Nuts and Bolts of Online Social Networks
What Are Online Social Networks (OSN)?
Online Social Networks is the new way we communicate and interact on the web by facilitating collaboration, personal networking, and sharing among communities of people. Users communicate through the web, text messaging, blogging, video blogging, online chats, etc.
Should Your Organization Incorporate Social Networking Into Your Online Communications Plans?
Online Social Networks should be viewed as one of many tools to engage your current base and reach out to new supporters. While the Web 2.0 world can be a powerful organizing tool for non-profits it takes organizational commitment, creativity and significant staff resources to see a healthy return on investment over time. If an organization can’t commit to updating their user profiles every couple of days, actively “befriend” new people and engage existing “friends” your organization’s Web 2.0 presence may get lost in the shuffle. In short, what you put into Online Social Networks is what you get out of them.
Social Networking Communities:
del.icio.us: A social book-marking online community.
DIGG: Web users "DIGG" and comment on the latest news.
Facebook: Originally built as an online community for students to post personal profiles and keep in touch
with friends but is now open to the public and non-profit organizations.
Flickr: Online hub for storing and sharing photos.
LinkedIn: A networking site for business professionals.
MySpace: Interactive website that supports user profiles, blogs, videos, photos, etc. It's more of an
entertainment driven OSN.
Twitter: Allows users to send 140 character updates or "tweets" via text messaging, the web, or instant
messenger.
StumbleUpon: Web users who like to check out and rate the latest new websites.
Upcoming.org: Users posts upcoming events by city and category and invite people to RSVP online.
YouTube: Community of people who like to share, rate and comment on videos.
Online Social Network Stats
Facebook
An average of 250,000 new registrations per day since Jan. 2007
Sixth-most trafficked site in the United States
The fastest growing demographic is those 55 years old and older.
55% female, 45% male.
*Source: Forrester Research, 2008 and Quantcast, 2009
LinkedIn:
20.1 million users –53% female, 47% male
30% between the ages of 18-34
46% between the ages of 35-49
*Source: Quantcast, 2009
MySpace:
67.9 million users.
58% female, 42% male
45% between the ages of 18-34
29% between the ages of 12-17
*Source: Quantcast, 2009
Twitter:
Over 4.1 million users.
53% female, 47% males
47% between the ages of 18-34
31% between the ages of 35-49
*Source: Quantcast, 2009
An average of 250,000 new registrations per day since Jan. 2007
Sixth-most trafficked site in the United States
The fastest growing demographic is those 55 years old and older.
55% female, 45% male.
*Source: Forrester Research, 2008 and Quantcast, 2009
LinkedIn:
20.1 million users –53% female, 47% male
30% between the ages of 18-34
46% between the ages of 35-49
*Source: Quantcast, 2009
MySpace:
67.9 million users.
58% female, 42% male
45% between the ages of 18-34
29% between the ages of 12-17
*Source: Quantcast, 2009
Twitter:
Over 4.1 million users.
53% female, 47% males
47% between the ages of 18-34
31% between the ages of 35-49
*Source: Quantcast, 2009
1. Recruit New Friends: Search for users who share similar interests to your organization's mission
and befriend them. Also take some time to get to know them. At the end of the day OSN are about
building a base of "friends."
2. Freshen Up Profiles: Update user profiles every couple of days with new stories, interesting facts,
new videos, blog entries, photos, etc.
3. Keep It Casual: Messaging should have a casual tone as if you were talking to a friend on email. It
should not be wonky or preachy.
4. Get To The Point: You are competing with hundreds and sometimes even thousands of "friends"
profiles and messages. Keep your messages short and to the point. Provide links back to your
website for more detailed information.
5. Two-Way Communication: Ask your "members/friends" to share their opinions and have them post
their responses online. Respond to their comments so they know someone is reading their posts.
*This article was updated December 1, 2008
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