnel supporters back to the Chapter’s Facebook page.
Next, we developed a two-pronged approach to strategically engage the Chapter’s supporters. Under the first prong, the “content” prong, the Chapter would provide updates to its supporters in the form of news, research updates, and various other relevant information. We then developed a social media editorial calendar to provide supporters with relevant information and conversation choices. The calendar’s purpose is to ensure maximum engagement with and among constituents by updating them with fresh content while freeing up time during the week to simply engage with the community.
The second prong was referred to as the “interaction” prong. In order to fully benefit from social media, the Chapter focused on engaging its constituents in two-way conversations. This aspect was viewed as the most vital component of the strategy. We wanted to make sure the community knew the Chapter was listening and willing to engage. Although this required a significant commitment, they encouraged all employees to become involved in social media. In fact, they went to great lengths to support engagement as an extension of the organization’s culture. I also provided training for Chapter staff on usage, best practices, and rules of engagement in the social space.
Once the Chapter’s social media strategy was developed, we began implementing it. As the strategy was being implemented we monitored the metrics it produced and compared them to the success metrics we had previously established. Based on those observations, we tweaked the strategy where needed and realigned the Chapter’s resources to ensure they were being used efficiently. In order to maximize operational effectiveness, I also created an online dashboard that allowed the chapter to easily monitor the web for conversations relevant to its mission and join them.
Results
While the Mid-Atlantic Chapter’s social media strategy is still in its initial months, the preliminary results have been nothing short of amazing. For example, the Chapter’s six-month goal for its Facebook page was surpassed within the first two months, attracting more than 500 active fans. The Chapter also successfully completed a contest powered by its social media channels, raising more than $5,230.
SOCIAL MEDIA CAMPAIGN
MS Awareness Week is a national initiative that brings volunteers and communities together to recognize the impact and challenges of multiple sclerosis. During a week each March, anyone who is passionate about seeing a world free of MS is invited to do something to show his or her commitment to a cure.
Problem
Once the Mid-Atlantic Chapter’s social media strategy was implemented and a community was beginning to form, they decided that a social media campaign would be ideal for MS Awareness Week. More specifically, they wanted the social media campaign to spread cause awareness and increase member engagement.
Action
After extensive research and brainstorming, we decided that the most effective form for a campaign would be to conduct a contest. Thus, we created the first annual “Get the Word Out” Contest and invited the Chapter’s supporters to develop and execute events within their communities aimed at raising awareness for MS Awareness Week. The participants were to then submit photos and a brief description of their events to the Facebook page. At the conclusion of MS Awareness Week, the entries would then be posted to the Facebook page and the community would vote for the event that did the best job to “Get the Word Out.”
Results
The response to the “Get the Word Out” contest far surpassed everyone’s expectations. In the process of spreading awareness with their events, the participants also managed to raise over $5,000. Here are a few examples of the events:
- One participant got a local restaurant to host an “MS Awareness” night, with a portion of the night’s sales going to the Mid-Atlantic Chapter.
- One family held a yard sale benefiting the MS Society, with the children offering face-painting for donations. This event raised $1,300
- One group posted updates on their Facebook pages offering to match any donations their friends made for MS Awareness Week. They were able to raise $3,930.
As each of the contest entries were posted to the Chapter’s Facebook page, they sparked multiple conversations and successfully engaged the community. The Chapter is looking forward to the second annual “Get the Word Out” contest.
